The Three week hump

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MellowGa
MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
in Motivation and Support
I've come to the conculsion that completion of week 3 is the "hump" to know if you are serious or not about losing weight and getting in shape.

my theory is those who fail, will fail with in three weeks of starting, those who continue after week three are the ones who will most likely continue to maintain the lifestyle and achieve their goals, because when they miss a day "their body tells them"..."hey get back on that treadmill, I like doing that, or hit those weights!" etc

So what do you think? anyone agree with me on the Three week theory?

Replies

  • theMightyAnt
    theMightyAnt Posts: 75
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    That's definitely ringing true with me.
    My lifestyle has already changed massively and I am certain I will not be going back. About 3 weeks in I had an epiphany, I actually enjoyed the exercise and the feeling afterwards, as well as not being constantly bloated on food.

    As opposed to the first 3 weeks where exercise was a necessary evil to get where I was going and I used to eat till I was going to explode!

    Awesome feeling
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
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    agree 100% , i would say after 2 weeks I knew this was me :smile:
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
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    I would tend to agree with that. I have heard it takes at least 20 days to form a new habit, and I think this is a good habit to get into.
  • Ashalahn_LMT
    Ashalahn_LMT Posts: 342 Member
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    I read somewhere that it take 3 weeks to make a new habit and/or break an old one.
  • ChibiKittay
    ChibiKittay Posts: 14
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    I'm on week 2 myself lol but I feel that if at the end of the 3rd week if I'm still doing what I'm doing, that I will continue with it. :) Thanks to this site I'm actually sticking with my calorie amount and getting exercise everyday ^^
  • hockeyman28
    hockeyman28 Posts: 136
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    I was told it takes 21 days to form new habits, so yeah, 3 weeks.
  • booberj
    booberj Posts: 69
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    I agree 100% to a certain point... everyone has heard the saying 21 days to make a habit 3 days to break it... that is so true... about 4yrs ago I started working out and dieting to lose weight... I was 327 and got down to 260... then I had to start traveling for work... that made me miss my lifting sessions at the gym and only left me with the crappy fitness center at the local hotels (they should call them fitless centers)... so I skipped and now I'm 330 again
  • theMightyAnt
    theMightyAnt Posts: 75
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    @booberj: I agree with your point, however surely that is why you need to be adaptable. If you can't get to a gym, get outside do some circuits or run, swim or even skydive ;-) (i'm sure the fear will get your heart rate up and burn the calories pretty fast)

    But joking aside being adaptable and trying new things should be a challenge and fun.
  • HeyLisa
    HeyLisa Posts: 201
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    Hitting the 3 week mark here and yes now is decision making time for real. I'm not saying it was easy lowering my intake. I was seriously hungry for more then a week soon after meals (at least thats how I felt). But now i'm getting to my cheat day this week and want to just make it a meal and not go crazy. I don't like feeling all bloated, and I realize I haven't felt that way in weeks and that feels so good.

    For me week 3 is a realization time where I am wanting to make this more a way of life then just another diet.
  • booberj
    booberj Posts: 69
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    @TheMightAnt... I agree 100%... I wished now that I would have found something to do but it's easier after those long flight/flight delays just say "oh I'll make it up tomorrow"... funny thing about tomorrow... it's always tomorrow

    free-beer-tomorrow.jpg
  • trishlambert
    trishlambert Posts: 213 Member
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    I definitely agree. The only difference is that I think the time is more of a range than a specific point. I sailed through the 3-week mark, but found that at about the 5th week (in the midst of a plateau), I had to sit myself down and present two choices: Slide back (again) to old habits, or suck it up and continue with my new eating and exercise activities whether the scale moved or not.

    I imagine that I will have decision points in the future...I find that I conform to the "Hungry-Angry-Lonely-Tired" triggers, and since live will continue to present me with puzzles to solve and challenges to transcend, I'll need to reaffirm my determination in re: my body and wellness from time to time.
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
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    good job Trish! Push through those periods of no lose...keep moving forward!

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