Into temptation, knowing full well, the Earth will rebel (Crowded House)

Photo by Doris Morgan on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Habits. Yes, I know I've written about this a few times but it's currently relevant, as you'll see if you hang in there.

My brain likes them because it equals efficiency in Wozza's world.

There is an old idea from 1960, by the delightfully named Dr Maxwell Maltz to be precise, that it takes 21 days to make a habit automatic, but this has been debunked over the years.

Maltz (I swear I'm not making that up) said, "These, and many other commonly observed phenomena, tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to gel.”

The modern bet-each-way vague take on things is that it takes between 18 and 254 days depending on loads of variables (with an average of 66 days). This is according to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology. 

Sure sure. I'm inclined to stick with Maltz.

Frequent readers will know that I gave up various things a while ago to get healthier (i.e. get down to 78kg from 83kg).

What did I give up? A recap: alcohol; cakes and biscuits; donuts; fizzy beverages; food in-between meals.

I'll just track back my posts and see when this all began...around September 8 I think - that was when I posted on swapping sugary drinks for Kombucha but Jacky and I think it started a little before then.

That means I have changed my eating/drinking habits for at least 57 days but probably around 66 days now. That habit has now become automatic in that I don't crave any of those things, and haven't done for a while; giving credence to Dr Maltz's theory.

Initially it was a bit tough - I used to love chips, cinnamon donuts, cokes, a cold beer or two - all those pleasure-based habits. These are particularly hard to break because enjoyable behaviours like eating/drinking those things prompts your brain to release dopamine.

Dopamine is nasty because the dopamine reward strengthens the habit and creates the craving to do it again. I'm fairly lucky in that I have a strong will to resist the rewards and going cold turkey pays off for me, as long as there aren't temptations in the cupboards/fridge. This and upping the exercise (10,000 steps a day) has resulted in shedding a number of kgs. and feeling much healthier. 

Bit of a no-brainer that one - eat less, exercise more as dieting regime isn't rocket science

Now the trick is to maintain the habit and stay away from temptation.

Love and peace - Wozza