Turn Intentions Into Action
Live with intention in 2021
If you need a quick reboot this is the year and are looking to take off the Covid 19, I have five steps to help you start some healthy habits. Remember it takes 21 days to build a habit. It is important to focus energy, reminders, and intentions in the first 3 weeks of building a new habit. If creating a new habit were easy, we’d all be Master of It. It takes 3 months to have a new habit become part of a lifestyle.
When we start a new habit, we need to remind ourselves or have an accountability partner to support our attempts to change. After the first cycle or month, the amount of concentration and effort will reduce. We may find ourselves engaging in the new habit without thinking about it as hard. “WOW! I did it!” I didn’t even need the reminder today, I just did it. This is where good intentions fade, and people give up. We still need to put in effort and be mindful of our choices and put effort into by doing for 3 months to change a lifestyle that doesn’t’ require the focused daily attention needed to begin a new habit.
Every start or intention gives our brains a boost. In day three to four, we typically feel motivation wane…that is where Dr. Caroline Leaf urges us to “push through to day seven!” When we do, we then feel accomplished and God will give you that boost again. This is basically the cycle of change – be aware of days three to four and stand strong each weekly cycle! Keep pressing forward and after three cycles of building a healthy new habit that lifestyle change at day 63 (21 days x 3 weeks of effort or 3 months).
Be ready then at that point to add a new SMART goal! Give yourself time to create a new healthy habit before adding in another. The focus it requires can be exhausting when you try to do too much, too soon. Once a habit becomes a lifestyle, hooking the new goal to the existing healthy habit to increase your chances of success. This is how we continue the process of making lifestyle changes. 1 or 2 small changes at a time. Remember, change is cyclical. We must also plan to fail. Why? So that when you do “fail” you see it as a blip and not the end of a goal or dream. You can look back and see that one mistake is not a deal breaker. Those that are successful may look like they never fall, but they do! The difference is they get right back up, so from a distance they look like they are always moving ahead.
For a review, the cycle of change is not linear, it is cyclical and goes like this. The cycle starts with denial – I don’t have a problem and I don’t see the need to change. The next step is awareness or pre-contemplation – that is the stage where we might think doing something different is a good idea but nothing comes of it. Next is contemplation – that is where we formulate intentions. Last part of the cycle is then taking the action for change. This all cycles. Life happens, Covid hits and our structures workouts fall to the wayside because the gym closed, or we’re stressed out and seek food for comfort. Whatever happened, happened.
We cannot live or stay on a mountain top, life happens, and we start the cycle all over again. I hope the knowledge of the cycle of change inspires you to take that next step.
If you need help rebooting your lifestyle and want to have non-judgmental support on the journey, I’d love to partner with you and do 1:1 health coaching. Together we will figure out your next step. With God’s help this is doable, and you can change your life for the better.
Here are five ways to reboot a few of your habits for 2021
1. Determine a schedule to move and be active – Does that mean three days a week to start for the first month? Try stating your name, “I, Joe Fit” will exercise three times a week.” Does this sound realistic to you? If you can answer yes, then commit and setting a SMART goal. Try to find someone for accountability and increase your chances for change with support. Again, we’re talking about turning intentions into actions.
2. Determine how long you can move in each session. Use your name again and say, “Joe Fit” has time for: three, 10-minute exercise sessions or one 20- minute and one 10-minute session. This is a specific and measurable goal. Does this sound realistic to you? If not modify it or give it a try.
3. Bust a move. Work at an intensity that will help you get started, don’t worry about a specific training intensity to start. Ideally your movement should be at the target heart rate range of 65 to 80 percent unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor. You should be able to talk, but not sing a song if you are working out hard enough. Eventually you may want to add a “why” do I want to move. Then say, Joe Fit wants to have more energy, reduce stress levels with a positive coping skill like activity or Joe wants a clear mind.
4. Determine the amount and kind of calories to eat. As a simple rule, take your body weight times nine or 10. That gives you a range of calories to start eating. If counting calories is not your thing, maybe focus on what your plate looks like. Or decide what part of “healthier eating” do you want to change. Is it eating more fruits and veggies a day? Or do you want to eat calories that are fuel for your body verses empty calories found in fast food? Maybe you want to start by increasing your lean proteins, are they about 25 percent of your plate? What about whole grains, are they 25 percent of your plate? Lastly, do I want to add more fruits and or veggies full of fiber? Maybe you need to learn what a complex carbohydrate is and reduce the simple sugars. Whatever you decide on, you’ll be amazed at how picking one area of focus in your desire to “eat healthy” can pay off in a years’ time. Start where you are at, not where someone else says you should. You need to make the goal your own to make it stick.
5. Add more water to your days…we are 70 percent water…often the feeling of “hunger” or wanting to graze is actually dehydration…you do not need the food. General rule is drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water. Not there? Start small, and figure out what is realistic for you! Not what the experts say. You are your own expert!
If you want guidance with your next step please contact me for 1:1 health coaching. Together we can set goals and make a plan that’s right for you!