Tama tū, tama ora, tama moe, tama mate.
He who stands lives, he who sleeps dies.
Wow, how time flies eh? A month ago I set out my intention to build new health habits for 2017. My
two nuts to crack are exercising more consistently and reducing my alcohol intake. Over the past month I completed summer school in Te Reo Māori - and I just loved the proverb above. In this politically charged landscape it should probably read S/He who stands lives, s/he who sleeps dies. But you get the sentiment, activity is so important for progress and our health.
What a month it’s been. I joined Extra Mile Runners and I’m half way through their 8-week ‘Get up to 5km’ program. So far I haven’t missed a training run. I reckon I’ve had more alcohol free days (AFD’s) in the past 4 weeks than the past 4 months. Those who know me will know these are accomplishments! So what’s different this time?
When creating my health goals I established higher order goals to unlock my motivation. I previously talked about drinking less wine as it related to losing weight i.e. ‘less calories consumed’. Now when I think about reducing alcohol consumption, I consider it in terms of being a more positive role model for my nieces and nephews. As to the goal around physical fitness, it’s no longer to lose weight but to have more energy to spend time with the people I love.
The real challenge remains however in anchoring these goals into every day thoughts and behaviours. I’m no expert in creating habits so I draw upon research and insights through the work of; Dr James Prochaska, Charles Duhigg, Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey.
According to a study by Duke University we know that more than 40% of the actions we perform each day aren’t actual decisions – they are just habits (a natural consequence of our neurology). The good news is however; we can rebuild those patterns whichever way we choose. Charles Duhigg describes the process of habit creation as a 3-step loop consisting of a cue, routine (physical, mental or emotional) and reward. One of the easiest ways to change habits is to attack the part in the middle – the routine.
I’m attacking old morning routines, as that’s where I feel I have most control over what happens in my day. I’m setting an alarm (cue) on the days when I have running club. My new routine is to run and my reward is a second cup of tea on return from the run. With regards to drinking less wine, my cue is 6pm and instead of automatically reaching for a wine, I have a fridge stocked with health drinks. It’s funny, I balked at the cost of these drinks, but they are half the price of a glass of wine! My reward remains the same - sitting down and reflecting on the day with my husband Roland.
The mindset and behaviours I have in relation in fitness and alcohol are fairly well entrenched. I know it will take several months of practice and no doubt adjustments along the way as I explore what else might be standing in the way of creating these new habits. I’ll keep you posted as I learn more.
This brings me to my final comments; all of these new patterns of behaviour are made easier with the support of others! Our odds of success go up dramatically when we commit to change as part of a group. Thank goodness for the running club. I’m also not changing everything in one go. I’m making small incremental changes to my life. And, most importantly – I believe I can change.
In closing I’ll leave you with some Dutch wisdom (in honour of Roland’s homeland). "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together". Vincent van Gogh.
Next month I’ll touch on what to do when we fall off the wagon. Is your inner voice critical or compassionate? Until then, xx