Travis' 3 Day Challenge

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

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Travt83
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Travis' 3 Day Challenge

Post by Travt83 » Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:46 am

I need the board to be an accountability buddy (forgive the cheesiness of that statement).

I tend to do better with short term goals that lead to a long term win, so I am going on a three day challenge of unplanned snacks (I will allow myself ONE snack between lunch and dinner if there is a long interval).


I'll also not have any sweets. I'm not so concerned about the seconds. I"ve always effortlessly lost weight when in an environment not conducive to snacking (ie, vacation).

Excited about the process.

Kittson
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Post by Kittson » Tue Apr 21, 2015 11:56 am

Good luck with your 3-day challenge! Looking forward to reading how it goes for you.

Travt83
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Location: Washington D.C.

Post by Travt83 » Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:54 am

Slipped up three times- A couple of handfuls of M&Ms from a coworker's desk midday, a bite of ice cream after work, and two white chocolate covered pretzels in the evening. Oh well, today is the day. Thanks for keeping me honest

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon May 11, 2015 11:01 am

Honesty is half the battle!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Travt83
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Post by Travt83 » Tue May 12, 2015 11:31 am

Thank you for spurring me to post! I haven't had a successful day yet… today will be the first. I'm going to consider it my mental work out.

gingerpie
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Post by gingerpie » Tue May 12, 2015 12:23 pm

Is there a particularly difficult time of day for you? Or a particular place that trips you up? Perhaps you can problem solve to help reduce the accessibility and/or temptation. As you say, sometimes small changes can lead to quite big results.

Good luck and if you need any ideas just ask.

Travt83
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Post by Travt83 » Thu May 14, 2015 1:14 am

Thanks for the question Gingerpie.

Tough times for me are in the morning around 10. That's b/c I often skip breakfast and try to hold to lunch. I inveitably don't make it and find a co-workers candy bowl...one handful leads to three and sometimes I will skip or skimp on lunch b/c I am again not hungry from M&Ms. Also, anytime work or school gets monotonous I go on snack auto pilot.

I am going to start a thrice daily check in. I'll post around every meal, or at least twice a day, to indicate if I have made it or not...tiny goals.

eschano
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Post by eschano » Thu May 14, 2015 8:20 am

Why not just plan a 10am "late breakfast"? I think it's much easier to eat something planned and savoury at 10 which is not too big than to fit the inevitable cravings if you don't :) I have breakfast at 9am so not much earlier.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

gingerpie
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Post by gingerpie » Thu May 14, 2015 10:02 am

Why do you skip breakfast? Because you aren't hungry or some other logistical reason. Planning your breakfast time seems like a good place to start. My method is to assemble all the ingredients the night before so I only have to cook and eat in the morning. Or, as eschsno suggested, you could take it with you and eat it around 10 instead of candy. I think there is a good chance the rest of your day will start to fall into place if you can establish a firm breakfast habit.

This might seem unrelated but if work gets boring you might think about a way in which you could use down time for personal growth instead of snacking. Maybe podcast, books, music, study . . . anything that uses your brain activly to alleviate the bordom and consequently to reduce the urge to snack.

Good luck and keep trying. :)

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