Bad Habits and My First 31-Day Plans

So based on my prior posts, I think you can already tell that I haven’t been successful in past weight loss attempts. I’ve really taken a good look at myself – specifically, why I think I haven’t been successful, and the tools I would need to be successful. It’s time to break these bad habits … and yes, I call them bad habit because they are all about behavior. I’ve created a pattern of unhealthy behaviors around food, and I need to figure out a way to break these behaviors.

The goal is (1) break these behaviors by establishing new patterns that represent healthier behaviors toward food; (2) get back to the basics and return to my love of cooking; (3) move more. Even bigger news? I have a plan.

A lot of articles on the Internet say it takes a minimum of 21 days to break a habit, and a minimum of 30 days to establish new patterns or behaviors. I’m going to add one day on (for good luck?), and attempt to re-train myself in 31 days to eat healthier and be healthier, and it is my hope that by the end of this challenge, it will be (at least) a little easier to be healthy.

In these 31 days, J and I will cook and prepare every meal homemade and healthy. I am not going crazy with counting or tracking my food intake, but I will be mindful and make sure it’s a healthy recipe. It’s funny, because when you’ve dieted as much as I have, you kind of know what you need to do (you just don’t do it). It is my hope that by the end of 31 days, I have created better habits and behaviors around food, so that I can take it to phase 2 (yes, phase 2) and begin to really be mindful of caloric intake.

If you’re reading this, you don’t know me well enough yet, but it’s important for you to know that I am a highly structured, organized person. I thrive with plans and prescriptive use of my time. Without plans and structure, I break down quickly. This is why a 31-day plan is so important, because it gives me structure in an area of my life that feels …. uncontrollable.

So here is my promise to you: Every evening I will check in and tell you how my day was, and how my cooking and food adventures went. Along the way, I will also share victories, failures, and some good eats and drinks.

Join me, and let’s try and kick these habits once and for all!