Day 11

The 30 Day Challenge | Stop, Challenge, Choose

Since the exercise we were presented with yesterday, the Doc expects that we are experimenting with ways of resisting the triggers that lead to making unhealthy choices.  In today's email he introduces us to a method called the Stop-Challenge-Choose that will help us in the resistance.

Day 11: Exercise: 8 Steps for Breaking Habits
Direct Link: Day 11: Exercise: Stop, Challenge, Choose

For full detail on the 8 steps visit the direct link.  The 8 steps are:

1. Stop—Challenge—Choose.
2. Make time your ally.
3. Avoid peer pressure and toxic environments.
4. Keep a journal.
5. Exchange a negative for a positive choice.
6. Avoid giving the bad habit your energy or focus.
7. Create barriers to the Habits of Disease.
8. Get support.

I will be revisiting this list in an upcoming post as it triggered all sorts of interesting thoughts on personal transition.

The exercise portion of this entry was to develop a strategy for overcoming your unhealthy triggers.  So using my list of Habits of Disease and their unhealthy triggers, I have added a new column, Strategy.

Habit of Disease	Trigger	Strategy
Pushing snooze numerous times.	I like to fall back asleep.	No longer give myself the option of snooze, set the alarm for the exact time I need to wake up.
Staying up past my "bedtime"	There is something I need to get finished	Reschedule the thing for a later time and go to bed at my predetermined time.
Making excuses for not working out.	Has not happened yet.	Working out is priority, it needs to be ingrained as a habit.
Letting myself get overly hungry.	Poor planning.	Have a detailed meal plan
Waiting too long too eat after waking up.	Poor planning.	Spend Saturday or Sunday morning making a detailed meal plan for the week.
Tempting myself with crap food.	Poor planning.	Continually remind myself of my priorities, and that the new me does not need those things.
Sitting for extended periods of time.	Getting caught up in tasks at hand.	Set a timer or notifications to get out of my chair and streatch or walk around.
Not stretching everyday.	No structured plan	Make this part of my daily routine, first thing I do in the morning
Drinking more than 2 cups of coffee a day.	Poor meal planning	Schedule my coffee time.
Not finishing my chores when I have scheduled them.	Something better to do.	Schedule an exact time for the chore, not just a day.

It appears the majority of my triggers are related to improper planning and lack of follow through.  Starting tomorrow I will be putting more focus on getting up early and doing some stretching before I get ready for the day, I would like this to become part of my daily routine.  The following will be on my schedule for weekday mornings from here on out (I currently set my alarm for 5:20 but tend to hit snooze too many times):

5:20 | Alarm

5:25 - 5:30 | Stretch Routine

5:30 - 5:50 | Bathroom Routine

5:50 - 6:00 | Dress Routine

6:00 - 6:15 | Departure Routine

My work load can be unpredictable, but I think by configuring some notifications on my PC that remind me to get up and stretch every two hours, I can drop everything and spend 5 minutes improving my health.  I incorporated notifications in the past that remind me to fill my water bottle twice per work period as those have work quite well.  I am happy to say that the filling of the water bottle has become habitual!

FOOD | Water Galore

I have been drinking water like a mad man.  I am certain I am up around a gallon and a half a day.  Before I leave work at 3:30 I usually have already drank 120 ounces.  When I get home, I will easily put down another 6-8 16 oz glasses before bed.  Aside from water I am only having my two cups of coffee a day, one with my breakfast and one when I return home from work.  And surprisingly I have not craved any other fluid; soda, milk, etc.

Here are my results for the day:

I was presented with the challenge of a hearty potentially unhealthy home cooked meal.  My mother-in-law had me in mind when she prepared the meal, and made a relatively healthy dish.  I had a small portion and did not have seconds, well, I did have seconds, a tall glass of water.

Food Log Entries:

6:50 - Egg Beater Scrambler for breakfast with a cup of coffee, went to bed earlier last night, feel good this morning.

10:00 - Big presentation at 9, enjoyed some carrots and dip afterwards.

12:15 Very good mexican chicken mix, refried beans and onions for lunch. Veggies too.

2:30 - Apple and Almonds for a snack.

6:00 - The in-laws cooked dinner, a noodle shrimp and veggie dish.  I had a small portion.  It was good, and I was not overly full.  I drank a ton of water today.

9:00 - I was craving a late night snack of fat free/ sugar free pudding.  Decided not to, glad I made the decision.

I skipped the 6th meal.  Dr. A's challenge earlier in the week was to skip the dessert.  I have come to find that the 6th meal is sort of a dessert.  To further support this, Brian approached me today.  I sent my blog in his direction, requesting he provide any insight if he can.  Brian suggests that I skip the 6th meal if it is really late.  He suggested I go to bed instead.  Today I was able to overcome any late night hungers with a lot of water.

Going forward, I think I will be replacing the 6th meal with a lot of water.  This may change when the baby arrives and more fuel is required, schedule changes, etc.  The one thing I have to keep in my, this transition is dynamic in nature. I am forming habits that represent the foundation, beyond that nothing is really set in stone.

EXERCISE | Challenge

My wife gave my daughter a bath today.  I was itching to work out but was unsure how to go about it.  The house was full of family over for dinner, right on through my daughters bath time.  Normally I strip down to my boxers and white-tee, crank the music to a deafening level, and start working out.  We live in a relatively small home so this would have been a little rude.  Had it been warm, I may have opted for a run.  As my work out routines expand in variety, I may have something less noisy and compatible to such an occasion.  For now, my work out got bumped until next bath time.