The importance of small achievable improvements
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NovusDies
Posts: 8,940 Member
It is important not to get tunnel vision towards weight loss. It might make you miss other areas in which you can do something to make your process of living easier. Every improvement compounds and leads somewhere better. One example I like to give is my sock drawer. For years I had many similar but slightly different pairs of socks. Each time I went to the sock drawer it was a hunt to find a matching pair. It was annoying but not enough for me to take action. I lived with it and the lack of organization and simplicity subtracted a little from my quality of life. One particularly bad day the sock drawer was the proverbial straw and on this day I needed a win and to control something actually controllable. I took action and not long after I could get a pair of socks without much effort.
Since then I have done many things to improve my life. I have better pillows for my bed. I have room darkening curtains and shades to improve my sleep. I have a wearable flashlight for walking pre-dawn. I have a basket in my garage with various walking supplies like lip balm, the flashlight, sunscreen, hand lotion, and sun glasses. Seems trivial but when I want to go for a walk it is nice to have the various things I might need. I own better socks and better shoes. I own a sous vide set-up to streamline cooking on some days. Just today I bought a garden hose caddy/cart because I am constantly moving hoses around and of the 3 locations I only have a place to wind the hose up in 1.
By expanding my goals from weight loss to total self improvement it has aided my weight loss. Everything that makes my life easier or better has rippling benefits just like weight loss has had rippling benefits into all areas of my life.
So my challenge for you is look for something, anything, that can benefit you. It doesn't need to be anything big. In fact, in this challenge thinking smaller is a good thing. If there is something that you misplace often that you could hang from a hook somewhere then get a hook.
Since then I have done many things to improve my life. I have better pillows for my bed. I have room darkening curtains and shades to improve my sleep. I have a wearable flashlight for walking pre-dawn. I have a basket in my garage with various walking supplies like lip balm, the flashlight, sunscreen, hand lotion, and sun glasses. Seems trivial but when I want to go for a walk it is nice to have the various things I might need. I own better socks and better shoes. I own a sous vide set-up to streamline cooking on some days. Just today I bought a garden hose caddy/cart because I am constantly moving hoses around and of the 3 locations I only have a place to wind the hose up in 1.
By expanding my goals from weight loss to total self improvement it has aided my weight loss. Everything that makes my life easier or better has rippling benefits just like weight loss has had rippling benefits into all areas of my life.
So my challenge for you is look for something, anything, that can benefit you. It doesn't need to be anything big. In fact, in this challenge thinking smaller is a good thing. If there is something that you misplace often that you could hang from a hook somewhere then get a hook.
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I'm thinking of the shoes I bought the first of April. They weren't cheap, relatively speaking - I paid over $50 for those shoes. My mother thinks that is was awful that I paid that much when I could have gone to Walmart and got a pair for $20. But you know, those $50 shoes are more comfortable and wear better; I don't get blisters, my feet don't hurt, they stay in place. I keep a cheap pair around for the cardio videos because they slider easier on my vinyl floor, and I can tell within a few steps when I've forgotten to take them off and put the walking shoes on! And those shoes have been a great aid in my efforts to become more active.
Sometimes cheaper just isn't better and you get what you pay for.
Though I am sad at how quickly those $50 shoes are wearing out......course, when I think about it, if I consider myself to have been actively walking 7 days a week for the last 7 weeks and averaging 4.5 miles a day, that's 220 miles I've put on those shoes in those 7 weeks since I bought them!
Maybe shoes ought to come like tires with a mileage gauge on them
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My shoes were about $80 and they are 60 days old today. In that time my total mileage is 626 (1,358,463 steps & 81,781 calories) and I would say at least 70 percent of that is in those shoes. They are starting to show some cracks around the edges which is troubling. I am really hoping they will last at least 6 months but who knows. I am not sure they make shoes for people who walk this much.
The shoes that really give me heartburn are my work shoes. I paid $50 for shoes for work around the house. They were barely 2 days old before they got their first of many stains. However, trying to wear my old shoes was simply not working. My feet could not fully recover as long as I kept spending time in them. Walking the next day was much less painful but not pain free.
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My current small achievement:
If the weather holds today I will fill the last of the holes in my backyard. They have been bothering me since we bought this house. I have nearly fallen because of them many times. I am not always quick to take my own advice but over the last 2 days I have been taking bags of fill dirt and dealing with them as I located them again. They were all foot-size holes but some of them were a good 8 inches deep so I underestimated how much dirt to buy. Early this morning I ran out and purchased more. All of the holes combined needed 6 bags of fill dirt so for a total of $10.68 before tax and less than 20 minutes of work I will deal with something that is both annoying and dangerous. I am opening a bag, pouring dirt into a hole, and tamping it down with my foot before adding more. Why did I wait so long to take care of this?
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@bmeadows380, my Chiropractor once said to me, "you are too old to wear cheaply made shoes". He didn't mean it as an insult but my back issues were being caused by walking in shoes without proper arch support. I took him to heart and I can tell you that it really does make a difference. You are worth spending money on proper foot wear. If you think the shoes are expensive, compare that to the expense of PT, chiropractic care or surgery - not to mention loss of work due to pain. Invest in yourself!3
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Speyerj you are so right...working long hours on cement floors for many years in cheap shoes was no bargain...I have been “ lucky “ I haven’t had more damage to my body....major back surgery and toe complete knee replacements finally taught me a hard earned lesson....I usually go to Happy Feet and buy “Brooks Beast” sneakers for about $150 bucks....I recently got a pair of New Balance for $175 and I really like them better...they are comfortable and have a great arch support...IF I worked outside I would wear cheaper ones but for every day use and walking you have to have a good pair of shoes!3
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Lol. Two replacements of my knees, not toes!...I really need to proof read my posts!1
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My sister has that problem @conniewilkins56 She goes to Walmart and buys those cheap tennis shoes, then works all day as a cashier standing on concrete in them - and can't figure out why her knees, hips, and feet hurt so much after work! I bought her a pair of tennis shoes made for dancers for Christmas and she says they've made a difference, but I know that as soon as they wear out, she'll go right back to the cheap ones at Walmart.
I hate those ones at Walmart - no support at all! Supposedly they are cushioned with memory foam, but I'd rather have a firmer footbed that supports my foot rather than pillow soft foam that goes flat not long after I put the shoes on!1 -
When I bought my Brooks Beast sneakers I was not thrilled with the price but after two years of wearing them, they still looked good but the arches were flat....I had new insoles put in and since they are black, they still look good!....and the arches make a world of difference!...my New Balance are light gray and fit great but I have a Gangliona Cyst ( spelling is probably wrong) on top of my right foot and the shoes irritate it....I go to the doctor mid June for my well care visit and I will probably have it removed early fall when elective surgeries are easier...I also have to have some minor cosmetic surgery on my eyes done so I have a lot of “ fun filled” issues going on!...I will probably be 6 months getting everything done....I hate waiting...2
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Both of these operations will be small attainable goals that will make me look and feel better!...1
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conniewilkins56 wrote: »Both of these operations will be small attainable goals that will make me look and feel better!...
That is great but the challenge is to think of something you can do now. Look for something small that either decreases stress or increases enjoyment. Something that makes your life just a tiny bit better that would not require a lot of effort to achieve.1 -
conniewilkins56 wrote: »Both of these operations will be small attainable goals that will make me look and feel better!...
That is great but the challenge is to think of something you can do now. Look for something small that either decreases stress or increases enjoyment. Something that makes your life just a tiny bit better that would not require a lot of effort to achieve.
and probably shouldn't involve comfort food *crooked smile* I'm telling this to myself because I'm craving brownies right now.
Then again, I hit 12,000+ steps today and had my cardio and still have those banked calories from yesterday...... lol2 -
@NovusDies, you have a way of putting things into words that is very enlightening! I would say I kind of halfway knew this, but I never thought about it quite like this.
For instance, I have figured out that if I keep my kitchen cleaned up, it's way easier to eat healthy, because then a messy kitchen isn't in the way of me cooking at home. I also spend money to buy quality shoes that make my feet feel good. I've bought workout clothes that make me feel good. I bought a fancy water bottle just for the gym. It's weird how those few little things can make all the difference.
But it never really registered in my brain that all of the improvements that aren't directly correlated also help with weight loss. I have noticed that when I have less clutter or chaos around my house, I just feel better about life, and I get weirdly excited when I do something that improves the clutter and mess. It makes sense that less chaos makes it easier to focus on health and diet.
On Monday, I spent the day cleaning up my fabric closet. Since it was all neat and clean, I wanted to be in the sewing room, and last night I picked out fabrics for a new quilting project. Doing that kept me out of the kitchen all evening. Which is always helpful to my diet! And it will continue to be helpful, because I'll work at that project in the evenings now.3 -
@bobsburgersfan
In my various studies I have learned that one of my problems has been that I instinctively do helpful things for myself but if I am not aware of it I do not apply them to all areas of my life. Becoming aware means I am being more proactive.
I decided when I started losing weight to be kind to myself and get my hair cut more often. I hate when it gets long and it makes me uncomfortable. Before this I would often wait a week or two past the point of hating my hair. It wasn't a money thing I just kept putting it off. I liked getting it cut but like most things being as large as I was made dealing with it uncomfortable.
Making that commitment to my hair cut and general happiness set a tone that I believe helped ratchet up my sustainability. Good days were better and bad days were not being compounded unnecessarily. Also, it helped me find gratification in new and more healthy ways... ways other than food.
I am with you on the kitchen. Somehow when it needs cleaning or organizing it zaps my will to use it. If I stay on top of it, it makes it easier to do the things I need to do.
You are also smart in greasing the wheels for activity like exercise. I do everything I can to make exercise easy to start, fun, and as pain free as possible. On gym mornings I even turn my vehicle around so I can pull straight out. I am hoping gym mornings will be part of my week again very soon. I have both earbuds and headphones for listening to music. I bought myself a nice gym bag. The lock for my locker was annoying me so I replaced it with something I like better. I bought shirts in my favorite color to wear. My gym bag is well stocked for everything I need and anything I might need. I even keep enough cash in it to buy a drink in case I forget my wallet. Being over-prepared relaxes me a little more.
The other advantage in broadening the scope of self/life improvement beyond weight loss and fitness is that you can get more "wins". In fact, you can get wins on days that might not have been as productive on the wl or fitness fronts. I am jazzed about the small stuff I have been doing even though I am currently eating in a small surplus.
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A few years ago I got rid of most of my socks and my husband's socks. I hated folding and trying to find the pair. I went and bought two packs of the same socks for him and two for me. Made life so much easier. Now I only wear Wright socks from running room with the double layer. They help ward off any blisters which I am super prone to get even in great fitting expensive shoes. But I buy all the same ones!
As for a small thing, I'm going to put up some hooks for coats and a basket for walking stuff! Trying to wrangle my two year old out to the stroller, I always forget something. I hadn't because our mud room is suppose to get custom open locker storage put in but that's on hold until the pandemic is over.
I also just finished making myself some new crop work out leggings from athletic knit. They have nice big pockets for my phone and wallet and make me want to get out for a long walk. Normally I just go, eh good enough but I've tweaked my pattern a bit more (slightly higher front rise, different pocket style, slightly less negative ease) and the next pair should be even better.4 -
@NatashaLP2014
NICE! I also really like the fact I won't be the only one now with a pre-walking basket.
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After reading this post, I decided that cleaning my kitchen was my top priority for yesterday. It's so nice now! I'm going to keep thinking about other things I might do for general self-improvement.
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Today I spray painted a decorative item for my out building. It will add a nice touch to my outdoor environment which is enough for it to qualify as life improving. I am outside a lot more than I once was...
I have also decided to finish leash training my dog. I have fallen into complacency like many people with pets do and I allow a behavior that causes me grief when we walk. He is (mostly) fine when we are walking in "hike" mode which is him right by my side. When we walk loose leash he wants to chase birds, squirrels, cats, and other dogs and it is just a matter of time before he hurts me. I think I can get it done in a week or two so it is another one of those "why have I been living with this for so long?" situations.3
