This January “I Will...”. NEWCOMERS, begin here!
Replies
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Hi Denise @themedalist you January goal sounds like such a wonderful idea. Lovely way to connect to your Mom and Dad. Glad you can share your habit building skills! Your guitar-learning success should be an inspiration to @znaoiec who is starting to learn piano.2
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@themedalist I just ordered the Wendy Wood book from the library.2
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suefitnessaccount wrote: »Hello, I'm Sue, 47 and 203lbs.
I'm new to this group and am looking to slowly build small healthy habits that I can stick to, rather than my usual restrict and bingle cycle that I've continued for years, always returning to a higher weight.
So I've nearly finished my first week. My first 'I will' is 'I will track my steps aiming for 10-15,000 steps for 6/7 days a week' - to achieve this I put my tracker watch on in the morning, charge it every 3 days and use all opportunities to build up steps during the day. I have nearly completed the first week.
So for week 2 (4-11Jan) I will be tracking honestly my calories on MFP. This is in addition to my steps goal. To achieve this I will weigh my food instead of guestimating (my usual method) and carry on tracking even when I am over calorie goal (I usually stop at this point). I'm not going to set a limit this week, instead I want to be more accurate and realistic so that I can set a goal that is achievable.
Welcome @suefitnessaccount !!!
What a great accomplishment You have already completed, and a great plan for week 2!!!
I highly recommend using the Ultimate Accountability Challenge (UAC) in addition to our Building Healthy Habits! They have worked synergistically for me to lose my final 25lbs of 75 & keep them off 2.5 years!!
At least one other of our active members is also in the UAC!
All our best to you🎉🌟🎶
Maddie!2 -
themedalist wrote: »Hi everyone! And happy new year! One thing that seems like a safe bet...2021 will be a better year!
I’m sorry for my abrupt departure from the group last fall. I knew that this group would be in very capable hands with Maddie at the helm. And I was right!
Maddie thank you for all your hard work, energy, and creative ideas for inspiring us all to build small habits that then compound day after day becoming large impactors on our health, happiness, and lives. Great intro to both James Clear and BJ Fogg!
I just wrapped up rereading Atomic Habits, read BJ Fogg’s book Tiny Habits (The title is quite the shocker isn’t it? I didn’t see that coming! ) and now I’m reading Wendy Wood’s book. The habits review is because... I am giving a talk on habits to our team at work in mid January! And then I’m giving that same talk to a community group in town that I’m part of the end of January. I’m both excited and nervous... because understanding habits has been so helpful to me in my life, I feel it’s important to share what I’ve learned from others over the last 10 years.
Hey Denise! @themedalist !
Great to hear from you!
Love that you are giving talks & your letter writing habit!
I’m happy to hand the reins back to you, as I know *everyone* including me, misses you!
Hugs,
Maddie2 -
Jan I Will Challenge
⏰ 11:45 prep alarm
🕛 Noon hard start time
Dur Duration of art session
📸 Photos taken & loaded on art site
🎨 Evening clean/set-up of art table
⏰🕛Dur 📸🎨
12/31 🌟
Jan 1. 🌟🌟1:20 🌟🌟
Watercolor wet in wet landscapes w/ Neocolor II textures. More later this afternoon... 😁
Jan 2 🌟🌟1:30 🌟
Subtle colored pencil, added additional details, cropping one image for better composition!1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 I love the new profile picture - new path opening up. 😊
@summerskier love the photos!2 -
Hi everyone, and thanks for all the welcomes and encouragement.
I have already continued on my original goal of avoiding all chocolate and lollies/sweets and this January I will add to this and avoid all breakfast cereals.
The small actions that I'll be taking to accomplish this goal is to remember my previous success of eliminating chocolate and lollies from my diet and the sense of accomplishment that this gives me.
What I will do to support this habit is to "pause", as well as "plan" for those times when I am tempted by the cereal and instead have a better alternative worked out and easily on hand.
I will continue to practice this habit daily.
I will immediately reward myself by smiling at myself and logging an additional day of accomplishing this.
The help that I would like from you is your support and knowing that I have additional accountability.
Success to me at the end of January will be a full 5-weeks of accomplishing this (my first "cereal-free" day was the 29th of December).
I'm pumped and ready to be there to offer you all support too.
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This January I will take it one day at a time with changing my eating habits. My healthier eating habits will hopefully trigger more energy, then trigger exercise and eventually all lead to weight loss.
Thanks!3 -
@Jomarunner welcome! Changing eating habits is magic!2
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Hi everyone! I'm just checking in to say that January will officially start on Tuesday (5th) for me. My daughter and 2 grandkids have come to spend 4 days at my house because they've been out of school for 2 weeks and we all feel safe to be together. On Tuesday I will get serious about my goal, but for now I'm just enjoying this special time. Definitely watching my food but not obsessing about anything. My goal will be to hydrate inside and out in January with lots of water and lotion, but the specifics aren't nailed down on paper just yet. It's good to see so many great goals! Welcome 2021 3
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Paper Tiger 🐯 = file cabinet/ old papers
🌿🐯🌳 = hidden papers (such as found on book shelves or in drawers/closets)
📄📬 = new paper & mail
🧩📚 = stuff
January 1st: 🧩📚. 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/donated.
January 2nd: 🐯, 📄📬. The chair pile was decluttered, with only two small folders remaining
🤠🌺1 -
@SummerSkier I really liked the photo that you shared!! As always, thank you for sharing!
I have never forced amaryllis bulbs/ plants that have been passed down to me from friends whose amaryllis are many years old and they have shared babies. Most of them do bloom in the spring or early summer. In the years that I re-potted any of them they wouldn't bloom that year. I shall see what last years Christmas' bulbs will do this spring. Or any of them for that matter.
Welcome @suefitnessaccount Buying and using a food scale was definitely a game changer back when I was losing weight. You have a good plan in place! Cheering you on!
@themedalist Oh, my goodness! It is so good to see you here, and to read your January's 'I Will'! That is an amazing and thoughtful I will!! I am so glad to read about your parents. Yes, indeed, being in any kind of care/ rehab sort of facility is a nightmare during Covid. One of my out of state brothers spent over month in one recently after being in the hospital for an accident.
That is super exciting that you will be giving talks and sharing your experience and knowledge about habits! What a blessing you will be to those who will hear your talks.
@MadisonMolly2017 It will certainly be fun following your creative 'I Will' . Nicely done so far!!
@SuperMotivated56 your are doing amazing already with your January I will!
Welcome @Jomarunner yes, changing anything is definitely a One Day at a Time thing. Come back often and share what and how you are doing.
@nebslp Enjoy your family!! We shall look forward to your return next week!
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@MadisonMolly2017 I love the new profile picture - new path opening up. 😊
Thank you @77tes!
The photo took a long time to show up!!2 -
Hi, everyone! I am new to the group.
I just read through the thread and I closely relate to @suefitnessaccount in that I'm starting over for the umpteenth time. I have been successful at losing large amounts of weight but then somewhere before I reach my goal, I let myself get derailed and never manage to regroup. *sigh* So, I feel like this idea of learning to develop habits might help me in that regard.
I am 57 y/o, I weigh 238 and my goal is to get to 165 and stay there. I have done this enough times to know that this will be a long, slow process with ups and downs. Over the course of the year+ that I know this will take, I'm hoping to reshape my brain so that I don't "let myself go" again. 2020 was an incredibly difficult year and I feel like I can make 2021 better simply by taking control of some things I *can* control, namely what I'm doing to and with my body.
I saw a template above of how to write the monthly goal habit but now I can't find it without leaving this post, so here goes:
I will drink at least 64 oz of water a day.
I will drink at least 8 oz before each meal.
My cue will be to drink as I sit down before I take a bite.
My reward will be to put a little star on my calendar every day that I reach my goal.
I am tracking water on my fitbit app.
I am starting with this goal because I know I probably don't drink enough. Staying hydrated has been much more challenging for me this year because of wearing a mask at work all the time. (I teach high school and we are masked all the time unless eating/drinking--I'm super glad this is being enforced, but it makes me nervous every time I fuss with my mask, so I realize I've been drinking much less than before. Don't even get me started with the chronic low-level anxiety of teaching in person in a highly infected area . . . )
I also think that drinking before I eat will help me distinguish between hunger and thirst.
One question: how does one find the monthly "trackers" that I see mentioned?
Thank you for setting up this group. I look forward to making new friends here!
--Pam2 -
This is First two days BOOM! I almost forgot to do F last night but having the cleanser pads right in my FACE beside my toothbrush really helped. I actually do the last 3 about an hour or so before I go to bed.
1/1 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/2 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
Welcome to all the new members - your ideas will bring new energy to the group and welcome back Denise. What a wonderful idea to send cards to your folks. Perhaps you can print out a photo and send it each week as well for them to enjoy?
Maddie, I finally saw the new profile picture also. You really are such a talented artist and photographer you MUST share more often your creations.
Best of luck to everyone as the month progresses!
SummerinTxtodays little picture I share has multiple lessons in it. This is my clock flower vine which dies back every freeze but comes back every year so far. This summer I noticed that the vine was trying to get in the house thru a cut in the screen and I managed to pull it all out. However imagine my surprise yesterday when I noticed this? Blooming it's heart out in the dead of winter. No one could have the meanness to pull that outside.
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pamelajmcnab wrote: »Hi, everyone! I am new to the group.
I just read through the thread and I closely relate to @suefitnessaccount in that I'm starting over for the umpteenth time. I have been successful at losing large amounts of weight but then somewhere before I reach my goal, I let myself get derailed and never manage to regroup. *sigh* So, I feel like this idea of learning to develop habits might help me in that regard.
I am 57 y/o, I weigh 238 and my goal is to get to 165 and stay there. I have done this enough times to know that this will be a long, slow process with ups and downs. Over the course of the year+ that I know this will take, I'm hoping to reshape my brain so that I don't "let myself go" again. 2020 was an incredibly difficult year and I feel like I can make 2021 better simply by taking control of some things I *can* control, namely what I'm doing to and with my body.
I saw a template above of how to write the monthly goal habit but now I can't find it without leaving this post, so here goes:
I will drink at least 64 oz of water a day.
I will drink at least 8 oz before each meal.
My cue will be to drink as I sit down before I take a bite.
My reward will be to put a little star on my calendar every day that I reach my goal.
I am tracking water on my fitbit app.
I am starting with this goal because I know I probably don't drink enough. Staying hydrated has been much more challenging for me this year because of wearing a mask at work all the time. (I teach high school and we are masked all the time unless eating/drinking--I'm super glad this is being enforced, but it makes me nervous every time I fuss with my mask, so I realize I've been drinking much less than before. Don't even get me started with the chronic low-level anxiety of teaching in person in a highly infected area . . . )
I also think that drinking before I eat will help me distinguish between hunger and thirst.
One question: how does one find the monthly "trackers" that I see mentioned?
Thank you for setting up this group. I look forward to making new friends here!
--Pam
Hi Pam!!
Welcome to the group!
Sounds like a perfect plan, and thank you for your brave & important work.
Here is a link for 21 free printable trackers ... they are optional but I have always found they help me when creating a new habit!
https://thepetiteplanner.com/21-free-printable-habit-trackers/
AND here’s a really cute free water bottle one!
I’m sure there are some with glasses if you prefer! I usually sketch out my own for fun, throw it in a clipboard with some markets or colored pencils or watercolor!!
My highest weight ever was 238...I maintained for a long time in 215-228 range.
5 years & 2 days ago, LOL, I began a “3-year lose weight for the last time” project. I gave myself 3-years because I felt - like you - that habit formation was paramount & by going slowly I could make changes so slowly that it would “trick” my body. I lost for 2.5 years & I’ve maintained for 2.5 years- averaging 157 over the past 2 years.
Please shoot any questions.
Also, I recommend NOOM with a weekly coach & lots of good habit changes & peer group. I mostly used them to lose the last 1/2, and found the coach a very sane voice as I dealt with fear of regain.
In MFP, this group & the Ultimate Accountability Challenge group work beautifully together to insure your success. I also do JDMac’s monthly discussion group in Community : minutes of exercise tracker. He’s the reason I walk so much every single day!!
I know I’m throwing a lot at you, but I wish someone had for me!!
Good pair of exercise shoes, appropriate comfortable clothing
Food scale. They even have portable ones you can carry in your bag.
The biggest mistake I see in MFP is setting ridiculously optimistic daily/weekly/monthly/yearly weight loss goals. Slower loss with more exercise will help prevent the loss of as much muscle as you lose. It’s not a race.
I spent the first year making lots of little changes with net loss of 10 lbs (got a working kitchen going ie stopped eating our all the time, began reducing portion sizes, more water (like you!), and walking short distances)
The second year: my goal was 4 lbs per month. Even with plateaus, that easily happened & I was barely hungry.
Welcome again!
Maddie
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Many thanks for the supportive comments.
Wave to @pamelajmcnab - I've just finished 8 months teaching in a secondary school in the UK during Covid19 and it was really tough to get a break to drink. I have a pint glass of water by my bedside which I drink either overnight or in the morning - starts me off well.
I have finished week 1 and managed to exceed 10,000 steps each day - that's the easy bit done as I quite like walking/exercising.
However the next week - logging honestly is going to be a big challenge for me. I think sometimes I'm scared of just how much I can eat and how fast and don't like to admit it to myself. I might have some scary numbers coming up this week.
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@suefitnessaccount and @pamelajmcnab -it must be so hard to get your water in while teaching masked! When I taught face to face I always had a water bottle on my desk. Hugs!
@suefitnessaccount , logging your food can be annoying and hard. Be sure to celebrate every single time you log a meal or snack.
I got a good start to the New Year so far.
January 1 - net carbs 107g 🎖
January 2 - net carbs 81g 🎖
January 3 - net carbs 82g 🎖
@MadisonMolly2017 , I’ll check out that habit tracker website, it sounds cool!3 -
WOW! Look at you go on those carbs @77tes In comparison mine avg around 325g daily.
But since I am not a huge macro person they are set to 55%. I just go with total cals and try to increase protein sometimes.
@suefitnessaccount I actually sort of enjoy logging my food. I don't do weighing regularly so that is what keeps me on track and I use it to see how much MORE I get mostly when I prelog at lunch. I bet you are surprised that it is not as much as you think it is. Sometimes when I have a huge gorge I don't log it until the next day and I am SURE it's crazy big numbers but then I log it and go, ok, well that wasn't that much really in the scheme of things. My biggest eye opener on logging when I started in 2011 was how little protein I actually ate. So enjoy looking at the stats for a week and then as everyone has mentioned already small changes can lead to HUGE long term goal achievement if we are patient and not too hard on ourselve.
Summer
still on track altho last night I almost was tempted to skip it
1/1 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/2 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/3 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/4 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N
My reward was I found an extra tube of makeup I needed hiding out so I don't need to spend money on that! yes!!!
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I've officially completed a full week of no breakfast cereals (along with no chocolates or lollies).
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@SuperMotivated56 , love the baby fist-pump picture! That’s a victory for sure!1
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SuperMotivated56 wrote: »I've officially completed a full week of no breakfast cereals (along with no chocolates or lollies).
WhooHoooo! Congrats!!!1 -
Paper Tiger 🐯 = file cabinet/ old papers
🌿🐯🌳 = hidden papers (such as found on book shelves or in drawers/closets)
📄📬 = new paper & mail
🧩📚 = stuff
💻📱 = digital
January 1st: 🧩📚. 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/donated.
January 2nd: 🐯, 📄📬. The chair pile was decluttered, with only two small folders remaining
January 3: 💻📱 email
January 4: 📄📬 new paper & mail maintenance
🤠🌺1 -
Checking in:
Experimenting with changing the timing of removing my makeup and prepping the bedclothes to before dinner.
If there is one thing I have learned here is that nothing has to be set in stone and making tweaks or trying out different things can really be beneficial.
1/1 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/2 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/3 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/4 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/5 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N
SummerjealousofnephewandfaminSAfricaTanzania
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Hi All, I am new to MFP - it is so wonderful to find a community for building habits!
I struggle to stay on track with my habits, be it small or big. I really want to bring in accountability through this community.
My goal for this month
1. Meditate atleast 10 minutes daily
2. Since I am overeating - I will log my daily intake in the MFP app
3. Stretch goal - Every Saturday and Sunday, I will go for a morning walk.
From this group, I would like help regarding Positive reinforcement -
I have no idea how to add positive reinforcements.. Would telling myself Good Job work? Does the sticker method used on kids work for adults?
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Hi All, I am new to MFP - it is so wonderful to find a community for building habits!
I struggle to stay on track with my habits, be it small or big. I really want to bring in accountability through this community.
My goal for this month
1. Meditate atleast 10 minutes daily
2. Since I am overeating - I will log my daily intake in the MFP app
3. Stretch goal - Every Saturday and Sunday, I will go for a morning walk.
From this group, I would like help regarding Positive reinforcement -
I have no idea how to add positive reinforcements.. Would telling myself Good Job work? Does the sticker method used on kids work for adults?
Hi @amulya_05 !
Welcome to our group!!!
Different things work for different people, but many of us find posting in this chat with symbols feels rewarding
For Ex:
🧘♀️ = meditate 10 mins
✍️ = log food
🚶♀️= went for a walk
So it might look like this
Jan 6 🧘♀️✍️
Jan 7 🧘♀️✍️
Jan 8. ✍️
Jan 9 🧘♀️✍️🚶♀️
Jan 10 🧘♀️ 🚶♀️
Also, please remember you can modify your goals if you figure our a better way. So, if you decided it was better to track food Breakfast Lunch Dinner
One final point, most of us are realizing, now that we’ve been at this a little while, that identifying a trigger for your new habit Really Helps (often something you already do on a regular basis...)
So After I brush my teeth in the morning, I will meditate 10 minutes.
After I clear my breakfast dishes, I will log my meal
Or After I weigh my food, I will log it prior to eating.
After I eat lunch on the weekend, I will put in my walking shoes & go for an awesome walk.
It makes the habits easier to remember as we are practicing them!
Welcome to the group! It’s a powerful practice. Do give it some time to tailor to what works best for you!!
Maddie3 -
@SummerSkier the sand, clouds, and water are beyond gorgeous where your nephew and family are. WoW 👀!
Absolutely true that nothing has to be set in stone here. Accomplishing part of your bedtime routine before supper is a very good idea. When I do that it helps me a lot. Thanks for the reminder 👍 .
@amulya_05 welcome! I'm glad that you found this group! Those are some good habits to be working on 👍🌼.
Paper Tiger 🐯 = file cabinet/ old papers
🌿🐯🌳 = hidden papers (such as found on book shelves or in drawers/closets)
📄📬 = new paper & mail
🧩📚 = stuff
💻📱 = digital
January 1st: 🧩📚. 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/donated.
January 2nd: 🐯, 📄📬. The chair pile was decluttered, with only two small folders remaining
January 3: 💻📱 email
January 4: 📄📬 new paper & mail maintenance
January 5: 📄📬 mail maintenance
🤠🌺
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Hi Guys!
It’s very quiet for early January. How are things going?
I’m slowly improving my food quality, weaning myself back off sugar & extra salt which should decrease my “fake hunger” & lift my mood.
More later2 -
@MadisonMolly2017 It is a little quiet but I think folks are busy with post holiday work and such? How are you feeling energy wise... I think extra sugar always gives us a rush but then the low is worse.
I did a small cut the two weeks before the new year and it was really really exciting to be the opposite and increase my cals on Jan 1 versus having to reduce them like 95% of the world.
@texasgardnr I need to get back after the paper tiger. I actually asked my boss if he could transfer one of my accounts to another planner as I have too much work and am doing a poor job with 4 which I could be doing a stellar job with 3. We shall see. I hate to ask but it really is too much. And the email is piling.......
@nebslp is in a huff because I promised her a kiss at NYE and then I fell asleep and slept right thru it while she waited and waited...
Welcome to the new folks as well! Looks like you have some great plans and I am looking forward to seeing a lot of stars!
1/1 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/2 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/3 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/4 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/5 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟, N 🌟 F 🌟, B 🌟
1/6 = M 🌟, Noon 🌟,
SummerofftobrushherteethLOL1 -
@SummerSkier Thank you.
I’m so glad you can enjoy January ! Bravo!!
I hope your boss agrees. Fingers crossed.
Yes, me too! My weight isn’t up - quite good & holding. Just the food quality isnt as good as what it was, as I shifted to foods that worked with my digestive system (but aren’t as healthy)... in Dec.
Now, as symptoms eased, trying to shift back to previous foods without triggering issues again.
And I’ve developed an outer hip pain syndrome, so am icing, doing the roller & ball exercises that are recommended- occasional Tylenol. Need to reduce my walking miles so inflammation can die down & heal. After 3 years of 10K steps a day, it’s a bit scary -
fewer calories. I never like to mess with the balance I know works for my maintenance but I have to this time. I can do this I can do this ...
I have to say I’m really quite down about this. All my giant hill walking apparently wasn’t the best for me. Sigh.
Internet says it’s treatable in medium timeframe ie months. Really Hoping I won’t need PT as I don’t think I’d risk going w/ COViD.
I’m in a huge work deadline (procrastinating now) so won’t be on much for the next week. Please hold down the fort for me, Summer, if so inclined.
And I truly hope your boss says yes. If he/she doesn’t, learn from me...cut the quality until workload is reasonable. I never could do that & developed Crohn’s and then that attacked (most likely) my kidneys. Stress is serious business. Good news is your running likely protects you some!!
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