Changing our lifestyle step-by-step

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Thunaer
Thunaer Posts: 21
in Motivation and Support
I am here to find like-minded people who want to encourage each other their journey of becoming healthy (/losing weight) through lifestyle change. My idea for this thread is as follows:

1. You share with us you next step in your lifestyle change process. This is something that you want to keep doing for the next months/years.
2. You state how many days you want to keep doing that before you take your next step.
3. (if you already have a good idea, otherwise just leave this) you share what your next step will be and the day that you will start taking it.
4. If you see any nice results or you want to support others you are encouraged to do so/share them! :)

The nice thing is that all the steps accumulate, so that you will see your lifestyle changing, and this will (very likely) result in your health improving as well!

So, let me start:
1. (step 1) my first step is to walk 30+ minutes per day
2. I want to do that 3 days before I take my next step (today I was succesful)
3. (step 2) I will eat a salad every day (starting next Monday)

You are welcome to join!

Replies

  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
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    A small addition:
    You can also share it like this:
    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes per day (current streak: 1)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (start: next Monday)
    Step 3: undetermined
    etc

    I made my current step bold. The nice thing of this method is that eventually you'll have a long list of habits that you've built!

    Also I can recommend HabitRPG for motivation and for tracking your progress.
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
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    Time for an update

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (starting: March 9)
    Step 3: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (starting: March 12)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (starting: March 16)
    Step 5-100: undetermined

    Future steps may change if I get better ideas. And a future step can also be a more difficult version of a past step (like, for example: walk for 45+ minutes every day). The general idea is to make lifestyle changes that I think I can do without too much effort (because big sudden lifestyle changes often fail) but that do make a difference (most importantly for my health, but I also try to make them fun/motivating whenever I can).

    Also, from now on, (for me) 1 cheat day per week is allowed, so I keep my streak even if I forget one day (and so I have 1 day to save it). I do this because I can get very demotivated if I lose a big streak, and I know that this may happen for many very good reasons (not just laziness). Of course I will try to not let this happen. I do add an * after the number for each day I forgot.

    I will keep on doing this until I reach a streak of at least 60+ days, which is the time that (according to research) the average person has built a habit that lasts. Yep, that's a lot.

    I am looking for
    • people who want to join (I will support you)
    • good ideas for small lifestyle changes

    If you want to join
    • you are free to use my rules, or to adapt them where you see fit.
    • you may follow my steps, but I suggest you create your own path.

  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
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    Took another walk.

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (starting: March 9)
    Step 3: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (starting: March 12)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (starting: March 16)
    Step 5: do 15+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (starting: March 19)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (starting: March 23)
    Step 7-100: will plan them when I have good ideas.
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
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    Ok, I've changed my mind - let's accelerate! These things aren't that hard, so I allow myself to do more of them from now on. Doing step 1 every day is has priority, but I will try to do the other things as well as a bonus.

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 3: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 5: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (starting: tomorrow)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (starting: Monday)
    Step 7-100: will plan them when I have good ideas.
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
    edited March 2015
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    Ok I did all 6 on my list, added another 6 on my list (2 of which I started doing already yesterday). Remember (if anyone is reading this :P), some may seem strict and/or unrealistic (like 7 and 10), but I allow myself 1 cheat day per week. I'm still experimenting, so if something doesn't work I'll just adapt it.

    Step 2 is now my baseline, doing 1 & 2 has priority, 3-8(-12) are a bonus.

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 3: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 5: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy breakfast every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 7: sleep for 8+ hours (current streak: 1)
    Step 8: eat some nuts every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 9: meditate 5+ minutes every day
    Step 10: no fast food
    Step 11: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day
    Step 12: eat some leafy green vegetables every day
    Step 13-100: we'll see. ideas are still welcome! :)
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
    edited March 2015
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    It's a good day again.

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 5)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 3: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 5: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy breakfast every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 7: sleep for 8+ hours (current streak: 0)
    Step 8: eat some nuts every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 9: meditate 5+ minutes every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 10: no fast food (current streak: 3)
    Step 11: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 12: eat some leafy green vegetables every day
    Step 13-100: we'll see. ideas are still welcome! :)
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
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    Ok, I changed the order a bit. Now step 1-5 are my baseline (bold), meaning I expect myself to do them every day (except for 1 cheat day per week). All the next steps are things I eventually want to do, but for now they are a bonus (meaning I shouldn't worry if I don't do them, unless I find that they don't work for me).

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 6)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 3: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 5)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 5: no fast food (current streak: 4)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy breakfast every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 7: eat some nuts every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 8: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 9: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 10: sleep for 8+ hours (current streak: 0)
    Step 11: meditate 5+ minutes every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 12: eat some leafy green vegetables every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 13: don't smoke (current streak: 1) (I don't smoke regulary, but every month or two I smoke. I want to stop doing that, which is why I include this)
    Step 14: Eat some pieces of dark chocolate every day
    Step 15-100: TBA

    I've just started and I feel it's already getting more and more difficult to invent ideas for daily habits/lifestyle changes. But well, let's see how far I can get!
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
    edited March 2015
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    Ok, I changed the order a bit. Now step 1-5 are my baseline (bold), meaning I expect myself to do them every day (except for 1 cheat day per week). All the next steps are things I eventually want to do, but for now they are a bonus (meaning I shouldn't worry if I don't do them, just keep experimenting).

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 6)
    Step 2: eat a salad every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 3: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 5)
    Step 4: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 5: no fast food (current streak: 4)
    Step 6: prepare/eat a healthy breakfast every day (current streak: 3)
    Step 7: eat some nuts every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 8: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 9: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 10: sleep for 8+ hours (current streak: 0)
    Step 11: meditate 5+ minutes every day (current streak: 1)
    Step 12: eat some leafy green vegetables every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 13: don't smoke (current streak: 1) (I don't smoke regulary, but every month or two I smoke. I want to stop doing that, which is why I include this)
    Step 14: Eat some pieces of dark chocolate every day
    Step 15-100: TBA

    I've just started and I feel it's already getting more and more difficult to invent ideas for daily habits/lifestyle changes. But well, let's see how far I can get!
  • Thunaer
    Thunaer Posts: 21
    Options
    My monologue continues:

    Step 1: walk 30+ minutes every day (current streak: 7)
    Step 2: do 30+ minutes of exercise (running/cycling/swimming/fitness) every day (current streak: 6)
    Step 3: eat 2 pieces of fruit every day (current streak: 5)
    Step 4: eat a salad every day (current streak: 5)
    Step 5: don't smoke (current streak: 5)
    Step 6: no fast food (current streak: 5)
    Step 7: prepare/eat a healthy breakfast every day (current streak: 4)
    Step 8: eat some nuts every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 9: prepare/eat a healthy lunch every day (current streak: 2)
    Step 10: do 5+ minutes of morning exercises every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 11: sleep for 8+ hours (current streak: 0)
    Step 12: meditate 5+ minutes every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 13: eat some leafy green vegetables every day (current streak: 0)
    Step 14: Eat some pieces of dark chocolate every day
    Step 15-100: TBA

    Some conclusions:
    > this method is really working for me. I think what makes it effective is that I reflect on/track my habits daily, which is motivating and helps me to learn about what works and doesn't work for me. I also like sharing it here, it feels like I am accountable (though I doubt that anyone reads this).
    > quite a lot of changes are quite easy to make.
    + walking is great! Most of the times I do it during lunch. I walk for 4.5-6 kilometers. It's nice to get active, but it's a great way to get my mind in a relaxed state.
    + eating healthy foods depends very strongly on my planning; if I have salad/nuts/fruit available/prepared then I also eat them. This is good to keep in mind for further diet adjustments.
    + avoiding bad habits (smoking/fast food) is also a lot easier if you track them.
    > some lifestyle changes are a bit harder to make;
    - the most difficult thing for me is to get enough sleep during the week. I have no idea how to get myself to do that (but I will keep on trying)
    - morning exercises; I like it but I am not very awake in the morning, so it's difficult to push myself to get active. I am sure that I will get used to it, because I am motivated; when I've done morning exercises I always feel great.
    - meditating is similar to morning exercises. I have to push myself to do it, but when I do it I feel great afterwards.
    - eating some leafy green vegetables; I don't have a plan how to do this one, which is why it doesn't happen. Will think about it later (no priority yet).

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