Four-day win

cindysatx

Because we are all doing a three-month challenge, I wanted to share a book (and concept) that has helped me recently. The "Four Day Win" by Martha Beck talks about setting goals that you commit to following for four-days. According to Beck, if you can get through just four days of a behavior change, it is easier to commit to four more days. If you can string about a month of four days together, eventually you form a habit.

That's the concept in a nut shell -- I liked the whole book, actually. Somehow having a beginning and end to a personal challenge makes it more doable (just as calorie counting and dieting two days a week is more doable than an unending life of writing down food and feeling guilty most of your eating life!)

lizz2013

I like this idea. Thanks for sharing it! Do you have a suggestion for a 4 day challenge we could all start with?

luvsunshine1

That's a good idea. That sounds much more doable than the standard 21 days to form a habit, seemed like I never could make it the 21 days, but thinking of it as 4 days at a time, just mentally would work better for me.

cindysatx

Lizz and Luvsunshine --

I just tried to post a message and received a message from MFP that I was reporting one of your messages as abusive. Ack! I think I successfully aborted the complaint process, but humblest apologies if something happened. What a way to win MFB friends!.

Assuming you are still speaking to me, here's my response to Lizz's question. I think it's always best if people pick individual goals. So if you felt like putting out the same call as you did this week -- pick a goal and stick to it for four days - that would work.

Here's the rub. Our fast-feast cycle throws a wrench in this approach, doesn't it? Because it's easier to form a habit if you can practice it four days in a row. But here are some ideas:

Each day for four days, try a new low calorie food that you could incorporate into your fast day (and report your review)
ADD 15 minutes of activity to your day for four days
Set a deadline to stop eating before bedtime for the next four days.

What do you think?

Cindy

lizz2013

Don't worry, we're still speaking to you!! I really like this idea and I think we should try the evening deadline one this week. thank you!