No Snowballs in August!
themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
It all starts innocently enough. For me lately it’s been a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
You join in your family’s nightly ritual of snacking while watching TV at night, despite a pledge to yourself that you’ll close your food diary and stop eating at 7pm. Or your schedule gets thrown for a loop one day causing you to skip your workout and before you know it, you haven’t exercised in 3 weeks. Or maybe wine just on the weekends has morphed into a nightly event?
Arghh! You’ve got a bad habit brewing and it needs to stop.
Bad habits, just like good habits, are formed by repetition. We do something once, then a few more times, and before we know it, it’s become part of our daily routine, and often something we do without being consciously aware that we are doing it. As with good habits, bad habits are triggered by a cue, such as nightly TV watching, and cemented by the enjoyment or benefits we get from doing the habit. But unlike good habits, the pleasure we get from bad habits is usually immediate, which makes them especially sticky and easy to pick up. Sure, we know that regular exercise gives us lots of health benefits, but a plate of homemade cookies is delicious NOW. Bad habits are like puppies: they are so appealing they are hard to resist.
If you are undecided about what to focus on in August consider what might be snowballing in your life and becoming an obstacle to achieving your health goals.
If you’ve started doing something recently that is working against your goals, step in and break the cycle. Make a conscious decision not to do the thing that is setting you back. When the urge hits, find some way to distract yourself or substitute a better habit for the one you want to replace. A short walk is a great intervention. I know it’s not easy, but repetition is the food for all habits. Let’s break the cycle. Conversely, if you’ve sidelined a good habit you had, let August be the month you bring it back and into your daily routine.
Let's make it a great month!
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Replies
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Great idea for August!
This year so far I have worked on lots of habits, and made good progress.
But I have been letting my organization slide. I was in the habit of having a weekly to do list, but I haven’t done that for months now, and it’s beginning to show.
Today for a challenge in another group, I had to use the word missile and combine it with the task of my To Do List. Having spent many years in classrooms, I immediately connected missiles with students throwing things. So I created a To Do List out of scratch paper stapled together with one task on each sheet. As I completed a task, I ripped it from the list, wadded it up and threw it into the trash can. I did require that I stand at the end of the kitchen to make it a bit more difficult although my kitchen isn’t large. Still, I’ve yet to score on the first try.
I must say that throwing that missile into the trash was very satisfying and of course I gave myself the referee goal sign with both hands up. I plan to use this system for my to do lists in the month of August. I hope to add a bit of fun to the process.
So this August I will create a weekly plan and create a daily To-Do missile list.
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My snowballing bad habits that I want to kick:
1. Resting & not exercising - I tried to see if not doing anything would help with the aches I have at the moment. In some ways, yes it helped, in others, it just makes it tougher to move.
2. Ice-cream - of course, it's fine to have it on these hot days but it can easily become a daily sweet treat rather than for the purpose of cooling down.
3. High calorie snacks - cheese, nuts, dried fruit. Yes, these are fine but I need to measure how many calories before digging in.
Good habits I'd like to get snowballing:
1. Complete some administrative jobs on a daily basis instead of leaving until the end of the month or the deadline.
2. Clean & tidy a section of my flat each day instead of waiting until it desperately needs doing.
3. Shopping and prepping for meals in advance.
Continuing habits I've already begun:
1. No sweets or chocolate
2. Reduce alcohol
3. Stay within calorie deficit
4. Drink 1.5 litres of water
5. Increase protein & fibre
6. Reduce ready meals
7. Stretch, flex & strength
8. Increase fruit & veg
9. More fish & seafood
10. Walk more3 -
For August I'm working on doing personals on a couple of different challenge team threads.4
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I bit off more than I could chew in July. When the going got tough, I got going off to hide. Well,I'm back, but backing off a little.
1. In bed by 12
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking.
3. Prelog.
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more.
The first 3 are easy and the 4th isn't hard, so I should be okay.
Yes to all 4 today.2 -
@BodyTalking , All great things to work on! I look forward to seeing that tracker start filling up.
@macrat12 I know you’ll do great because you are fierce!
@Corina1143 - great goals that go well together. Getting enough sleep will help you get up and ready and feel like exercising. I like to give myself a minimum exercise goal that’s very small. When I was trying to get back into walking, I made my minimum a 5 minute walk. It’s hard to tell yourself you can’t do 5 minutes and I usually did more. When I started journaling, I made my minimum 1 word.
I got off to a good start today.
I made a weekly plan for the rest of the week and got through all my tasks on today’s missile list. Also, my aim is improving, I hit the basket a couple times on the first try.
🙌
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Got off to a bad start. Oh well, just more room for improvement.Corina1143 wrote: »1. In bed by 12 No
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. No
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Water aerobics yesterday. Mow today.
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Corina1143 wrote: »Got off to a bad start. Oh well, just more room for improvement.Corina1143 wrote: »1. In bed by 12 No
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. No
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Water aerobics yesterday. Mow today.
@Corina1143 Celebrate that you got in the exercise! That's the hard one! Hooray!1 -
Corina1143 wrote: »better
1. In bed by 12 yes
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. yes
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. 1.5 hours yard work.1 -
Good going @Corina1143 !
Looking back at previous months, I realized that the organization/planning was my goal for February, so I guess I am doing a reset on that goal. Embarrassing 😳 However, I noticed that I started doing 10 counter pushups daily. I’ve hardly missed any days since then - that adds up to 1200 pushups since then! Wow!
@themedalist shared this on her Facebook page Quitting the Sitting
I got my to-do’s done on the 2nd!
🙌🙌
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1. In bed by 12 yes, 11:30
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. yes
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Took a short walk. I started. No intentions about how far I'd go, just put my shoes on and walk out the door. It worked well. I walked about 1/2 a mile.1 -
1. In bed by 12 - about 11:30
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. No. Dogs woke me at 5 am. Tried to go back to 😴. No luck.
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. No formal exercise yesterday.
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@Corina1143
You are doing great! Getting to bed before 12 is happening! I love the walk you got in. That’s the way to get it done.
Sorry your morning plan got derailed by the pups.
I got my to-do’s done on the 3rd and 4th
🙌🙌🙌
🙌
Weekly Plan is taking shape
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Corina1143 wrote: »
1. In bed by 12 - about 11:30
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. No. Dogs woke me at 5 am. Tried to go back to 😴. No luck.
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. No formal exercise yesterday.
Can I get a do-over? Long. Morning. Nap. Dressed and bed stripped for laundry soon after.
Works for me. Better yet if neighbors stop their dogs barking in the middle of the night.2 -
Moving forward ……🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
🌼🌺🪺 August 2024 🪺🌺🌼
🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
I am a person who values
the health and fitness of
my body, mind, and spirit
Habits keep me going
when motivation flags.
I think that summer malaise has affected a lot of us. 😂 Sometimes, we just lose sight of the bigger picture. We just have to make sure that we nip it in the bud quickly 😂
My Sniwball
I had taken my eye off the ball during the last 2 weeks in July, what with visitors and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Didn’t weigh and lax on the calories. Got a shock when I jumped on the scale.
This month I will …..
August Focus:
Melt the Snowballs of Complacency
In August I am …..
… being mindful to keep my Solid habits strong
To help me do this I am …..
~ reading them each morning
~ prelogging CI/CO and staying under goal
~ weighing each morning
My reward: My He-Man Power Salute - ⚔️ I HAVE THE POWER!!! ⚔️ and being closer to touching my toes
I have continued this from June into July.
📌Focus ~ Strentgening Solid Habits
👌👌👌👌👌
Great Oaks from little acorns grow!
Daily Solid Habits:
(Developed over time)💎Right This Minute: Anti procrastination strategyYOU are worth the effort!
💎Just DO it!!!
Morning Routines:
💎Daily Meditation
💎Walk/Make beds/Shiny Sinks
💎Post Sole Mates steps
💎Weigh 130 < 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
In between:
💎Intentional exercise > 60 minutes
💎Cardio > 5500 steps
💎Strength > 15 minutes
💎Flex > 15 minutes
💎Active hours > 6
💎Zone minutes > 150 (per week)
💎Declutter > 15 minutes
💎Daily chores
💎paint/draw/write/read
💎Craft/crochet/art
💎General chores
💎Gardening
💎jigsaw/puzzles/TV favourites
💎Meet with friends
💎Quality family time
Evening Routines:
💎Sole Mates evening reminder
💎JGM10Ds/JFT/UAC/Hogwarts
💎Close Fitbit rings/Zone minutes
💎Building Healthy Habits
💎Duolingo Latin
💎Update Women over 50
💎Clutter Sweep
Secondary Focus:
~ Weigh less at the end of the month
1 July: 138.1
30 July: 142.1
2 Aug: 141.6
6 Aug: 141.5
Restful weekend. Visited with DED and grandsons after lunch on Sunday. Weather has been up and down, but this morning is quite good.
Today I’m reading some of my writing at a Picnic in the Park organised by the charity that I volunteer for. It’s in the walled garden of our City Hall. Hoping that it stays dry.
🦋 Terri 🐬
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1. In bed by 12 - about 11:30
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. Yes
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Too tired to exercise yesterday. Housework was enough.
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I've been doing well for one team but the other has not much chatter between challenge rounds.0
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got my to-do’s done on the 5th and 6th. Although I didn’t do my to do list basketball game. I’m feeling floppy from the heat, and so crossing off my list seems good enough.
🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌1 -
It's my 13th MFP-Aversary today. In honor of the day, I've changed my profile picture for today to my inspiration photo.
This is the photo that let me know that it was time to change my habits. It was my granddaughter's christening, and it is hard to hide behind an 8 pound baby! And there is my ever-slim husband standing next to me!
But that's not me anymore! That baby will be 17 years old this month, and although I'm not slim, I'm fit and active, and we go dancing together! I'm certainly not the inactive, overweight grandma in the profile picture. So Here's to BULDING BETTER HABITS!
My To-Dos are DONE-DIDs and all is going well! I actually got a good night sleep last night and am feeling great.
🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌🙌
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Too tired of typing it all in and mfp glitch loses it all.2
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1. In bed by 12 I'm claiming a win, about 12:02
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. yes
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Worked in the yard 4 hours. Didn't move hard or fast, just long.
3 yes yesterday.
Love your blue dress @77tes
2 -
Moving forward ……🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
🌼🌺🪺 August 2024 🪺🌺🌼
🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
I am a person who values
the health and fitness of
my body, mind, and spirit
Habits keep me going
when motivation flags.
I think that summer malaise has affected a lot of us. 😂 Sometimes, we just lose sight of the bigger picture. We just have to make sure that we nip it in the bud quickly 😂
My Sniwball
I had taken my eye off the ball during the last 2 weeks in July, what with visitors and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Didn’t weigh and lax on the calories. Got a shock when I jumped on the scale.
This month I will …..
August Focus:
Melt the Snowballs of Complacency
In August I am …..
… being mindful to keep my Solid habits strong
To help me do this I am …..
~ reading them each morning
~ prelogging CI/CO and staying under goal
~ weighing each morning
My reward: My He-Man Power Salute - ⚔️ I HAVE THE POWER!!! ⚔️ and being closer to touching my toes
I am getting there slowly 😂.
📌Focus ~ Strentgening Solid Habits
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
👌
Great Oaks from little acorns grow!
Daily Solid Habits:
(Developed over time)💎Right This Minute: Anti procrastination strategyYOU are worth the effort!
💎Just DO it!!!
Morning Routines:
💎Daily Meditation
💎Walk/Make beds/Shiny Sinks
💎Post Sole Mates steps
💎Weigh 130 < 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
In between:
💎Intentional exercise > 60 minutes
💎Cardio > 5500 steps
💎Strength > 15 minutes
💎Flex > 15 minutes
💎Active hours > 6
💎Zone minutes > 150 (per week)
💎Declutter > 15 minutes
💎Daily chores
💎paint/draw/write/read
💎Craft/crochet/art
💎General chores
💎Gardening
💎jigsaw/puzzles/TV favourites
💎Meet with friends
💎Quality family time
Evening Routines:
💎Sole Mates evening reminder
💎JGM10Ds/JFT/UAC/Hogwarts
💎Close Fitbit rings/Zone minutes
💎Building Healthy Habits
💎Duolingo Latin
💎Update Women over 50
💎Clutter Sweep
Secondary Focus:
~ Weigh less at the end of the month
1 July: 138.1
30 July: 142.1
2 Aug: 141.6
6 Aug: 141.5
8 Aug: 141.4
Weather was quite showery on Tuesday, but the audience were well prepared for it. Fortunately, the showers cleared a little just before I went on, and my proms and short story were well received. Lots of people came to speak to me afterwards, and expressed their thanks.
🦋 Terri 🐬
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Moving forward ……🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
🌼🌺🪺 August 2024 🪺🌺🌼
🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
I am a person who values
the health and fitness of
my body, mind, and spirit
Habits keep me going
when motivation flags.
I think that summer malaise has affected a lot of us. 😂 Sometimes, we just lose sight of the bigger picture. We just have to make sure that we nip it in the bud quickly 😂
My Snowball
I had taken my eye off the ball during the last 2 weeks in July, what with visitors and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Didn’t weigh and lax on the calories. Got a shock when I jumped on the scale.
This month I will …..
August Focus:
Melt the Snowballs of Complacency
In August I am …..
… being mindful to keep my Solid habits strong
To help me do this I am …..
~ reading them each morning
~ prelogging CI/CO and staying under goal
~ weighing each morning
My reward: My He-Man Power Salute - ⚔️ I HAVE THE POWER!!! ⚔️ and being closer to touching my toes
I am getting there slowly 😂.
📌Focus ~ Strentgening Solid Habits
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
👌👌
Great Oaks from little acorns grow!
Daily Solid Habits:
(Developed over time)💎Right This Minute: Anti procrastination strategyYOU are worth the effort!
💎Just DO it!!!
Morning Routines:
💎Daily Meditation
💎Walk/Make beds/Shiny Sinks
💎Post Sole Mates steps
💎Weigh 130 < 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
In between:
💎Intentional exercise > 60 minutes
💎Cardio > 5500 steps
💎Strength > 15 minutes
💎Flex > 15 minutes
💎Active hours > 6
💎Zone minutes > 150 (per week)
💎Declutter > 15 minutes
💎Daily chores
💎paint/draw/write/read
💎Craft/crochet/art
💎General chores
💎Gardening
💎jigsaw/puzzles/TV favourites
💎Meet with friends
💎Quality family time
Evening Routines:
💎Sole Mates evening reminder
💎JGM10Ds/JFT/UAC/Hogwarts
💎Close Fitbit rings/Zone minutes
💎Building Healthy Habits
💎Duolingo Latin
💎Update Women over 50
💎Clutter Sweep
Secondary Focus:
~ Weigh less at the end of the month
1 July: 138.1
30 July: 142.1
2 Aug: 141.6
6 Aug: 141.5
8 Aug: 141.4
I’ve picked up on one of my crochet projects. I should get it finished the way the weather is at the minute. 😂
🦋 Terri 🐬
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1. In bed by 12 no, not even close
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. yes
3. Prelog. No
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Not yesterday
Didn't even change a thing. Today is time to take control.
1 -
I didn’t get all of the items on my list done on Thursday, but I really had too many things on my list, so I’m still calling it a win because I got lots done that day and I was able to shift those two items to Friday.
Time to start working on my Week 3 plan.
🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
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My snowballing bad habits that I want to kick:
1. Resting & not exercising - I tried to see if not doing anything would help with the aches I have at the moment. In some ways, yes it helped, in others, it just makes it tougher to move. 5/10 days moderation
2. Ice-cream - of course, it's fine to have it on these hot days but it can easily become a daily sweet treat rather than for the purpose of cooling down. 7/10 days
3. High calorie snacks - cheese, nuts, dried fruit. Yes, these are fine but I need to measure how many calories before digging in. 10/10 days moderation
Good habits I'd like to get snowballing:
1. Complete some administrative jobs on a daily basis instead of leaving until the end of the month or the deadline. 5/10 days
2. Clean & tidy a section of my flat each day instead of waiting until it desperately needs doing. 3/10 days
3. Shopping and prepping for meals in advance. (husband is shopping so not bothering with this just now)
Continuing habits I've already begun:
1. No sweets or chocolate 10/10 days
2. Reduce alcohol 10/10 days (zero alc)
3. Stay within calorie deficit 10/10 days
4. Drink 1.5 litres of water 10/10 days
5. Increase protein & fibre 3/10 days (hubby is cooking so not bothering)
6. Reduce ready meals (hubs cooking so not bothering with this just now)
7. Stretch, flex & strength 5/10 days
8. Increase fruit & veg 7/10 days
9. More fish & seafood 3/10 days
10. Walk more 5/10 days
I'm doing okay
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@BodyTalking , you are indeed doing okay! 👌
I love that your hubby is cooking that sounds like a perfect 10!
My planning is helping me stay on top of things. I’m already starting next week’s plan and most days I’m including prep for my trip the following week .
🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
🙌
1 -
Moving forward ……🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
🌼🌺🪺 August 2024 🪺🌺🌼
🌼🌺🌸🌻🪷🌻🌻🌸🌼
I am a person who values
the health and fitness of
my body, mind, and spirit
Habits keep me going
when motivation flags.
I think that summer malaise has affected a lot of us. 😂 Sometimes, we just lose sight of the bigger picture. We just have to make sure that we nip it in the bud quickly 😂
My Snowball
I had taken my eye off the ball during the last 2 weeks in July, what with visitors and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Didn’t weigh and lax on the calories. Got a shock when I jumped on the scale.
This month I will …..
August Focus:
Melt the Snowballs of Complacency
In August I am …..
… being mindful to keep my Solid habits strong
To help me do this I am …..
~ reading them each morning
~ prelogging CI/CO and staying under goal
~ weighing each morning
My reward: My He-Man Power Salute - ⚔️ I HAVE THE POWER!!! ⚔️ and being closer to touching my toes
I am getting there slowly 😂.
📌Focus ~ Strentgening Solid Habits
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
👌👌👌👌
Great Oaks from little acorns grow!
Daily Solid Habits:
(Developed over time)💎Right This Minute: Anti procrastination strategyYOU are worth the effort!
💎Just DO it!!!
Morning Routines:
💎Daily Meditation
💎Walk/Make beds/Shiny Sinks
💎Post Sole Mates steps
💎Weigh 130 < 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
In between:
💎Intentional exercise > 60 minutes
💎Cardio > 5500 steps
💎Strength > 15 minutes
💎Flex > 15 minutes
💎Active hours > 6
💎Zone minutes > 150 (per week)
💎Declutter > 15 minutes
💎Daily chores
💎paint/draw/write/read
💎Craft/crochet/art
💎General chores
💎Gardening
💎jigsaw/puzzles/TV favourites
💎Meet with friends
💎Quality family time
Evening Routines:
💎Sole Mates evening reminder
💎JGM10Ds/JFT/UAC/Hogwarts
💎Close Fitbit rings/Zone minutes
💎Building Healthy Habits
💎Duolingo Latin
💎Update Women over 50
💎Clutter Sweep
Secondary Focus:
~ Weigh less at the end of the month
1 July: 138.1
[b30 July: 142.1[/b]
2 Aug: 141.6
6 Aug: 141.5
8 Aug: 141.4
11 Aug: 141.4
🦋 Terri 🐬
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LOL, that was funny @TerriRichardson112
"Melt the Snowballs of Complacency"
"My reward: My He-Man Power Salute - ⚔️ I HAVE THE POWER!!! ⚔️ and being closer to touching my toes"2 -
1. In bed by 12. No
2. Dressed, ready to face the day, bed made 30 minutes after waking. yes
3. Prelog. Yes
4. Exercise 3 times a week or more. Not yesterday
0
