This June I Will...
MadisonMolly2017
Posts: 11,152 Member
Summertime...and the livin' is easy....
Well maybe not easy, but perhaps a bit easier? Schedules get a little more relaxed over the summer, which is great except that it can be really easy to let our healthy habits slip. Let's not let that happen!
@MadisonMolly2017's question is the essence of our monthly challenges: "What will you be doing for June?" What healthy habit would you like to start or continue to work on this month?
If you are joining us for the first time, welcome! Let us know what your goal is and how we can help. And if you're joining us midway through the month, you don't have to wait for July to get started. Start now and you'll be well on your way toward your goal when July rolls around. If you're looking for ideas, our list of previous challenges can help.
If it's useful, frame your goal along these lines:
1. My goal for this month (This June 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?
6. What help do you need from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June?
Let's get moving and make June a spectacular month!
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Replies
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My I Will needs to be sleep.
Not sure what my approach should be, but I know several of you have made great progress in this area.
What do you recommend as a first step?3 -
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »My I Will needs to be sleep.
Not sure what my approach should be, but I know several of you have made great progress in this area.
What do you recommend as a first step?
I would recommend two things actually.
1. Make the trigger or cue a simple relaxing pre-bedtime activity. A hot bath, yoga stretches, meditation. Over time, add a few more relaxing things and build a pre-bedtime routine, but for now, keep it simple.
2. Pick a bedtime that is realistic for you and stick with that time within say a 15 minute window. You may have to adjust the time to see what works best for you. Sleep is a cycle that plays into our circadian rhythms. Having a consistent bedtime has helped me enormously.4 -
I'm choosing a "back to basics" action for June. Just as @PackerFanInGB has done, I will be tracking my food this month and using a digital scale to ensure it's as accurate as can be.
1. This June I will: record every meal in my MFP food diary
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: put foods on digital scale...no guesstimating!
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: hunger
4. How often will you do your new habit: 3 meals a day, 6 out of 7 days
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit?: An evening "Done!" shout-out to myself.
6. What help do you need from us? Just encouragement
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June? A better sense of my daily caloric needs. And losing a couple pounds would be great too!4 -
Happy June! It's one of my favorite months and here it is already. I'm struggling with the specifics of my goal this month. I've read Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and will read it again this month to zero in on what I need to do to be successful at this.
1. My goal for this month (This June I will..."): Learn to recognize the difference between real hunger cues and when I'm engaging in emotional eating.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: Use my phone's voice memo to record when I want to eat, if I ate something, what I ate and the circumstances around it...time of day, how I was feeling, hunger level.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: My phone is usually in easy reach and I will see it.
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): Every time I eat something or think about eating something even if I don't indulge.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit?: I'll give myself a point for every time I follow through. Points will be converted to $$$ at the end of the month to spend on something really cool!
6. What help do you need from us?: Encouragement and sharing your ideas.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June?: I will be able to identify true hunger and eat when I'm actually hungry instead of grabbing something because it happens to cross my line of vision!6 -
June 1 - today was good. 5 points earned. 43 minutes of exercise. I’m trying to decide if I’m hungry enough to want a snack tonight. I’m going to wait a little while and then decide. No more mindless eating. Also will go to bed by 11 instead of staying up until almost midnight.
I’m looking forward to hearing what other group members have planned for their June goals.5 -
June 1 - today was good. 5 points earned. 43 minutes of exercise. I’m trying to decide if I’m hungry enough to want a snack tonight. I’m going to wait a little while and then decide. No more mindless eating. Also will go to bed by 11 instead of staying up until almost midnight.
I’m looking forward to hearing what other group members have planned for their June goals.
I don’t know if this would be useful to you, @nebslp, but years ago I remember reading about the apple test to discern real hunger from something else. If an apple sounds appealing, than it’s likely real hunger. If thoughts of an apple trigger, “No, that’s not what I want”, than it’s likely not real hunger.
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I’m going to record my daily progress in logging my food diary. I see several of you tracking daily and I think it’s a great idea!
6/1 ✅4 -
@themedalist I think the apple test is a good one. I’ll remember that next time. Thank you!3
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I remember hearing of the "apple test" years ago! That is a blast from my past that I had totally forgotten all about. Knowing what I have learned over these years on MFP I think that it is a good one to use though 👍. When I want a late snack I never go for the apple 🍎 or another super healthy option 🍌. For me It is usually not actually unhealthy, but it isn't something basic like an apple. For myself personally, I know that it is definitely more of a "I want" habit than a true hunger need.
@themedalist, your recommendation of "2. Pick a bedtime that is realistic for you and stick with that time within say a 15 minute window. You may have to adjust the time to see what works best for you. Sleep is a cycle that plays into our circadian rhythms. Having a consistent bedtime has helped me enormously. " might be just the thing that might help me in my "sleep I Will" if I can figure out how to do this.
I have never figured out a trigger or cue that works for me. But after reading your post, I began thinking about, again, that I also definitely don't have a clear end to my evening as my husband often comes home quite late if the job keep the guys out there, especially with our longer days, and then factoring in his own travel time.
I have followed FlyLady's method for many, many years, and having the sink empty (no dishwasher so I wash all by hand, which I actually don't mind at all as I haven't had a dishwasher for much of my life) and the clean kitchen / sink is ingrained into me because it really helps me start my next day off quietly and calmly. I do allow the dishes to stay in the drainer side of the sink. They are easy to put away the next morning just like they would be if I had a dishwasher. They are clean so not an issue. It's just having a kitchen and sink full of dishes and the pots/ pans to wash. And soaking them over night is even a more gross thing to wake up to 😱.
Even when he is in "earlier" I still want to clean up the kitchen and then I want to chill out, especially after he goes to sleep and the TV is off and the house is quiet again for me. I thrive on quiet and solitude. I also can get lost in a book (reading or coloring), or a fun NetFlix binge/ or movie, or down the silent computer rabbit hole 🤦♀️. Or even tidying or decluttering something (this last example is actually true 😄).
:flowerforyou:
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This June I Will... again tackle the issue of getting more sleep.
Earlier this evening I got to thinking about adding in an extra mini I Will by making sure that I'm including either a salad or an extra serving of veggies, or having a smoothie, or perhaps start juicing again, more often in June. (mindfully adding in at least only one extra of the above choices, depending on the day 🥗🥦🍌🥕. )
I need to figure things out for both of these, and how to track. I was also thinking about perhaps tracking here, and more often, as I've been watching some of you all doing. I have liked seeing them.. Probably a much better level of accountability for me than those little checks in my exercise calendar.
💖:flowerforyou:
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Food diary logging:
6/1 ✅
6/2 ✅2 -
Day 2: success! I monitored my hunger all day and made observations about the time, what I was doing, hunger level, and how I was feeling emotionally, and I made voice memos every time I thought about eating whether I ate or not. Also got a full body and cardio workout while wrestling with my overgrown lilac bush. Also weeded and walked a short, but steep hill tonight. Good night😴💤4
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Hi everyone, I am new to this group. I have been on MFP for nearly a year. I have accomplished my weight loss goals and am working out maintenance. Now it is time for me to focus on another aspect of my life: I need to go on a financial diet!
After losing 5 sizes, I found it necessary to buy a complete new wardrobe (from undies to winter coats). Unfortunately, for the first time EVER I found that shopping was FUN! This has led to some really undisciplined (and unnecessary) spending. During this same period, I had some unexpected expenses that were not optional. The result is that my ‘reserves’ have been significant impacted. I have some goals for next year that will require funds, so now is the time to stop spending and start saving. As someone on a fixed (although adequate) income, this is not optional if I really want to accomplish my goals. Enough background!
1. My goal for this June: Become an intentional spender.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal:
• Create a monthly budget
• Track each expenditure
• If I make an unplanned expenditure (there will be a line item in the budget for “unplanned” expenditures) I
will ask myself four questions:
o Do I really need this?
o Why do I need this?
o What will happen if I make this expenditure
o What will happen if I do NOT make this expenditure
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: I log my food an exercise every day on MFP and will log expenditures at the same time.
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): Every day
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit?: I do not have anything really planned. In almost any way, I just accomplishing this will be its own reward. I’ll think about other options. Any suggestions (other than ‘buy’ something :[)) would be welcome!
6. What help do you need from us? A place to be accountable!
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June?: I will become aware of where my money is being spent and begin to see any patterns in ‘unplanned’ spending.
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@jan110144 Congratulations on reaching your weight goals. That’s quite an accomplishment! I’m glad you joined the group and I like that our goals of noticing and analyzing our behavior patterns to make positive changes in our lives is so similar, but in different areas. Sometimes just an immediate pat on your own back, or a “yes, I did it!” can be a reward in itself. Some people use a chart with stickers to watch how they’re progressing each day. This month I’m giving myself a point each time I mindfully make an eating decision and use a voice memo to record it. Points will be converted to $$$ to spend at the end of the month (probably not what you had in mind😂!) You’ll figure out what works for you. Best wishes!
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June 2019
1. My goal for this month (This June I will..."): Journal every bite on MFP--The Good, Bad & Ugly
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: I will pre-log my packed lunches and add my dinner & evening snack during my computer time in the evening. I will weigh or measure what I eat.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: The only social media site I use lately is MFP, so I think sitting down at the end of my day with my husband and having computer time will be cue enough.
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): Every Day.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Clicking Complete on my Diary. Call me silly, but I get satisfaction from doing it!
6. What help do you need from us? Just be yourselves! You're all awesome!
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June? I will be able to look back and see what my "bad" times of day are, and where my weaknesses lie. I should be down a couple of pounds and be more aware of how much water I'm drinking also.
Happy June everyone! :flowerforyou:
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@jan110144 What a fantastic goal! I hadn't thought of using this for financials, but that is an ingenious plan! That just might have to be one of my future goals...if I ever lose enough weight to need new smaller clothes! I especially like your step-by-step questions for the small actions you are taking. Very insightful.
Congratulations on losing your weight and working on maintaining! Woo Hoo!
@texasgardnr Good luck with your tiny extra goal of getting in more produce! I have a Nutribullet, a juicer, etc., and haven't used either in such a long time. Great reminder. 1 -
1. My goal for this month (This June I will..."): stay under calorie budget 4/7 days per week
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: prelogging food as I am able to and avoid eating candy (only eat as a treat)
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: preplan breakfast and opt for healthier lunch, prepare easy to grab vegetables/fruits
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): 4 days per week
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit?: listen to audio book and special treat on weekend
6. What help do you need from us?: recipe ideas or replacements for some cravings
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June?: being able to more easily stay under calorie goal3 -
Day 3: success with a lower case s! I have a total of 21 voice memos since June 1 so I’ve been very aware of my thoughts of food. I’ve learned that transition times are hard for me. When I finish one thing and gather my things to work upstairs or outside, my mind wanders to food. The action of recording my feelings has helped me be aware of the temptations and to make better choices.4
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Day 3: success with a lower case s! I have a total of 21 voice memos since June 1 so I’ve been very aware of my thoughts of food. I’ve learned that transition times are hard for me. When I finish one thing and gather my things to work upstairs or outside, my mind wanders to food. The action of recording my feelings has helped me be aware of the temptations and to make better choices.
Great idea!3 -
Hi everyone, I am new to this group. I have been on MFP for nearly a year. I have accomplished my weight loss goals and am working out maintenance. Now it is time for me to focus on another aspect of my life: I need to go on a financial diet!
After losing 5 sizes, I found it necessary to buy a complete new wardrobe (from undies to winter coats). Unfortunately, for the first time EVER I found that shopping was FUN! This has led to some really undisciplined (and unnecessary) spending. During this same period, I had some unexpected expenses that were not optional. The result is that my ‘reserves’ have been significant impacted. I have some goals for next year that will require funds, so now is the time to stop spending and start saving. As someone on a fixed (although adequate) income, this is not optional if I really want to accomplish my goals. Enough background!
1. My goal for this June: Become an intentional spender.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal:
• Create a monthly budget
• Track each expenditure
• If I make an unplanned expenditure (there will be a line item in the budget for “unplanned” expenditures) I
will ask myself four questions:
o Do I really need this?
o Why do I need this?
o What will happen if I make this expenditure
o What will happen if I do NOT make this expenditure
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: I log my food an exercise every day on MFP and will log expenditures at the same time.
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): Every day
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit?: I do not have anything really planned. In almost any way, I just accomplishing this will be its own reward. I’ll think about other options. Any suggestions (other than ‘buy’ something :[)) would be welcome!
6. What help do you need from us? A place to be accountable!
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June?: I will become aware of where my money is being spent and begin to see any patterns in ‘unplanned’ spending.
@jan110144
Hi Jan! Good to see you here
You mentioned you have some goals for next year that will need funds...perhaps you can print photos or draw them & each day as you do your I Will, add a star or smiley face etc on them...
Hopefully this idea will jog a variation that meets your needs.
Welcome aboard❣️3 -
Sleep
June 1 8 hours!!! Went to sleep earlier & fed cat at 5-ish, put eye mask on, and slept 3 more. I felt GREAT!
June 2 6 combo of iPhone app recording late at night & medications that kept me awake (despite yawning) & husband waking early for work. I did use sleep mask after cat woke me and got some more before hubby woke up.
June 3 5:50 (lots of adrenaline from late night speaking engagement & drive home... then cat woke me up as did a few rare mild leg cramps due to fancier shoes.) I did use sleep mask & managed to get another 50 mins!) very sleepy this AM
Reflection so far:
Going to sleep earlier will be the bulk of solving this problem.
I’m going to take baby steps:
For the next week, I will record
1E) first time I yawned
1B) time of last food & if heavy or light
1C) What I did between 9pm & lights out
1A) what time I turn off the light
1D) what time Hubby went to sleep
(He goes to bed earlier- perhaps I can gradually learn to use that as trigger, but it varies & there’s only 1-2 mins from when he decides to when he’s asleep so not much warning...)
2A) If cat kept me from falling asleep
2B) what time(s) cat woke me up through the night and in the morning
6A) Times I woke up to use restroom
3A) what time Hubby woke up
4) I put on sleep mask in - if I do
5A) what time I woke up in AM
5B) how I feel
It’s a lot, but I need to get some data to know if it’s the cat, the bright bedroom, food, medication, ohone, etc.1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 o am following your sleep exploration with great interest. I have some sleep issues that I am sort of working on, but not as focused as you are. Will be interested to see what you discover. Do you have a fitness watch that tracks sleep? I find my Fitbit data interesting and useful, but lack the kind of data you are planning to gather. Which should be very helpful.
One suggestion ...trade your cat for a Corgi. Macy doesn't hardly budge until I get HER up in the morning (which. If it is early, usually takes at least 2 tries) 3 -
Welcome to the group @jan110144 and congratulations on your success! Spending can become such a hassle and I do like your plan! Good luck!
@nebslp great plan! I recently posted how I am am addict and my drug of choice is food. So glad you have come up with this idea and I really hope it better helps you determine your need of food. Thanks for sharing.
@texasgardnr sleep is so important. I cannot begin to tell you what a difference it has made for me since I started paying attention to my sleep patterns. I am determined to continue it. I wish you the best of luck!
@PackerFanInGB The Good the bad and the ugly!! I love it!
Hello friends. It is good to be back here sorry I am late to the party. Now that I am no longer working I have a bit more time to spend here. I do not want to be on my laptop all day but I do need to connect and engage now that I am back home full time. I do not want my emotional health to spiral downwards.
1. My goal for this month (This June I will...") log and exercise every day and keep myself mentally stable.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: eat right, log to MFP daily, plan my exercise the day before, dress to exercise when I wake up, journal, take my supplement.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: daily reminder on my phone
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): I want to do it everyday!
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? Books, clothes, pedicure etc!
6. What help do you need from us? Support! Cheers!
7. What does success look like to you at the end of June? Success will be more days on my log counter here on MFP, success will mean having more of a positive mindset, success will be that my clothes will still fit come August! lol!
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I am going to track my June sleep I Will as well as my nutritional mini I Will here for greater accountability.
To track my getting to sleep earlier (before midnight, however success will be for between 10:30-11:00 PM for better consistency.) I will use 🕙, and when adding in some extra nutrition such as: a salad 🥗, or extra vegetables 🥦, or a smoothie 🍌, or juicing that day 🥕.
June 1: 🕙 🥗
June 2: 🕙 🥦
June 3: 🕙 🥗
🦋 :flowerforyou:2 -
Welcome @jan110144! Congratulations on reaching maintenance! What fun having the opportunity to get a new wardrobe
. Becoming an intentional spender is a great I Will goal!
🌺 :flowerforyou:
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So far, so good (given that 4 days is not much to brag about! 🙂) I did, however, go to Meijer and only bought groceries and only what was on my list.
I also have another "small action" to add to my list.
. I will toss, unopened all catalogues I get in the mail and delete, unopened, all promotional emails.
I bought a lot of my "post-loss" clothes online (and always by riding apparel and horse stuff online). Not looking at these ads is kind of like not walking through the bakery dept when buying grocrries. If I don't look at it. I can't buy it!
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So this is my 3rd try and I hope I don’t lose this again when I’m ready to hit send😖😖😖.
Recap
You all have really great goals!
I’m doing better with awareness. Misplaced my phone this morning and still made better choices. Not feeling much for hunger signals so will figure out what’s up with that.
Finished taming the unruly lilac bush, then tonight walked the field path (major hill) behind our place. Lots of trees and wildlife out there. I got pics of some cool birds. Good day. And now I’m going to hit send QUICK!4 -
@MadisonMolly2017 o am following your sleep exploration with great interest. I have some sleep issues that I am sort of working on, but not as focused as you are. Will be interested to see what you discover. Do you have a fitness watch that tracks sleep? I find my Fitbit data interesting and useful, but lack the kind of data you are planning to gather. Which should be very helpful.
One suggestion ...trade your cat for a Corgi. Macy doesn't hardly budge until I get HER up in the morning (which. If it is early, usually takes at least 2 tries)
I did track sleep before but it seemed to make me more anxious & I read they are very inaccurate... the one I have is often way off. I will look into that if my attempts don’t work after a few months. Thanks!
Love the Corgi!! But could She defend herself from my 🐈 LOL!
Reflection so far:
Going to sleep earlier will be the bulk of solving this problem.
I’m going to take baby steps:
For the next week, I will record
1A) first time I yawned
It’s 12:36 AM & I have not yawned.
1B) time of last food & if heavy or light
9:30 pm - medium, no caffeine
1C) What I did between 9pm & lights out
Chatted with a friend, made late light-ish snack dinner, chatted with another friend as I did some drawing, rode exercise bike, looked at my art groups, updated MFP Challenges, became worried that I am unable to burn the calories I used to.
1D) what time I turned off the light
12:40
1E) what time Hubby went to sleep
About 11:30
2A) If cat kept me from falling asleep
2B) what time(s) cat woke me up through the night and in the morning
3) Times I woke up to use restroom
4) what time Hubby woke up
5) What time put on sleep mask in - if I do
6A) what time I woke up in AM
6B) how I feel
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Won’t let me edit: And I sent message to PT with a question re: one of the weight machines that is broken, asking if I can use another one.2
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Yes, MFP was very annoying last night. I was blaming my internet connection for dropping me 2 times but maybe the blame was misplaced! Hope things go better on the site today🤞MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »Won’t let me edit: And I sent message to PT with a question re: one of the weight machines that is broken, asking if I can use another one.
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