How many days does it take to break a habit?
A post from the internet: I always hear the statistic that it takes six weeks to make or break a habit. That may be true in cases like turning off the porch light in the morning, but I haven't had the same success in life when it came to overcoming various destructive habits of mine.
Often I gut it out through those six weeks only to either give up, or quit that habit but replace it with something just as bad. I likened the experience to a stress-ball. I squeeze it really hard in my hand, and it may even squeeze through my fingers. Did the material in the stress ball disappear? Nope. What happens when I release the ball? It all goes back right where it was before.
Compulsive and/or destructive habits seem to work in the same way. Why does it seem that every time we identify a bad behavior in our life and work to chop it down, that another takes it's place almost immediately?
That is because we are attacking the evidence that there is a problem, not the problem itself. Identifying the root issue takes time, but it is well worth it. When I say "time", I'm talking about anywhere from a year or more.
That's correct – to truly break the root cause of your destructive habits or addictions will take at least one year. Don't despair though, because that can and will be a very good thing.
I am seven months post op and there are still some days when my eyes do not listen to my brain. For me I think food and eating is no different than anyones, addictive habits, mine was just legal and more acceptable to society. But honestly is it? I wake up each morning and remind myself that this is a journey and I did not wake up Fat one morning but did this to my self one forkful at a time. I am trying so hard to break old habits and develop healthy ones. My scales have not moved for several weeks now, this happens to me every time I drop into a new set of numbers. I know hat I need to do is exercise, I sometimes wish that people would tell me I was fat instead of "You look great!" I need the push to make me do what I know I need to do. Today I went to see my family doctor, we discussed my BP meds, I take 3. My BP was 128/80 for me this is awesome. I used to be consistently 140-150/90-100 on meds and over 200 without. We discussed reducing my meds, I told her I would like to drop 20 more pounds before we do this. I think part of me just wanted to make sure I was going to be successful. Kinda like been here before but didn't stay. So to all of us our their trying to develop new habits and change old ones, Good Luck!
Well guys it is almost Friday and I don't know about all of you but I am so thankful. It has been one hectic week here in SC. Today and yesterday are my first two days in weeks that I have managed to get all my protein in, now that being said, it is only because I am making myself drink one protein shake a day. I have not exercised like I should, I made a decision not to go back to curves. It just isn't working for me. Last week I went twice and when I went on Thursday I was in one of my moods (someone at work pissed me off) and I over exercised and got my other knee hurting. You would think I would learn but for some reason I have to do everything the hard way. I have been debating something for weeks and finally made a decision today and a commitment. I was talking with a friend at work about needing a trainer, someone to help me focus on my problem areas, show me how to work out effectively one on one. I told her about a local place I had contacted but was frustrated because they had not returned my calls. The nerve, you have a business and don't return calls. She gave me the guys name and number and I called him. Well he said he would take me on as a client if I was willing to listen to him, monitor my eating habits and commit myself to 90 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. I laughed when he said, would you be willing to eat healthy. You see, at first I didn't tell him I had, had WLS, I wanted to feel him out to see what he was going to recommend. He told me now you will have to eat a lot of protein, oh yeah I know about that. You need to cut back on your carbohydrates, no problem there, they don't go down. I would need to give up sweets and snacking, ditto already done that. So next week I start, I am both excited and nervous. It is going to cost me $25 a session but I am going to give it a month and see how it goes, I don't have to sign a contract so if it doesn't work out I am not out anything but my time and some money. I have a point I want to prove, which I know is probably ridiculous at my age, I want to see how much I can actually tighten up. I don't want to have surgery to tighten up my skin I want to tighten as much as I can with exercise. I know this may be totally impossible but I gotta try and I feel that a few months with a trainer is cheaper than surgery and less risky. I know you don't ask but my main problem area is my inner thighs. I have given up on having boobs, too old to care and that is why there is Victoria Secrets, push'em up and make them look like their big.
Think that's all for now, so a big cheers to all of us who are working our boom-booms off. (I also ordered the Brazilian butt video work out today from beach body, I thought it could keep P 90x company on the self.)
I hate busy days, meetings start at 7am and go until 5pm. Not even a minute to take a pee break, I try to tell my assistant to schedule that in but some days it just does not work out. I have been home for 3 hours and I am still dealing with issues. Knowing it was going to be a busy day, I powered up this morning with a skinny latte from star bucks and added my 24 grams of protein powder to it. Total of 35 grams of protein that took be about 2 and half hours to drink. But it was yummy, I call it my high octane drink that carries me through a busy day, I consider it a treat. I did manage to squeeze in a small salad with some chicken and blue cheese but for dinner, not so well. I had a cup of popcorn and 4 ozs of white wine. OK, I know that is not in the any of our books but I just was too tired to cook, and as you all know fast food just does not work. i did sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on it, does that count and it was air popcorn. I guess I feel guilty, maybe I should run around the block a few times. I used to keep a few frozen dinners in the freezer for nights like this but my MD said, "Diane, frozen dinners have way too much sodium. Wonder what he would say about the 100 calorie pop secret and wine. Hey I just realized now why they call it pop secret, you can eat it and keep it a secret. I think they may call that stinkin thinkin, what do you all think? So this is my confession for the night, I ate a bad dinner, I feel guilty, my stomach feels like crap and I know by 10pm I will be hungry. I will tell you one difference in the old me and the new me, the old me would have never thought a thing about what they ate and ate another meal on top of the one she just ate. I would have felt a twinge of regret but would have never looked back. Thank you all for listening and be my second conscious. It's great to have others who understand how you really feel some days and you don't have to apologize for not being perfect. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
To end on a happy note, I wore my second new dress today and I looked good.......................................
I wish I could take credit for these words but I can't... I found them deep and thought provoking as I deal with life and try to remain positive. I hope you enjoy!
The Obstacles of Life by Bill Nelson
Life presents us with a wide array of opportunities. Life provides a great deal of enjoyment and happiness. Life teaches a variety of lessons And life brings its own set of challenges. There is probably nothing here you don't already know. But what about those days when everything that can possibly go wrong does. Those days when things just go that little bit left of center to the point of annoying the daylights out of you.
Hopefully these types of days are very few and far between, but the reality is we have to deal with a day like this every now and then. What are some of the key obstacles of life and how do they have an ability to influence each other?
Rather than try and cover every possible scenario and situation that could cause these days of frustration to come about, and then to grow and get worse, we are just going to focus on four areas:
Four areas that as single entities can slow you down; and four areas that also have the ability to flow from one to another to create a decrease in momentum of quite significant proportions.
These four obstacles of life are:
o Fear
o Worry
o Anger
o Doubt
Let's first take a look at each one individually and then also see how they can lead from one to the other.
1. Fear
Most of the time fear comes about because we believe that we are about to suffer, in some way or another, from what the future will bring
The fear can sometimes be generated by fact, and at other times, by perception. But the bottom line is, we know how we feel when we are fearful.
But how do we overcome this fear?
Face your fears and overcome those fears. Sounds great in theory but is a lot harder in practical reality. Nevertheless, the concept is probably not far from the truth.
A word of caution: if you are going to face your fears, just take your time and do it slowly and methodically.
2. Worry
Life can somehow get us to worry about many different things. Some of us worry a lot and some of us have the ability not to get to worried about anything.
But what is it that causes us to worry the most? Well we all know that there are a million answers to this question, but let me share this with you: our fear, or what has generated that fear, also can get us to worry.
So the cycle gains momentum from one obstacle to the next. Fear can make us start to worry.
3. Anger
Not sure about you, but I can get angry about some things that would not affect anyone else; while on the other hand, I don't get angered by things that I know drive others into uncontrollable tirades.
A great many things can generate anger, such as situations, thoughts, people, failure and frustration.
But sometimes anger is generated as a defense mechanism: a mechanism that is supposedly trying to help when we sometimes get spooked by other emotions, such as fear and worry.
So now our cycle has three stages to it:
Fear triggers worry Fear and worry can generate anger
4. Doubt
Life continues to roll on, and as it does there can be many reasons why the element of doubt could be generated.
o Doubt about our ability to be successful
o Doubt about our ability to get the job done
o Doubt about our ability to reach the levels to which we aspire
o Doubt about what the future holds
o Doubt about whether you can be a great Partner/Parent/Friend
Once again, my doubts are (no doubt) different to your doubts. And our friend's doubts would be different again. So doubts can be generated by many different reasons, which are not necessarily right or wrong. But what about when our doubt is generated by our fear, worry, and anger?
What happens then? Well what happens is we continue to add another negative element into our cycle of obstacles of life. Individually theses emotions can slow our progress through life. But start to see them together and they have the ability to apply the brakes to life and apply them hard.
My message through all of this is to make sure that you are not your own worst enemy in this. Take care that you are not generating and perpetuating a cycle of emotions that will see your obstacles of life become stronger and longer.
The Journey Continues
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/584787
Happy Hump Day everyone! Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I have been enjoying my new electronic toy, the FitBit to track my steps, a pedometer on steroids I will call it. I am finding it as obsessive as logging all my food on myfitnesspal. I do find it more rewarding to do the exercise when I can actually measure it accurately and record the numbers. Tomorrow is my 4 week follow up from my last fill, it is actually 5 weeks and I get weighed. I rarely weigh myself at home because the scales can vary so much so I will be excited to know where I am. I still think I am a little tight because I still find it difficult to get all my food in and I rarely fill hungry. I am only able to eat about 1/2 cup at each setting so I have been eating at least 1 snack per day to add some protein and calories. My regular MD did reduce my blood pressure meds on Monday to have the dosage so this was a hugh milestone. I have been on top dosages on my BP meds and asthma meds for several years. This was great news and a great milestone for me. My never be totally off but this is still great. Everyone keep up the good work, we will all make this journey. Believe in your self and you will succeed. Happy Wednesday and talk to ya later!
Celebrated my wedding anniversary this weekend. We went to dinner theater to see " You can't make this $^@! Up at the Café and Then Some in DT Greenville. We had a great time, I did appetizer and a salad and had a few bites of my husbands dessert. It was yummy! They served us Champaign, only one sip for me, way too many bubbles. One drink and I burp like a sailor, too funny. It was a great celebration of 18 years. No weight loss this week, but I learning to listen to my body and making good choices. My challenges are exercise, I have to make more time for exercise, I need to do this on a regular bases and I have not been good at this. I have 40 lbs to go and these are going to be the hardest 40. I bought a tread mill for Christmas but I just have not been good at using this. I am going to challenge my self to do some type of exercise this coming week daily for 40 minutes. So here goes, starting tomorrow, Monday June 12, I Diane will exercise 30 minutes a day and blog about my exercise every night. Keep me honest bloggers, I gotta do this if I want to move that needle. I would like to be at 175 by the first of July. I am at 183 today so I gotta some work to do.
