At the beginning of 2024, I started habit tracking. I set myself one healthy habit per month, aiming to do it every day. I’m pleased to say that, so far, I’ve succeeded!
JANUARY = I focused on drinking more water. This was a struggle, but I think the cooler weather had something to do with that. This habit hasn’t really carried over so I might set it as a goal again.
FEBRUARY = I meditated every day. Usually between 5-20 minutes each session, keeping it flexible – the timing and/or the focus. I’m still meditating at least a couple of times a week.
MARCH = More vegetables! My diet isn’t the worst, but it needs some improvement. Keeping this goal in the forefront of my mind helped me make better dietary choices overall. I’ve added veggies into the mix of daytime snacks, instead of just fruit, nuts, etc.
JANUARY - MARCH = And for me, the healthiest habit of all is writing. So far, I’ve written every day – The Write 24 in 24 Challenge - and I hope to keep the trend going. I’m enjoying myself immensely!
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Do you habit track? Have any favorite healthy habits you’d care to share? Any favorite veggie recipes or snacks? How’s your creative work going?
Awesome work on your habits! I try to track but I never stay consistent, and I don't often reflect on the data. I get gung-ho with it at the beginning, but I always taper off. I've tried to do stuff like whittling it down to checkboxes to mark off that I did it, but after a couple of weeks, it's laid by the wayside. After years of abandoning my tracking, I've just accepted that's the way it is.
ReplyDeleteI love sugar snap peas as a snack, but I don't often get them because I can't just leave it on the shelf. The shelf-stable snack I love most is raw almonds (about 1 ounce measured out because otherwise I would just keep eating them). I'll sometimes throw in dried apricots and roasted edamame for the potassium, though I find the edamame sometimes dry out my mouth...but that just leads to more water drinking. :) I like to drink water from the cups with a straw and have a pitcher nearby. I drink about 4qts a day while I'm at work, less when I'm home though.
Thanks, Loni! I think learning and accepting what works for you is so important. Tracking isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. :)
DeleteI have no idea if I like sugar snap peas! I do eat a trail mix with nuts, dried apricots, etc, and I measure it out. That's one of those key things I'm working on with food in general - keeping an eye on the portions/serving sizes.
Good for you!
ReplyDeleteWe are eating a lot less processed foods. It feels better knowing that most of what we eat doesn't come from a box or can.
Thanks, Alex! Good for you on less processed food! Still something we're working on here. :)
DeleteI think it's great how every month you've added something to your healthy habits routines. That's how you stick with them. I've been focusing on cutting my sugar and caffeine this month. I have pretty healthy habits otherwise. I'm doing a bit better.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie! Cutting sugar is something I should do, but I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. I like cake too much. :)
DeleteHi Madeline, all three habits are good. I follow two of them religiously, but sadly my mediation is a bit irregular.
ReplyDeleteExcellent on your veggies and water habits! I find I actually miss the meditation when I haven't done it for awhile.
DeleteThe only trick I have is cutting up some carrots and celery when I put my groceries away. So easy to grab a few sticks when I wondering what to snack on. And I add veggies—mostly grated carrot, chopped celery and green pepper—to almost every recipe. It's become a habit now, so trick. hehehe
ReplyDeleteI do like celery, especially with hummus, but pretty much the only way I eat carrots is when they're cooked and dressed in butter. :)
DeleteGood trick on adding veggies to almost every recipe!
Breakfast for me: plain yogurt with blueberries and a sprinkle of granola, a teaspoon of Flaxseed and a sprinkle of nuts. Lunch for me: cut up veggies (celery, carrots, cauliflower, peppers) and humus, plus fruit for dessert. Dinner, whatever, minus a lot of carbs and no processed food allowed. On Saturday, I allow myself a piece of toast with all natural peanut butter. Such a treat! Your good habits sound like a great ideas!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the info, Liza! I eat yogurt and fruit but hadn't thought of sprinkling flaxseed or nuts on it.
DeleteLess processed food is something we're working on around here. But carbs are like my worst frenemy. :)
I have habit tracked in the past but not recently. If I do, it's for exercising. The cold weather slows down my exercise too. I need the sun!
ReplyDeleteI'll send some of our sunshine your way! :)
DeleteI am very glad that you are not only setting goals, but attaining them.
ReplyDeleteI do feel the need to budget in some luxury or treat to keep up your drive to keep pushing it up the hill.
I have given up on going out to dinner, when I'm home, because I know what goes into what I cook. I will also admit that I understand the science of cooking, though the art of it eludes me.
I have long been an advocate of resistance training to burn off the extra calories I am still taking in. When I was a semi-professional kayak racer, I had a more strict diet, though I have not done anything heavily processed for years.
When I want a meat alternate I make my own. I use vital wheat gluten to make seitan. It has all of the protein of meat and isn't any of those highly processed things the fake burger people put out.
Thanks, Craig! Good reminder to budget in some treats!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of cooking more than actually cooking. :)
I'm very impressed with how many of you commenting here eat little to no processed foods!
I've found when you're trying to get more water in your daily life it's best to just keep a water bottle nearby at all times. And get one that doesn't look as big as it actually is. You kinda have to play mind tricks and optical illusions on yourself. I have a 32 ounce bottle that I fill up twice a day but the actual bottle doesn't seem that big so it's not as intimidating to think "I have to drink that" as other bottles I've had.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the smaller water bottle. I have a giant 64 ounce one that I rarely ever finish. I tend to do better with my 16 ounce glass that I refill a number of times. Plus, it makes me get up and move around. :)
DeleteI love this idea and could use all of these as habits to add to my own life.
ReplyDeleteGo for it, Elizabeth!
DeleteThis is exactly how I suggest people make changes, at work. Choose one thing to introduce and try to stick with it before moving to the next. Some things stick more easily, but you're still going, so that's fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to drink more water myself, and you're right, the cold weather doesn't help that. I try to drink a glass whenever I make a cup of tea... and I make many cups of tea during the day!
Thanks, Annalisa!
DeleteI try to drink at least one 16 ounce glass before my second cup of coffee. It's like I can't have that second cup until I get the water in. :)
One little thing from your last comment.
ReplyDeleteAlways hydrate before you caffinate. Drink an 8-12 ounce glass of water before you drink coffee. It starts you on your way better.
I usually get at least some water in right after I get up in the morning. That's actually the first thing I drink. :)
DeleteI don't know if you have heard the devastating news yet, but Janet Reid passed away on Thursday. Apparently she has suffered from a brief illness and died from it.
ReplyDeleteOh no! This is heartbreaking news. I hadn't heard, Craig, thank you for letting me know.
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