This January “I Will...”. NEWCOMERS, begin here!

MadisonMolly2017
MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
edited December 2020 in Social Groups
Welcome! We are glad you are here!

🛷 For information on achieving your goals through tiny habit changes, please Google “BF Fogg.” He has some very short talks < 3 minutes and longer interviews.

The bottom line, habits trump motivation. Tiny habits give us confidence in our ability to be successful in changing our behavior, which leads to more tiny habits, which then leads to success.

The book Atomic Habits by James Clear has been helpful for many members. He also has a free (short) email he sends out every Thursday that ALWAYS has something I find very wise/insightful!

https://www.google.com/search?q=atomic+Habits&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

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[Image from unsplash.com]

❄️ It's a brand new month! What's your favorite part of JANUARY?

What healthy habit would you like to work on this month? Is it something new or a continuation of your December focus? Whatever it is, let's dive in and make it happen!

❄️If you are new to our group, welcome! Please let us know what you will be working on and how we can help! Just a suggestion: set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on!

❄️ You might frame your goal along these lines:

1. My goal for this month (This January 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? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself...
6. What help would you like from us?
7. What does success look like to you at the end of January?

Optional:

Short form for tiny habits:
AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________

Examples:
After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.

After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.

After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.

After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.

After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshing, cool water.

After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.

You get the idea!

#TinyHabitsWork
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Replies

  • SuperMotivated56
    SuperMotivated56 Posts: 119 Member
    Hi there, I’m interested in joining. I’ve been doing really well and stay fairly well on track all day long and then overindulge in some form of evening sugar after dinner. The habit that I’d like to work on for January is to plan for and stick to a healthier less calorie dense after-dinner sweet treat. I’d appreciate any help or suggestions. 😊
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    Hi there, I’m interested in joining. I’ve been doing really well and stay fairly well on track all day long and then overindulge in some form of evening sugar after dinner. The habit that I’d like to work on for January is to plan for and stick to a healthier less calorie dense after-dinner sweet treat. I’d appreciate any help or suggestions. 😊

    Hey @SuperMotivated56! Great job, and that sounds like a great/important habit that you are motivated to create!

    Do you want to eliminate the evening sugar entirely or eliminate the overindulgence?

    So, some folks banish the evening sweet while others save a set number of calories & optimize the use of those calories for a really satisfying sweet in the evening...

    So if you want to eliminate it all together, can you not have the sweet in the house? Or if other family members want it, can it be stored by them elsewhere than the kitchen?

    If you want to reserve some calories for a planned sweet, a habit might look something like:

    At X o’clock, I will make my cup of decaf tea or a large glass of water (with lemon?) & carry my XX planned & pre-measured dessert to XXX & savor each morsel with no distractions. (Some folks then brush their teeth or “Close” the kitchen or have a planned activity to engage in after the dessert.)

    Sidenote: Personally, I found eating a large breakfast, moderate lunch, a early evening walk, and two “snack sized” evening meals eliminated sweet cravings. Mine tend to occur after a rare very salty meal. If I do want something in the evening, I ask myself if fruit will work. The answer is usually no so I acknowledge this is not a hunger issue. If I am actually hungry, I will often grab a string cheese.

    Let us know more about your preferences & we’ll help you craft your “I Will” for January!!

    Welcome to the group!
    Maddie
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
    Hi @SuperMotivated56 and welcome to our group! You are going to rock January. Maddie has some great suggestions and ideas already and as we get to know you I am sure we can encourage as needed.
    The habit that I’d like to work on for January is to plan for and stick to a healthier less calorie dense after-dinner sweet treat.

    So one thing I do because I love my sweet treats is to prelog my day and fit them in. Pretending that I can avoid them altogether is for me a danger danger will robinson thing because then that stubborn streak kicks in and by gosh durn it no one can tell me I can't have my treats!

    And in addition to fitting them in and prelogging them I also have some wonderful substitutes which are healthier and lower cal. I love the Enlighten ice cream pints (low not keto) and Halo top and Yasso also have some higher protein a lot less SALTY desserts. Not sure what your achilles heel is but if it's chocolate consider adding some sugar free (I like the reese's cups sugar free) but be careful with those as they tend to keep your digestion moving if you over indulge in them.. lol.

    hope this helps! good luck and let us know your plan.

    Summersupermotivatedfor2021

  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    Great ideas, Summer! I knew you had a solution for this! ❤️🎉

    @SuperMotivated56
    My Achilles Heels are ice cream, cookies, chocolate. So while I was losing my 75 lbs, I cut out all sugar except 85% Scharfenberger dark chocolate. It’s filled with anti-oxidants & is Expensive, so I’d only eat 1/2oz one or two times a day. I let it melt (tastes much better that way) or eat bits with a coffee or nonfat latte.

    Now that I’m in maintenance, I have some extra calories - normally I stick with just the chocolate still. We tried managing ice cream- it melts too fast for me to slowly savor & I learned it has 6 ingredients that trigger Crohn’s flares (which I have) so we actually stopped buying it. We fell into some chocolate chip cookies recently, but tapered off them in the past few days.

    I basically there are a million solutions & over time you will craft the one that is best for you! And as you lose more, you might even modify it & perfect it over time! I know my awareness of what I really enjoyed became clearer as I was able to maintain my weight loss.
  • SuperMotivated56
    SuperMotivated56 Posts: 119 Member
    I feel so blessed to have come across your group and so taken aback by the amount of support and suggestions that you have offered from your very first post - thank you Maddie and Summer.

    Sugar is most certainly my Achilles Heel! I have done really well in eliminating certain things - I stopped all chocolate in June and lollies/sweets in July - and didn't touch a single one until last week in the lead up to Christmas. I am confident that I can get back on that track straight away of no more chocolates and lollies. I thought that I was doing well with chocolate/lolly substitutes and have now realised that I am over-substituting with sugar. I start well with good intentions, such as a fat free natural yoghurt, but then add sugar and cinnamon to it. Or I start enjoying an apple with cinnamon on it and before I know it I have sprinkled sugar on it! My other habit that I'd like to overcome is cereal! I managed to wean myself off of the sugar coated ones, but you'll be surprised how I can indulge in even plain old rice crispies or corn flakes.... Yesterday was my first day of committing to no cereal - the proportions just snowball too quickly.

    To answer your first question, Maddie, certain things are better for me to eliminate, rather than trying to control portions.

    I was thinking that perhaps Habit #1 should be "no more cereal". And then habit #2 can be a refinement of a healthier less sugar-dense evening treat.
  • SuperMotivated56
    SuperMotivated56 Posts: 119 Member
    A little more about myself (this takes a lot, as I am always reluctant to share...). I am a 44-year old (almost 45-year old) female. I started at 64kg, 18 months ago and achieved my goal weight of 56kg a few months ago (I'm approximately 1.72m tall). I haven't had the courage to move to maintenance yet, so I'm still logging my food intake in the calorie deficit mode.
    I live in New Zealand (so don't always have access to many of the things that you mention), yet am always on the lookout for alternatives.
    I try to maintain a fairly active lifestyle (well I have since I started this journey) - I'm a very avid walker and incorporated weights at home 12-months ago.
    My self-confidence has grown so much and I'm loving this journey and all of the challenges that come along with it.
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited December 2020
    Hi @SuperMotivated56 and welcome☺️ We’re glad you’re here! It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what triggers you. I’m not good at portioning out a certain amount of some foods (ice cream for me too!) so I don’t have them in the house. Instead, I keep a supply of 40 calorie sugar free fudgsicles in the freezer to have in the evening or to top off a meal with something chocolate, cold, and creamy. I also allow myself to buy a single ice cream bar when I’m at the local store. Chips were also a huge nighttime problem and my husband always has bagS of them in the house. Now I allow myself to have some with a meal now and then and that’s worked. Nothing is off limits but I’ve juggled around with the timing of having my favorites and am having success with that.
    That is awesome that you are using weights and walking! It’s a great exercise combination that I need to work on establishing. You’ve got this!
    One more thing that helps is tracking my habit. You will see lots of 🌟🌟 or other icons here as some members report their progress daily or weekly or whenever they get a chance (no rules to that)! Sometimes it might happen that a goal changes during the month or little tweaks happen and that’s fine, too, so if you’re not 100% sure right now, that’s OK. You have 2 left days to nail it down...😂just kidding! Take your time to figure out what’s best for you.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    I feel so blessed to have come across your group and so taken aback by the amount of support and suggestions that you have offered from your very first post - thank you Maddie and Summer.

    Sugar is most certainly my Achilles Heel! I have done really well in eliminating certain things - I stopped all chocolate in June and lollies/sweets in July - and didn't touch a single one until last week in the lead up to Christmas. I am confident that I can get back on that track straight away of no more chocolates and lollies. I thought that I was doing well with chocolate/lolly substitutes and have now realised that I am over-substituting with sugar. I start well with good intentions, such as a fat free natural yoghurt, but then add sugar and cinnamon to it. Or I start enjoying an apple with cinnamon on it and before I know it I have sprinkled sugar on it! My other habit that I'd like to overcome is cereal! I managed to wean myself off of the sugar coated ones, but you'll be surprised how I can indulge in even plain old rice crispies or corn flakes.... Yesterday was my first day of committing to no cereal - the proportions just snowball too quickly.

    To answer your first question, Maddie, certain things are better for me to eliminate, rather than trying to control portions.

    I was thinking that perhaps Habit #1 should be "no more cereal". And then habit #2 can be a refinement of a healthier less sugar-dense evening treat.

    Yes, thank you for this info & more about you!! I’m in California & love NZ - we have traveled there 3 times!!!

    Congratulations on your weight loss & your fitness program & on all of your self-awareness.

    I think your “no more cereal” Habit #1 sounds awesome.

    People vary on the use of rewards...but there is research than when a habit change seems difficult, a small reward in the short term
    (Ie the hardest part) can help with the “pain” of the change! Some of us make a daily paper teacher some months& others don’t. Some others log in here as they feel like it (as @nebslp said) to track as well.

    We’re a flexible group.

    I tend to track until the habit is rolling along!

    Do you already know what you will eat instead of the cereal?

    🌟🌟🌟
    Maddie
  • SuperMotivated56
    SuperMotivated56 Posts: 119 Member
    Thank you both for your positivity, support and advice 😊🌟
    Very good question, Maddie - I need to nail that down, as although I know that I don’t want cereal, I haven’t quite figured out what I’ll have on hand for an “instead” 🤔 💭
    I’ll have it all figured out (I hope) by midnight on the 31st 😊
  • SuperMotivated56
    SuperMotivated56 Posts: 119 Member
    Happy New Year, friends. 🎉
    I’m having a little trouble navigating where I should go from here - could you please direct me to where I should begin tracking my healthy habit? 💭🌟
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
    Hi there. I really like the framework which Molly posted at the beginning. It really walks you thru the steps. As far as trackers there is not an official one. We tend to just check in and update the group on how we are doing or you can make your own. Several gals here have magnificent trackers. I just used stars for mine. I think the August thread has some great examples if you want to look thru there or Sept ...
    1. My goal for this month (This January 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? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself...
    6. What help would you like from us?
    7. What does success look like to you at the end of January?
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    edited December 2020
    @SuperMotivated56

    Great question!
    I copied the firm below from the initial post in this discussion & then filled it out for my “January I Will”...

    Hopefully this will help. I know other group members will post their’s over the next few days! (Busy time of year!)

    1. My goal for this month (This January I will...actively make/play with art (ie not reading about it or watching a video about it)
    2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: Each evening I will leave a large open space on my art desk with inspiration and/or art supplies attractively arranged!
    3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit still deciding on this, but my current thinking is “When my noon timer goes off, I will drop what I am doing & sit at my art table.” Once I make an active mark, stitch, fold, or glue something, I will start my 15 min timer.
    5. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible) Daily
    6. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself... I will fill in a section of a 31 space tracker & I will photograph what I did with a small sign with the day in January.
    7. What help would you like from us? Be your usual positive, encouraging selves!
    8. What does success look like to you at the end of January? More joy & less resistance to creating art, which I always enjoy when I do actually do it. More acceptance of my natural style/color palettes/mark making...

    The Big Reason for this is I struggle with Purpose after having to stop teaching & a feeling that my art is not valid somehow. I know I have purpose & my artmaking brings me great joy, but something in me devalues it. By making it a habit, I hope to help my inner voice begin to shift!

    Also, I believe that for me to continue to maintain my weight loss, I need to actively develop activities that bring me joy / reduce stress (which previously I had used food to provide - or at least to reduce the stress...)

    Feel free to shoot any questions to us! We love to help!

    🎉Maddie
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,680 Member
    Hi all!

    From James Clear’s recent email:
    A final thought from Atomic Habits as we start the new year:
    "Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.
    -The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.
    -The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.
    -The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician.
    This year, focus on the identity you want to build."

    This January, I want to focus on limiting my carbs. I’ll write it up tomorrow and set up my new tracker.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    77tes wrote: »
    Hi all!

    From James Clear’s recent email:
    A final thought from Atomic Habits as we start the new year:
    "Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.
    -The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.
    -The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.
    -The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician.
    This year, focus on the identity you want to build."

    This January, I want to focus on limiting my carbs. I’ll write it up tomorrow and set up my new tracker.

    Yes! I saw that quote, too! Inspired my I Will... As my bottom note hinted at, my goal is to authentically value & feel like an artist:)

    Thank you!
    Great: re carbs!
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,642 Member
    5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Bonne Année! 💥💋 🎆
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    Whoo Hooo @nebslp!
    43 mins more here !!!!
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
    77tes wrote: »
    Hi all!

    From James Clear’s recent email:
    A final thought from Atomic Habits as we start the new year:
    "Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.
    -The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.
    -The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.
    -The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician.
    This year, focus on the identity you want to build."

    This January, I want to focus on limiting my carbs. I’ll write it up tomorrow and set up my new tracker.

    Thank you for posting that! It rings with such truth. Altho my Dec habit was to make sure I did my dental hygiene 3x a day, the goal was not to use up my toothpaste but rather to keep my teeth clean and try to prevent more decay. So altho perhaps I did not phrase that entirely as Mr Clear would it is very insightful. So you focus is to limit your carbs and the goal is ........?
  • znaoiec
    znaoiec Posts: 1,983 Member
    edited January 2021
    Hello to all! And Maddie, thank you for the start of the January thread and your suggestions of making changes. I was not familiar with BF Fogg and ended up watching one of his TEDxTalks. It was really interesting. I have reserved his book from the library but reading is more challenging for me these days then watching a video while I am on the treadmill. I am already getting emails from James Clear thanks to this group.

    I have thought a lot about the habits on which I want to focus. Keeping it relatively simple seems important.

    #1. Clutter. My constant struggle.

    #2. Apple Fitness+. I signed up for this program to try it out for a month for free. I struggle constantly with doing anything besides walking and hope this will provide diversity.

    #3. Piano. As a present to myself thanks to several gift cards I had received, I purchased myself a piano keyboard. I know absolutely zero about music but have signed up for online lessons geared for children but can be taken by adults. My understanding is the key is to success is to practice everyday. My habit I need to develop is to practice daily. It will need to be evenings since I typically work during the day.


    For #1 and #2, I will focus on the tiny habit approach.

    #1. After I get up from sitting down (which I do a lot), I will pick up a piece of clutter or something. My reward is "I am awesome"

    #2. After I walk two miles on the treadmill, I will do a short Apple Fitness program. My reward is "I am awesome". My other reward is also feeling good from seeing the message sent out to my sharing group that I have completed a workout.

    For #3, the piano, I am still trying to figure out my trigger/prompt. So far motivation is high but I have to work this into a habit. I am still pondering this one. Suggestions are appreciated. For a reward, I have a calendar in which to mark my practices to show my progress.



    I think this is it for now. I am still thinking these through but wanted to get started.
    Wishing everyone a great start to the new year!

  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
    And adding on to my Dec item

    1. My goal for this month (This January I will...")
    scrub my face each evening after doing my teeth
    2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal - put the makeup remover pads within reach of the dental stuff
    3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit. Brushing my teeth
    4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible) daily
    5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks reinforce the habit you are trying to build.) An arm pump, saying “you did it! To yourself, stickers, hugging yourself... I will stop by the make up store mid month and purchase refills on the 2 items I need which are running out
    6. What help would you like from us? don't laugh at me
    7. What does success look like to you at the end of January? A much cleaner face and no make up on my pillows at night anymore. :)

    Why are my habits hygiene related? I dunno. Guess I am a little bit of a lazy butt in the evenings and just want to crawl into bed when I get sleepy.

    1/1 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
    M tooth brushing, Noon tooth brushing/floss and waterpik, N tooth brushing floss and waterpil, F face scrubbing B turn down the bedclothes

  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    znaoiec wrote: »
    Hello to all! And Maddie, thank you for the start of the January thread and your suggestions of making changes. I was not familiar with BF Fogg and ended up watching one of his TEDxTalks. It was really interesting. I have reserved his book from the library but reading is more challenging for me these days then watching a video while I am on the treadmill. I am already getting emails from James Clear thanks to this group.

    I have thought a lot about the habits on which I want to focus. Keeping it relatively simple seems important.

    #1. Clutter. My constant struggle.

    #2. Apple Fitness+. I signed up for this program to try it out for a month for free. I struggle constantly with doing anything besides walking and hope this will provide diversity.

    #3. Piano. As a present to myself thanks to several gift cards I had received, I purchased myself a piano keyboard. I know absolutely zero about music but have signed up for online lessons geared for children but can be taken by adults. My understanding is the key is to success is to practice everyday. My habit I need to develop is to practice daily. It will need to be evenings since I typically work during the day.


    For #1 and #2, I will focus on the tiny habit approach.

    #1. After I get up from sitting down (which I do a lot), I will pick up a piece of clutter or something. My reward is "I am awesome"

    #2. After I walk two miles on the treadmill, I will do a short Apple Fitness program. My reward is "I am awesome". My other reward is also feeling good from seeing the message sent out to my sharing group that I have completed a workout.

    For #3, the piano, I am still trying to figure out my trigger/prompt. So far motivation is high but I have to work this into a habit. I am still pondering this one. Suggestions are appreciated. For a reward, I have a calendar in which to mark my practices to show my progress.



    I think this is it for now. I am still thinking these through but wanted to get started.
    Wishing everyone a great start to the new year!

    @znaoiec Great to hear from you & Im
    Glad my post was of use!

    I’m excited for your new keyboard AND I love your “I am awesome!” Rewards. I might have to borrow that!!!

    With your piano, I’m in a similar situation with my daily art goal. Today was the first day & I have to say my timers at 11:45, Noon, and 15 min timers worked well.

    Getting moving 15 min early at 11:45 gave me time to get some tea, figure out what I would actually begin at noon, fill water containers etc and Begin actively making right at Noon.

    Perhaps something like that would work for you?