The key to losing weight/eating right/living clean/being awesome

[Cienfuegos]

Since this thread can pretty much go in any part of the forum...I decided to put it here.

I found this article a couple days ago on my favorite website, Lifehacker. http://unclutterer.com/2011/06/20/the-keystone-demise/

It explains that there is a thing called "the keystone demise" and "broken window theory" which pretty much states: When one thing goes wrong...it's more likely that something else will, and then something else, until eventually you have a mess. I have been thinking about it in terms of weightloss or just plain living life. And if you think about it...you can trace every backslide to a single moment when "Aww...one won't hurt me" or "I'll just skip today and go back tomorrow...I have a headache" or "It's okay...I worked out yesterday pretty hard" turned into "I know I should have gone yesterday, but today I'm just so busy!" or "I know I had one yesterday...but I'll work it off tomorrow".

Just think about things like that. And since I have read that article...I noticed myself doing a few things that would have lead to other things. I'm in the process of cleaning my apartment to start fresh with it to help me notice when 1 thing gets out of place. It will also help with working out...I feel like if I'm seeing any progress then I can stop. But according to this theory that just leaves room for me to not do it again tomorrow, and the next day. So...as long as you keep this theory/article in mind when considering skipping a workout or eating that doughnut or dropping that water bottle on your floor, you should be much less likely to stray and much more likely to succeed.

-Dark

[Jabba the Hupp]

I studied criminal justice and am pretty familiar with Broken Windows theory but to apply it to weightloss is really freaking clever. Definitely have had those moments during my weight loss journeys where I've backslid due to small little hiccups in my plans. Thanks for sharing this it will definitely be in my head from now on.

[67alecto]

Yeah, plans are only as good as your actual planning.

You say you want to build a 3-story doghouse. That's a plan.

The devil is in the planning that takes you from random tree to finished product.

So many people have no alternatives or maybe only one in mind that they can fall back on should something go wrong with the initial plan.

It's counter-intuitive, but the more planning you do, the more spontaneous you can be. If you have options, you'll be able to take advantage of things that pop-up.

Using weight-loss as an example, I found success in establishing a workout plan by removing as many excuses as possible.

I had gym clothes in the car.

I carried a snack or two.

I picked a gym that was close to home.

and so on. These eliminate the oh-so-easy-to-use excuses for skipping a workout of having to go home to change, being hungry, or the gym being too inconvenient.

So by taking a few minutes to pack my gym back, throw some snacks in, and having a gym nearby, it allowed me so much more freedom to workout at a moment's notice rather than making it an ordeal each time.

[Cienfuegos]

I pretty much feel like any "lesson" you can apply to life...you can also apply to weightlifting/weight-loss. Any business strategy...you can also apply to weight loss.

I have been able to test out a few of those strategies on myself...just taking a business idea and thinking about it in terms of diet/weight loss...just like the broken window theory can be translated into losing weight...so can many many other things. I'm a business orientated person...my mind is always coming up with ideas and how they can work into other facets of life...so it isn't much of a stretch for me. Might be for other people though. Feel free to share other ideas that are crossover ideas.

[bigm141414]

Lean 6-sigma just got a whole new meaning for me....

[Cienfuegos]

YES! Another person helped on the forums.