I didn’t go to the dentist for ten years. When I finally went it was a brutal beat down. I didn’t go again for two more years. The cause of my dental problems was poor dental hygiene. Simply put…
…I didn’t floss.
Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. I still had time to turn my dental health from a negative to a positive. But, I had to learn a new habit. And, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
First, there is a little bit of skill involved. You’ve got to make sure you hold the floss just right or it slips out of your hand. Reaching the back few teeth also requires a few attempts before you get the hang of it.
Thankfully, the flossing skill set was a pretty quick learn. The bigger challenge was simply remembering to do it. I was so used to my non-flossing habit that it was not easy retraining my brain to include flossing. It took months for me to floss without having to actively think about it.
If you are doing The 30 Day New Year Fitness Challenge you probably feel excited about how fitness transformation will eventually change your life. That’s an exhilarating thought, right? But, that’s a future goal…well down the road. Today your goal is far less exciting.
Today your goal is simply to remember.
If reaching a daily step goal is new for you, one of the hardest parts of the next 30 days (and a bit beyond) is remembering to wear your Fitbit.
And, it might take even longer. Research indicates it takes the average person 66 days to create a new habit. Some of us even need up to 254 days!
After forgetting more times than I care to admit, I finally got smart and put the floss right next to my toothbrush. I was connecting my new habit of flossing with my firmly established habit of brushing. It worked!
It’s discouraging to remember just before bed that you forgot to put the Fitbit on your wrist that morning. It’s also discouraging to check the Fitbit after you’ve left the house and discover it’s dead because the battery needed recharging the night before.
Eventually. flossing became a habit which helped build momentum. I no longer had to spend energy trying to remember. That momentum led to transformation. My dental appointments are easy now and my teeth and gums are healthy.
These are the micro-habits that will eventually build fitness momentum which leads to fitness transformation.
It’s never too late to start a brand new fitness journey. If you want to do the 30 Day New Year Fitness Challenge you can begin today!
If this is the first you’re hearing about the Challenge, it’s really quite simple. You set a modest daily step goal and make a commitment to reach that goal every day for 30 days. Every day you hit your goal is a win to be celebrated!
Download this free 30 Day New Year Fitness Challenge Guide to get started. It will help you set the right goal for you. The guide also includes a contract that you can make with yourself. That may sound cheesy, but it’s the commitments we make to ourselves that sometimes are the easiest to break.
Every day you reach your goal is a WIN and this free guide includes a 30 Day Win Tracker to help you celebrate your fitness victories!