Day 17. Day of Acceptance

Journal Entry

If you check out my track record on the Welcome page as well as my stats below, you’ll find that perfection ain’t an issue for me in the realm of healthy eating. I’ve been a bit too accepting. Don’t get me wrong. There have been improvements. Since I began the formation of my Habit, only one day has passed that neither fruit nor vegetable has passed these lips. And I truly enjoyed a handful of roasted mushrooms on a slice a whole grain yesterday. But my bingeing on junk continues. If there’s an opening to eat sweets, I exploit that opening beyond all reason and stomach capacity.

Beginning next week, there won’t exist an opening. 1 March 2010 is the beginning of clean Eat to Live eating for 6 weeks. On the one hand, I’m ready. This is the first time I’ve taken a moderate approach to eating healthy and the experience of incremental changes to my lifestyle has been pleasant. I’ve had time to determine what works (e.g. purchasing a salad from Mad Greens) and what doesn’t (e.g. anything involving Nelia in the kitchen).

On the other hand, the moderate approach hasn’t made any sort of impression on my tendency to binge. And given the impending 1 March 2010 deadline, I find myself on the brink of an “all or nothing” scenario once more. Although with each passing week, more and more of my day is filled with healthy grub, I’ll go beyond and then some to squeeze in a round of chocolates before each day ends. My inclination to squeeze is no doubt the result of my entrenched association between pleasure and junk food. I’m treating that late night round of chocolates as my reward for “suffering” veggies earlier in the day. But I also think, and Furhman as suggested as much, that while the door to fried foods and sugar remains open, my taste buds aren’t given a fair chance to reconfigure themselves and adopt healthier options as their food of choice.

Still, I’d like to know that I have the self control, the ability to manage my behavior, whether or not that door is open. But perhaps the time to manage is after my tastes have been reshaped, not before. What do you think?

Current
Weight : 146.6 pounds
Body fat : 36.4%
Waist : 36 inches
Thighs : 40.5 inches
(and the clincher) Ass : 41.5 inches

Start
Weight : 143.8 pounds
Body fat : 32.3%
Waist : 34 inches
Thighs : 39.5 inches
(and the clincher) Ass : 39.5 inches

Habitually yours,
Nelia

Foundation post : Acceptance

Feedback : I use the comments below as my Method of Documentation. Your are welcome to do the same. Also, feel free to share your thoughts about the effectiveness of the material and exercises. And if you have questions or advice, please don’t hesitate to contribute.

Tags: Diet, Habit

Day 16. Day of Communication (we’ll come back to Day 15 this Saturday).

“Veggies and me don’t get along.”
“I’m allergic to exercise.”
“I can’t make it through the day without a cigarette.”
“I’m productive when surrounded by chaos.”
“Who can resist 50% off?”

When last we talked about communication, we focused upon creating scripts for interactions with others to buttress our commitment to self. But what about creating scripts for ourselves? How much of our own language undermines our own efforts to maintain our Habits?

There exists plenty of research that asserts our language shapes our comfort zone. The words we use actually have the ability to reinforce, if not create, where, when and how we find pleasure. And our words needn’t be vocally expressed. Internal musings have just as much power.

How do we go about tackling our “self-talk?”

1. Become aware. For a day, maybe two, carry a journal or recorder. Each time you voice something (internally or externally) that doesn’t support your Habit, jot it down or record it.

2. Write a script. At the end of the day, review your language. Rewrite your own words so that your language encourages the formation of your Habit.

Examples :

Veggies and me don’t get along. |Rewrite| Veggies are my very best friends.
I’m allergic to exercise. |Rewrite| I’ve a magnetic attraction to exercise.
I can’t make it through the day without a cigarette. |Rewrite| I can’t imagine a day with a cigarette.
I’m productive when surrounded by chaos. |Rewrite| I’m downright prolific when surrounded by orderliness.
Who can resist 50% off? |Rewrite| A 50% off sale isn’t even tempting.

Script yourself. Shape your life.

Is it that easy? Let’s try it and find out.

Habitually yours,
Nelia

Foundation post : Communication

N.B. If you’ve a January Habit, take the time to review your scripts and evaluate the effectiveness of each. If necessary, revise accordingly.

Time Required : Entire Day

Exercises : In your Method of Documentation, complete the following :

1. Become aware of self talk.
2. Write a script and revise any self talk that doesn’t support your Habit.

Tasks :

1. Review your list of needed tools and replenish them if necessary.
2. Review your Program and Logs; determine when you’ll execute your Habit.
3. Review your Cogs three times per day.
4. Write one Relevancy Statement.
5. Track your consistency.

Food for Habits : If we believe in the “pleasure principle,” we use certain language because we find comfort in that language. What comfort do you find in the language you currently use?

Feedback : I use the comments below as my Method of Documentation. Your are welcome to do the same. Also, feel free to share your thoughts about the effectiveness of the material and exercises. And if you have questions or advice, please don’t hesitate to contribute.

Tags: Habit, Diet

Day 14. Day of Reflection.

This past week, we covered :

Day of Preparation
Day of Excuses
Day of Rebuttals
Day of Challenge
Day of Ease
Day of Leverage
Day of Reflection

Journal Entry

This past week has been more than a bit rough. I look forward to the exercises, and a bit of soul searching, upon my return from the office.

Habitually yours,
Nelia

Time Required : 30 minutes or more.

Exercises : In your Method of Documentation, complete the following questions.

1. You’ve now maintained your Habit according to your schedule for at least 11 days. How does it feel?
2. What changes have you noticed?
3. What benefits have you received?
4. Any disadvantages? How can you mitigate those disadvantages? Or even better, transform disadvantage to advantage?
5. What did you least expect?
6. What did you most expect?
7. What will you do differently in the upcoming days?
8. Of this week, what day resonated with you the most? Why?
9. Of this week, what day resonated with you the least? Why?
10. What do you appreciate about your development? Your habit? Your ability to perform your habit?

Tasks :

1. Review your list of needed tools and replenish them if necessary.
2. Review your Program and Logs; determine when you’ll execute your Habit.
3. Review your Cogs three times per day.
4. Write one Relevancy Statement.
5. Track your consistency.

Food for Habits : Has your resolve weakened? Why or why not? If it has weakened, what can you do to strengthen your desire to fulfill your Pledge? If it hasn’t, what can you do to maintain your desire?

Feedback : I use the comments below as my Method of Documentation. Your are welcome to do the same. Also, feel free to share your thoughts about the effectiveness of the material and exercises. And if you have questions or advice, please don’t hesitate to contribute.

Tags: Habit, Diet

Day 13. Day of Leverage.

Journal Entry

The Day of Leverage is the day you find your own path around obstacles that have prevented you from forming your Habit in the past. You find that path by leveraging your strengths. Last week, in the foundation post, I included several resources to help you uncover your strengths. One of my personal favorites is StrengthsFinder 2.0.

According to StrengthsFinder 2.0, one of my strengths is Intellection. I rely heavily on this strength for Feed My Habits, reading numerous articles published in medical journals about habit formation. However, today is about rotating and finding a different strength to apply. For myself, I plan to employ my Achiever strength. I’m a big fan of execution and a fanatic of accomplishment. Checked check boxes are my version of nirvana. So today, I’m going to brainstorm what boxes I might check in the realm of savoring healthy foods.

What’s on your leveraged plate for today?

Habitually yours,
Nelia

Foundation post : Leverage

N.B. If you’ve a January Habit, take the time to review the results from previously applying your strengths to your Habit.

Time Required : 30 minutes or more.

Exercises : In your Method of Documentation, complete the following :

1. What strength did you leverage last week?
2. What did you learn?
3. What pleasure did you link to your Habit?
4. What strength did you choose for this week?

Tasks :

1. Review your list of needed tools and replenish them if necessary.
2. Review your Program and Logs; determine when you’ll execute your Habit.
3. Review your Cogs three times per day.
4. Write one Relevancy Statement.
5. Track your consistency.

Resources :

StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Highly recommend!)
Test Cafe (Tests galore)
Your Personality (More tests)

Food for Habits : How have you uniquely applied a strength to the formation of your Habit?

Feedback : I use the comments below as my Method of Documentation. Your are welcome to do the same. Also, feel free to share your thoughts about the effectiveness of the material and exercises. And if you have questions or advice, please don’t hesitate to contribute.

Tags: Diet, Habit