Page Turners & Portion Burners Book Club
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“Be forgiving with your past self. What's done is done. Take the lessons with you and release the guilt.
Be strict with your present self. Win the moment in front of you right now.
Be flexible with your future self. There are many paths to success. You don't need life to be a certain way to live well." James Clear
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Something in the book reminded me of something that I remembered writing back in the early '90s, when I was working for a manufacturing company that was clearly on the fast track to bankruptcy. I went looking for my papers to find what I wrote. Here's part of what I wrote to the CEO when I resigned.
"More than 80% of the problems are caused by systems, processes and methods. People may be doing their best, but their best efforts can't compensate for our inadequate and dysfunctional systems. We look for heroic efforts from outstanding individuals to be successful. Instead, we should create systems that routinely allow excellent work to result from the ordinary efforts of ordinary people. Changing the system will change what people do. Changing what people do will not change the system. We make changes that have nothing to do with improvement. Attempts to motivate people only make things worse. Incentives are patronizing and cynical. To offer incentives implies that workers are withholding a certain amount of effort, waiting for it to be bribed out of them. Teams would be far more effective if the larger context and purpose has been carefully planned."
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@micaroo4 wow, that’s absolutely perfect! I assume the company did not take your well-phrased and sage advice!
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@nancyinmiami - no, of course not. And they went bankrupt about 18 months after I left.
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Hi Everyone: I just emailed an invite to join Wednesday's 7:30 pm Zoom meeting to discuss Atomic Habits. If you didn't get the email, please let me know. I didn't realize that Zoom meetings have a 40 minute time limit, so we'll have to be efficient :) If we want to go longer for future meetings, I can use another platform (Google has one that doesn't have a time limit).
If you didn't send me your email and still want to join, here is the link to join:
Nancy Bright-Kaufman is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Atomic Habits MFP Zoom Meeting
Time: Jul 30, 2025 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/4857965042?pwd=NMe5YnlqZEk2AYzWrjDU8SzQqhoMxL.1&omn=86382016173Meeting ID: 485 796 5042
Passcode: ULEr76Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday!
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And here are some things to consider for our discussion on Wednesday:
- What was your rating of this book?
- What did you expect to learn from Atomic Habits?
- Out of the 4 laws of building a habit: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying — which one is easiest for you? Which one is hardest for you?
- Do you think habit stacking is easier said than done?
- Does your community support your goals and personal growth? Where can you find like-minded people in your community?
- Having accountability is a game changer for your habits and goals. Who is your accountability partner?
- What concept did you not agree with or find unrelatable?
- What 1% habit are you committing to?
- What are your thoughts about using a habit tracker (besides what we use for MFP)?
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Hi! @HorsesRock9999 I am new to the team and will be joining the Downsizers team! Yeah! Are you doing a book for August by any chance?
Thanks!
Marie
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@nancyinmiami I didn't get an email. Can I just copy and paste the link above?
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@HorsesRock9999 hi! We haven’t chosen our next book yet but we’re always looking for suggestions!
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@lauren_989 the link should work! But message me your email just in case 😊
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@nancyinmiami - I didn't get the email, but I will use the link.
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@Nancyinmiami
Great! I love to read! I’ll post some suggestions!
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Thanks for the questions to guide our reflection and discussion @nancyinmiami!
Great prompts!!
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Looking forward to seeing you tonight!!
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It says I'm in the waiting room and the host was notified
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@lauren_989 That's was pre-screening to make sure you were going to behave yourself! LOL It was fun!
Jessica
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@nancyinmiami @PatriceFitnessPal @jessicakrall8 @lauren_989
It was nice meeting you all face to face, and I look forward to our next book selection!
One of the closing questions was what habit are we choosing for the 1% improvement? I have a tough time with the 1%. As an example, if I were starting with 10,000 steps, a 1% improvement each day would end up at 13,478 on day 30, which is basically adding another 30 minutes of walking. Which doesn't sound like much, but realistically, can I add another 30 minutes/day? Something else would have to be sacrificed. It would probably not be sustainable long term. Whenever I start a new habit, that's my first criteria - is it sustainable?
The habit I'm currently trying to work on is to MOVE for at least 5 minutes of every 30 minutes. So, if I'm going to sit down, I set a 25 minute timer to remind me to move. I don't always move for a full 5 minutes, but I at least get up off my butt when the timer goes off. The trigger is sitting (obvious), the habit (easy) is setting the timer. The rest of the factors don't matter: it doesn't have to be enjoyable or rewarding.
-Mica (Anne)
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@micaroo4 It was such a pleasure meeting you as well! And I love being able to attach faces to names :)
I know I mentioned it last night, but it bears repeating: I so admire your well thought-out ideas and consistency. Simply getting up every 30 minutes is smart, it’s doable, and it’s an easy. Wonderful idea!
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Good morning:
We were a small group last night, but had a wonderful discussion about Atomic Habits. I walked away with new insights and ideas. Thank you to everyone who participated!
We decided to continue reading together and agreed that our next book should be a mystery!Next steps: please offer a few mystery titles (with the authors for consideration. Once we get enough, I’ll put together a survey and we’ll vote!
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It was so nice to talk/chat together last night! I enjoyed meeting @micaroo4 and @lauren_989 and appreciate all the good ideas and advice. Thank you to @nancyinmiami for leading the group and @jessicakrall8 for spreading the word to all the F2F teams!
I’m open to reading whatever the members of this group recommend, but I thought it would be interesting to search Goodreads for suggestions in the mystery genre with a wellness, exercise, or nutrition theme so I’m posting a list below:For fans of mysteries that blend suspense with elements of health, wellness, exercise, or weight loss, several intriguing options are available:The Fit Girls series by Ann Audree features Paisley Summerhill, a fitness instructor who frequently finds herself embroiled in murder investigations at various resorts and unique gigs.In "Fit to be Dead" by Nancy West, fitness instructor Aggie Mundeen must use her wits and determination to solve a murder case while surrounded by health-conscious individuals and exercise classes."Killer Workout" by Hudson Taylor delves into the world of fitness and New York's elite, where fashion designer Margery Rhoades' pursuit of a perfect physique leads to a murder investigation involving a dumbbell."Fitness Witness" by Wendy Meadows follows investigator Olivia Cloud as she unravels a perplexing murder mystery following the death of a fitness trainer, navigating a web of suspects and distractions.For a blend of wellness and thrills, "Kismet" by Amina Akhtar explores the darker side of the wellness community, following influencer Ronnie Khan's climb to fame amidst a sinister conspiracy."Nine Perfect Strangers" by Liane Moriarty showcases a health resort where nine diverse individuals seek transformation, only to find themselves entangled in a psychological nightmare orchestrated by the unconventional director.In "The Retreat" by Sarah Pearse, an island wellness retreat becomes the setting for a mysterious death, creating a gripping tale of suspense and survival."Her Last Holiday" by C.L. Taylorfeatures a woman attending a wellness retreat with a dark past, seeking answers about her sister's disappearance and uncovering a web of lies."The Retreat" by Sherri Smith focuses on a yoga retreat where four women face unexpected dangers as they confront their pasts and secrets emerge.
I haven’t read any of these books but they were all rated at least 3.5 on Goodreads. 🧐
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@PatriceFitnessPal what a clever idea!!🩷
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I watched nine perfect strangers on neflix (?) It was good, I have the book too but haven't read it. It is wellness retreat, but that's a very broad and not really specific at least in the series.
I had a good time, too! And @micaroo4 I know he says 1% in the book, but I don't think that means literally 1%. Just small changes. In the example with the bikers, it was change what they wore, changed the bike. That's not 1% but little small changes will add up over time.
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I had the same thought about the 1% improvement @lauren_989 and @micaroo4. I was trying to think of a good example related to walking - like switching up the intensity (add hills), duration (shorter time to achieve the same number of steps), or distance (at a faster pace) - but none of those ideas seemed to fit @micaroo4’s situation. So, I’m glad you remembered the story from the (British?) cycling team in the book @lauren_989!
With the steps measure, it could be a 1% increase every month instead of every day, but your point is well-taken that 10,000 steps is probably enough for you @micaroo4.
I like your MOVE habit. Thanks for sharing another good idea!
Personally, I don’t react well to the timer and alarm prompts, but most people do well with that strategy, I think. I keep trying the Pomodoro technique but I haven’t mastered it yet. Once I get focused, I can work for hours, but I’d like to improve my consistency — at least 1% 😉!
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We decided to continue reading together and agreed that our next book should be a mystery!
Next steps: please offer a few mystery titles (with the authors for consideration. Once we get enough, I’ll put together a survey and we’ll vote!
I found two books and Nancy said I should list them both, so here they are:
- Too Old For This, by Samantha Downing (comes out Aug 12th)!!
2. The Housemaid, by Freida McFadden
Read the synopsis on goodreads.com and a few reviews and see what you think…these both sound great to me!
Jessica
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I prefer reading a new release, something that none of us has already read. I prefer to stay away from books that are part of a series unless it's book #1 of the series. But I like mysteries, so I'm game for whatever.
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FUN! I would love to join for the next book! Awesome ideas! 💡
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Hi! All the titles sound great!
Time Under Tension (A Kelsey James Fitness Mystery Book)
by Kristina Fox (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (16)
I have read a book by the author Liane Moriarty (recommended above) and really enjoyed her writing style. I have not read the below mystery fitness theme book that she wrote:
"Nine Perfect Strangers" by Liane Moriarty
Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!
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So many great books to check out this week!!
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When is the vote?
When is the next Book Club Meeting? I have to schedule things in advance due to my hectic schedule…and with you trip to NY, we might ought to get something at least on the calender? Hope your MIL get better soon!! Travel Safely, @nancyinmiami !
Jessica
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@jessicakrall8 I will put together a Google form for the vote this week. Promise!!
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