This April 🌷🌻💐🌹 I Will ….
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MadisonMolly2017
Posts: 11,031 Member
HAPPY SPRING! 🐣
A time of new beginnings & better weather (at least for the Northern Hemisphere.)
💐What do you change as we enter spring?
Different clothes?
A different bedtime or routine?
Any shifts in the foods you eat?
Any exercise activities that become more possible or enjoyable?
🌻We know habits impact our health, our fitness, our body weight.
What HABIT do you want to focus upon in APRIL?
Think of some habit changes that would be easiest to add or enhance?
Also, note habit changes that would make the greatest impact?
Is there one that would be somewhat easy to accomplish that could help you reach your powerful goal?
Can you shift it into an “In April I Will” Statement?
How will you track/measure your results?
Will you identify a reward or figure that having better health is reward enough?
Please share your ideas with the group & we will inspire each other ever onwards!
Let's make this glorious month of April a great one!
🌷Denise & 🌸Maddie
@themedalist & @MadisonMolly2017
🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻
NEWCOMERS:
If you are new to our group, welcome! Please let us know what you will be working on this month and how we can help! A suggestion: set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on!
IF YOU ARE NEW TO BUILDING HABITS:
Building new habits is a structured, time-consuming, and repetitive process. It doesn’t just happen overnight. But it’s well worth the effort! Having good eating, exercise, and sleeping habits makes it much easier to lose weight and achieve your other health goals. You won’t have to rely on feeling motivated. You’ll act on your new habits because it’s just what you do. We use the recommended approaches of noted habits experts BJ Fogg, James Clear, Wendy Wood, and Charles Duhigg to guide us through this process.
We have 2 different strategies we recommend. Both are good tools for habit formation, they are just different methods and one might be better suited to you than the other.
METHOD 1: HABIT STACKING
We highly recommend habit stacking as a great way to build a new healthy habit. Simply attach the habit you want to create to a habit you already have using this structure:
AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________
EXAMPLES:
After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.
After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.
After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.
After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.
After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshing, cool water.
After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.
METHOD 2: HABIT LOOP
Frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This December I will...")
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible)
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.)
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of December?
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACKERS
Since all new habits require lots of repetition to make them stick, we highly recommend you use a habit tracker to log your daily progress.
Tracker Types:
Paper - plenty of free ones or create your own. A simple sheet of paper works! Check out the trackers of @77tes in past months!
Calendar: Denise (@themedalist) uses these. Daily check marks work just fine!
Tracking apps - some are free
Physical - move a marble, paper clip, etc into a jar each day or color code them
Emoji - @TexasGardnr @nebslp & @MadisonMolly2017 are fond of these! Look in prior month’s to see how effective they are!
Whatever helps you celebrate your baby steps and successes will work. But please use a tracker. It makes it more likely you’ll change your behavior and it’s fun to see your progress!
A time of new beginnings & better weather (at least for the Northern Hemisphere.)
💐What do you change as we enter spring?
Different clothes?
A different bedtime or routine?
Any shifts in the foods you eat?
Any exercise activities that become more possible or enjoyable?
🌻We know habits impact our health, our fitness, our body weight.
What HABIT do you want to focus upon in APRIL?
Think of some habit changes that would be easiest to add or enhance?
Also, note habit changes that would make the greatest impact?
Is there one that would be somewhat easy to accomplish that could help you reach your powerful goal?
Can you shift it into an “In April I Will” Statement?
How will you track/measure your results?
Will you identify a reward or figure that having better health is reward enough?
Please share your ideas with the group & we will inspire each other ever onwards!
Let's make this glorious month of April a great one!
🌷Denise & 🌸Maddie
@themedalist & @MadisonMolly2017
🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻🌹🌻
NEWCOMERS:
If you are new to our group, welcome! Please let us know what you will be working on this month and how we can help! A suggestion: set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on!
IF YOU ARE NEW TO BUILDING HABITS:
Building new habits is a structured, time-consuming, and repetitive process. It doesn’t just happen overnight. But it’s well worth the effort! Having good eating, exercise, and sleeping habits makes it much easier to lose weight and achieve your other health goals. You won’t have to rely on feeling motivated. You’ll act on your new habits because it’s just what you do. We use the recommended approaches of noted habits experts BJ Fogg, James Clear, Wendy Wood, and Charles Duhigg to guide us through this process.
We have 2 different strategies we recommend. Both are good tools for habit formation, they are just different methods and one might be better suited to you than the other.
METHOD 1: HABIT STACKING
We highly recommend habit stacking as a great way to build a new healthy habit. Simply attach the habit you want to create to a habit you already have using this structure:
AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________
EXAMPLES:
After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.
After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.
After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.
After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.
After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshing, cool water.
After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.
METHOD 2: HABIT LOOP
Frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This December I will...")
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible)
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.)
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of December?
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACKERS
Since all new habits require lots of repetition to make them stick, we highly recommend you use a habit tracker to log your daily progress.
Tracker Types:
Paper - plenty of free ones or create your own. A simple sheet of paper works! Check out the trackers of @77tes in past months!
Calendar: Denise (@themedalist) uses these. Daily check marks work just fine!
Tracking apps - some are free
Physical - move a marble, paper clip, etc into a jar each day or color code them
Emoji - @TexasGardnr @nebslp & @MadisonMolly2017 are fond of these! Look in prior month’s to see how effective they are!
Whatever helps you celebrate your baby steps and successes will work. But please use a tracker. It makes it more likely you’ll change your behavior and it’s fun to see your progress!
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Replies
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Every day at lunch I will walk 15-20 minutes. I will spend this month being more active.3
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g4ytgm4yq5 wrote: »Every day at lunch I will walk 15-20 minutes. I will spend this month being more active.
Awesome @g4ytgm4yq5 !! Thank you for getting us started! What actions will you take if you don’t feel like doing it one day?1 -
I’ve decided to do the 9-day Challenges with a 1 restaurant meal on the 10th day cycle in April.
My new habit in April will be to decide on maximum calorie subtotals for each of my 3 meals & adjust what I serve myself (by tracking prior to eating) so it is not over the limit.
I think my limits (with 1K steps) will be
BF 550
L. 750
D. 500
I will adjust subtotals if I can walk the 10K for a physical reason.
Reason: Most of my deficit to lose weight comes from my Exercise.
1 -
This month I will do better at reaching the goals I set for March ... unfortunately I drifted off track about 2/3's of the way thru March.
* Bed by 10
* 8+ water daily
* min of 20 minutes exercise daily
* Food journal, current and work it!
* Aim for being <31 WW pts/day2 -
Spring is all about more exercise and movement! I could hit one-derland in the next 60-90 days.
In April I will get in the habit of exercising more intensely: minimum 10 minutes X 3 days. I will track my sessions in MFP and in my planner.
In April I will continue my habit of shifting my mindset about how hard or time-consuming it is to exercise. Some of my new language: I GET to exercise. Health is a gift. My body NEEDS to move. Exercise is fun. I save time by exercising. I look forward to pushing myself out of my physical comfort zone.
Some planned activities:- Continue my streak of doing SOMETHING physical. Minimum 10 minutes; target 20-30 minutes.
- Cancel my current gym membership (takes 30 days) so I can join a different gym next month that has drop-in classes (that will push me harder than I tend to push myself).
- Have a private swim lesson. Continue to work toward swimming 30 lengths (= 750 m).
- Go skiing at least twice (already scheduled!).
- Start using the trampoline again (I'm now a few pounds under the max one-person weight limit!!).
3 -
This month I will do better at reaching the goals I set for March ... unfortunately I drifted off track about 2/3's of the way thru March.
* Bed by 10
* 8+ water daily
* min of 20 minutes exercise daily
* Food journal, current and work it!
* Aim for being <31 WW pts/day
Looks like a great plan, @Lynn__W
Did you glean any insights as to why you drifted off & how you could avoid that next time (if there is one,)
Wishing you a big success in April!2 -
Spring is all about more exercise and movement! I could hit one-derland in the next 60-90 days.
In April I will get in the habit of exercising more intensely: minimum 10 minutes X 3 days. I will track my sessions in MFP and in my planner.
In April I will continue my habit of shifting my mindset about how hard or time-consuming it is to exercise. Some of my new language: I GET to exercise. Health is a gift. My body NEEDS to move. Exercise is fun. I save time by exercising. I look forward to pushing myself out of my physical comfort zone.
Some planned activities:- Continue my streak of doing SOMETHING physical. Minimum 10 minutes; target 20-30 minutes.
- Cancel my current gym membership (takes 30 days) so I can join a different gym next month that has drop-in classes (that will push me harder than I tend to push myself).
- Have a private swim lesson. Continue to work toward swimming 30 lengths (= 750 m).
- Go skiing at least twice (already scheduled!).
- Start using the trampoline again (I'm now a few pounds under the max one-person weight limit!!).
Hey @KacyCarpe !
Sounds like you have thought of quite a few ways to be successful!!
Exercise is wonderful once you come up with the kinds you love!
And congratulations to being close to ONEderland!! That is an exciting milestone for sure!
The trampoline sounds like a lot of
Fun!
Best to you!4 -
Because it was such an AH-HA, I am sharing this in a couple of my groups (sorry to those of you for whom this is a repeat…)
I have had several new insights in the past 2 days.
The first one I wanted to mention is more practical. I didn’t get serious earlier in the year about dieting again because I thought I’d only be able to eat “X to X+200” calories to lose. In reality, carefully tracked, I ate “X + 400” calories & lost!!! Kicking my Monkey Brain to the curb!
My “Monkey Brain” (who tries to get me to eat when I don’t need to & slack off exercise) will play tricks on me like that, but now I’m on to it!! 🐒🐵
Ditto eating out. 🐵 “If you eat out, you will just go nuts & you will fall off the track you had the past 9days.”
Nope, neither of those things happened.
The Key Insight: (some will think this woo-woo, but it worked fabulously well)
I talked to my Inner Supporter (totally new concept to me) who bears witness to my inner thoughts. I did this spontaneously while on my walk before my restaurant lunch. Told her I was scared I’d fall back into the place I’ve been the past few months (gaining 0.7-0.8 lbs per Week) I was concerned enough I was thinking of cancelling our lunch.
She empathized, “Yep, I can understand that. What do you want to do?”
And at that moment I realized, I don’t know what to do. HUGE INSIGHT. I think I should know. I think I should know a lot. (Later I realized I put a lot of pressure on myself that I should know a whole lot of things.) And I just relaxed into the “not knowing.”
The rest was easy
What do you do if you don’t know? “She asked”
Try something.
See if it works
If it does, great, problem solved.
If it doesn’t, try something else
Repeat.
I am Now convinced I will solve my “Eating Out” Challenges over time. I have a plan…
I decided to diet 9 days & eat out 1 meal on the 10th day for calories up to my Maintenance level.
Lots of practice.
One more thing. I was full & a little uncomfortable (even though I ate much less compared to usual) before dessert. Next time, I will happily order a salad with chicken or something smaller, lighter.
My stomach is still not as good this AM. I think it will be fascinating to see if I decide not to eat out BY CHOICE because the food doesn’t agree with me.
I don’t know. I really don’t, but I’m going to find out.
And this has huge ramifications for my entire life. I feel so much more relaxed. I don’t know. 3 simple words. I can be at ease.
I hope this is helpful or leads to something helpful for you.
💖
Maddie5 -
Maddie, I LOVE your insights! Listening to your Inner Supporter is smart. And it’s OK not to know…you try something and if that doesn’t work, try something else. We tend to give a lot of credence to our Inner Critic and to not check in with our Inner Supporter. But if you want to accomplish your goals, it’s the supporter you need.
Nine days of careful eating, and one day of a restaurant meal makes a lot of sense to me.
Thank you for starting our April challenge! Spring is my favorite season!5 -
The next three months are busy for me work-wise, so I’m going to focus on reducing my stress. “This April I will do at least 3 healthy, stress reducing things each day. Here’s my quick stress less options.
1. Morning mini-elliptical cycle while taking a virtual tour using BitGym. Their lake tours are especially relaxing.
2. 10 walk in my woods (I can finally walk outdoors again. Yay!)
3. Short walk on my treadmill while reading Gina Chung’s Sea Change
4. VR boxing session in Supernatural
5. 15 minute guitar session
I can’t do them all every day, but I can do at least three every day. #1 is a given. I do that every morning, while I have my coffee. It’s how I start the day.
Like Maddie, I also had a recent insight. Activities like walking, cycling, and playing the guitar are all repetitive, rhythmic activities, and for me, and other people I’ve learned, repetitive, rhythmic activities can be very calming and stress reducing. I never made this connection before but I find it’s true. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?3 -
themedalist wrote: »Maddie, I LOVE your insights! Listening to your Inner Supporter is smart. And it’s OK not to know…you try something and if that doesn’t work, try something else. We tend to give a lot of credence to our Inner Critic and to not check in with our Inner Supporter. But if you want to accomplish your goals, it’s the supporter you need.
Nine days of careful eating, and one day of a restaurant meal makes a lot of sense to me.
Thank you for starting our April challenge! Spring is my favorite season!
Thanks @themedalist! I’m so glad we are doing this together! xx
0 -
themedalist wrote: »The next three months are busy for me work-wise, so I’m going to focus on reducing my stress. “This April I will do at least 3 healthy, stress reducing things each day. Here’s my quick stress less options.
1. Morning mini-elliptical cycle while taking a virtual tour using BitGym. Their lake tours are especially relaxing.
2. 10 walk in my woods (I can finally walk outdoors again. Yay!)
3. Short walk on my treadmill while reading Gina Chung’s Sea Change
4. VR boxing session in Supernatural
5. 15 minute guitar session
I can’t do them all every day, but I can do at least three every day. #1 is a given. I do that every morning, while I have my coffee. It’s how I start the day.
Like Maddie, I also had a recent insight. Activities like walking, cycling, and playing the guitar are all repetitive, rhythmic activities, and for me, and other people I’ve learned, repetitive, rhythmic activities can be very calming and stress reducing. I never made this connection before but I find it’s true. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?
What a fun & powerful idea to have a menu of relaxing activities!!
I do find my walking relaxes me almost immediately- I think you are in to something @themedalist!0 -
Hi there, i am here but i hvent figured out april habits yet! Xo2
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Well, I started April with a glorious weekend visit with my sister. On Saturday We danced on the lawn at The Huntington Library, Museum, and Botanical Gardens dressed in Victorian costumes. It was lovely and the weather cooperated too! Then we attended a concert which was fantastic in the evening. We enjoyed celebrating Palm Sunday together and then had another dance party wearing 50s outfits and Easter bonnets.
My April habit is still a bit of a mystery. I’ll be thinking about what can fit in between a bunch of medical appointments.4 -
@MadisonMolly2017 That is a great insight to have had! We all need to listen to our Inner Supporter more often. Thank you for this reminder.
@themedalist Funny you should notice the rhythm of your choices. Last week at the pool I was thinking that swimming laps was quite meditative. You don't hear much, you're focused on your breathing, there's only the back and forth... I think you've definitely hit on something!
3 -
BBH I will…🐣🍇🐥🍓🐰🍓🐥🍇🐣
🐥🍇 🐣APRIL 2023 🐣🍇🐥
🐣🍇🐥🍓🐰🍓🐥🍇🐣
I am a person who values the health and fitness of body mind and soul
March was a good reasonable month for me.
April I will …..
Just started the new term at Hogwarts. So am concentrating on keeping on top of that and consolidating my Solid Habits.
Each morning, after my first short walk, I am checking in at Hogwarts Castle to see what tasks have been set.
🧙🏻🧙🏻🧙🏻🧙🏻🧙🏻🧙🏻🧙🏻
🧙🏼♀️
Daily Solid Habits:Solid Habits💚💚💚💚💚💚
💎Right this minute: Anti procrastination strategy
💎Daily Meditation
💎CleanToilets/Walk/Make beds
💎Post Sole Mates steps
💎Weigh < 140/log
💎Monitor %age Fat/Muscle
💎Log CI<CO/Balance macros
💎Herbal tea/supplements
💎Self care
💎Quality time with DH
💎Ablutions/dress/Shiny sinks
💎Breakfast
💎Intentional exercise > 60 minutes
💎Cardio > 6000 steps
💎Strength > 15 minutes
💎Flex > 15 minutes
💎Active hours > 6
💎Declutter > 15 minutes
💎paint/draw/write/read
💎Craft/crochet
💎General chores
💎Gardening
💎jigsaw/puzzles/TV favourites
💎Meet with friends
💎Quality family time
💎Sole Mates evening reminder
💎JGM10Ds/JFT/UAC
💎Close Apple rings
💎Building Better Habits
💎Duolingo Latin
💎Update Women over 50
💎Daily chores
YOU are worth the effort!
I woke before daybreak this morning and watched a glorious sunrise, and did my meditation. I feel that spring is really her now, as I can’t watch the sun come up from my bedroom window during the winter months.
4 -
@themedalist , I like the idea of focusing on stress reduction and I have got away from my daily yoga practice 🧘♀️so I think I’ve hit upon my April habit. I will continue to stay under my calorie goal 👇 and do my daily PT exercises.🙆♀️
So my affirmations for the month:
“I care for myself” - (a quote from Jane Eyre) and take responsibility for de stressing every day.
I’m the kind of student who does her homework.
I am a woman who stays within her calorie goal and doesn’t use exercise or emotions as an excuse to overeat.
April 1 😑 no regrets- wonderful weekend of dancing
April 2 😑 Ditto
April 3 🧘♀️👇🙆♀️
April 4 🧘♀️👇🙆♀️
April 5 🧘♀️👇🙆♀️
April 6 🧘♀️👇🙆♀️
April 7 🧘♀️👇🙆♀️2 -
Think I've finally worked out my April habits:
Set an alarm to pretrack at night and report daily.
I can not out run a bad diet so track track track.
Focus on the habits and the weight will follow.
Leave work 4.30pm.
No internet...no youtube or podcasts for 5 weeks so far and 4 weeks with no watsapp!!
Avoid delaying workout, wake up, hve shower, coffee then straight out the door! Make the most of time allocated! Set timer...Aim for an hour workout!
Get moving in afternoon.
Get moving on weekend.
3 -
13th
Set an alarm to pretrack at night and report daily yes
I can not out run a bad diet so track track track yes
Focus on the habits and the weight will follow yes
Leave work 4.30pm no
No internet...no youtube or podcasts for 5 weeks so far and 4 weeks with no watsapp!! Yes
Avoid delaying workout, wake up, hve shower, coffee then straight out the door! Make the most of time allocated! Set timer...Aim for an hour workout! Yes
Get moving in afternoon no
Get moving on weekend n/a4 -
@TerriRichardson112, I just saw that you’re in Hogwarts! Cool!2
