To be able to commit to my healthy eating and exercise regime (original post here) I need to change my habits. I need to make my food choices a habit. I need to make doing my exercise a habit. So I do these things without hesitation. This paragraph helped me get forming habits into perspective: From Gretchen Rubin’s Book ‘Better than Before’ Often when we try repeatedly to form a habit that we desire, we fail because we want to reap its benefits without paying the price it demands. I think constantly of that stark line from John Gardner, so significant for habits, when he observed: “Every time you break the law you pay. Every time you obey the law you pay.” Keeping a good habit costs us: it may cost time, energy and money, and it may mean forgoing pleasures and opportunities – but keeping a good habit also has its cost. So which cost do we want to pay? What will make our lives happier in the long run?
I know that in the long run I will be happier if I am fit and healthy, if I have more energy, if I sleep better and if my body is toned and lean. I was put to the test last weekend and I thought of this – keeping a habit costs us … it might mean forgoing pleasures and opportunities. My husband organised a spontaneous curry out with his brother, his wife and his sister. I had already organised my ‘on plan’ meal so I decided not to go with them. Yes I missed out on a social evening but I kept to my plan and I felt better for it. The next day was Sunday and we were going out for lunch – I knew about this so I had been able to incorporate it into my plan and had already decided what I would have to eat. It was difficult to explain why I was not coming out for the curry but ultimately the SSS Plan is only 90 days and if I can change my habits in that time then going forward eating out will be a lot easier and I will get want I want in the long run. Michelle x
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Do you relate to any of these? Virtual basket – I have a habit of choosing clothes on-line and putting them in my basket, then never actually purchasing them! Actually this is quite a good plan as sometimes just the act of virtually buying them satisfies my need enough, I leave them sitting in the basket for a few days then change my mind and never actually purchase them. Or sometimes I do go back and having thought about it give them a go. Buy and return – I do this so much! I buy in the shop or on-line, get them home and try them on and then return it all. I either realise they don’t fit, I don’t like them, they don’t suit me or I don’t need them and it all goes back. Trouble is I often buy on-line and so there is a lot of hassle in packaging it all back up and taking it to the Post Office. Buy and never wear – Oh dear I have so much stuff sitting in my wardrobe that I like but never actually wear. I might wear it once. Or never at all. I find fabrics change, or give after one short wear and the fit doesn't seem quite right. Or I decide the item doesn't suit me after all. Or it just isn't comfortable. Or for those items I never wear, the right occasion just doesn't seem to present itself. I have wasted so much money this way. If the item has only been worn for a very short time then I will return it but more often than not it has been worn for a day or it has just hung in my wardrobe unworn for weeks and so it becomes too late to return it. Love – Of course there are times when I buy something that I absolutely love and wear and wear and wear. Then I get excited over my Cost per Wear calculation and am really pleased with myself. Trouble is if I offset these items against all the items I have never worn, the Cost per Wear changes rather. So something has to change! I need to get a bit better at the ‘buy and never wear' bit, I need to be sure that it is perfect as I know I waste a lot of money. I love Boden for their return policy – if it has been hanging in my wardrobe untouched for a few weeks (as long as it is not worn) I know I can still return to Boden (I think their return policy is one year, how good is that)!? A quick spring wardrobe update – and preparation for my holiday to Turkey. I’ve ordered a new Seafolly bikini, in a lovely coral colour as well as a new maxi dress, all from Coco Bay. I hope it all fits, I am going for a capsule wardrobe of coral as the colour and I will be looking for a white trilby next! Michelle x
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Michelle ...Welcome to Fifty & Fab, a lifestyle blog to inspire you. I am a blogger with a passion for writing about health, menopause, fitness, beauty and style with a focus on the over 50's. Categories
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Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s. I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life. I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month. Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.
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February 2024
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