Hi Peeps
This may be a little OT but I was just thinking about habit stickiness.
For example, No S diet is a habit that has stuck for me, and became "sticky" very quickly (I realise I'm still a newbie, but feel quite habitualised, it's rather Pavlovian).
Getting up early is another habit that stuck, same goes for using a little timer for some home some tasks (to make sure I don't linger on them too long!).
I've found that when a habit doesn't stick it's because the rewards don't seem worth the hassle of implementing them, or because too many other things conflict with the new habit (I'm sure laziness plays a part, but then a good habit is supposed to work even when some degree of laziness exists!).
Anyway, not sure if I really have a point here, other than I guess that I think No S is probably the most "sticky" habit I've tried and has had the biggest impact on daily life (for the better of course!).
p.s. thanks to whoever posted a link to flylady.net recently - I've just joined in hopes of getting my house organised finally (hopefully that'll be a habit that sticks too!).
Habit stickiness
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
Bonnie,
Habit stickiness is a subject I'm very interested in...
I think it boils down to three things. "Sticky" habits (or "habit friendly behaviors") are: simple, natural, and unobtrusive.
They need to be simple because habit is dumb. You can't automate complicated conscious processes into something unconscious and routine.
By natural I mean they should resemble behaviors that people have historically performed over many generations (regular meals, regular nightly sleeping, "useful movements"). Habit is often (accurately, I think) called "second nature." If the behaviors your are trying to habitualize resemble "first nature" then the associations that you are trying to build have already been primed. Instead of having to be forced in against a lot of resistance, they'll easily fall into place.
Your new habits should be unobtrusive because you don't have just one habit. You've got many. And you've got obligations to the outside world as well – job, family, etc. Your new habits should conflict with these other pre-existing habits and obligations to the minimum possible degree. Because if there is conflict, then habit has to turn to the conscious mind for resolution. And if that happens often enough, it's no longer unconscious, it's no longer habit
Laziness, of course, will undo even the stickiest habit. It takes diligence no matter what. But selecting behaviors that share these three qualities gives you much more of a fighting chance.
Reinhard
Habit stickiness is a subject I'm very interested in...
I think it boils down to three things. "Sticky" habits (or "habit friendly behaviors") are: simple, natural, and unobtrusive.
They need to be simple because habit is dumb. You can't automate complicated conscious processes into something unconscious and routine.
By natural I mean they should resemble behaviors that people have historically performed over many generations (regular meals, regular nightly sleeping, "useful movements"). Habit is often (accurately, I think) called "second nature." If the behaviors your are trying to habitualize resemble "first nature" then the associations that you are trying to build have already been primed. Instead of having to be forced in against a lot of resistance, they'll easily fall into place.
Your new habits should be unobtrusive because you don't have just one habit. You've got many. And you've got obligations to the outside world as well – job, family, etc. Your new habits should conflict with these other pre-existing habits and obligations to the minimum possible degree. Because if there is conflict, then habit has to turn to the conscious mind for resolution. And if that happens often enough, it's no longer unconscious, it's no longer habit
Laziness, of course, will undo even the stickiest habit. It takes diligence no matter what. But selecting behaviors that share these three qualities gives you much more of a fighting chance.
Reinhard
I agree - I think No-S, in it's pure form, is 'sticky' because it's very simple - by which I doesn't take much mental processing to do. It basically becomes completely automatic very easily.
On my previous (failed) attempt of No-S back in April, I added a lot of my own complications to it. I spent a lot of time coming up with systems, exercise plans, daily weigh-ins, etc, and as a result, I quickly got out of the habit.
This time I've realised that simplicity is the key. I want to be able to learn to follow a few simple rules, then just get on with life. (And so far it's working quite well...)
I keep hearing about the flylady site - might have to check it out too...
On my previous (failed) attempt of No-S back in April, I added a lot of my own complications to it. I spent a lot of time coming up with systems, exercise plans, daily weigh-ins, etc, and as a result, I quickly got out of the habit.
This time I've realised that simplicity is the key. I want to be able to learn to follow a few simple rules, then just get on with life. (And so far it's working quite well...)
I keep hearing about the flylady site - might have to check it out too...
I have also managed to bungle every attempt at No S that I have had due to complicating the simple rules.
For a perfectionist like me it is terribly easy to come up with ways to 'perfect' things which generally just make them so complicated that my lazy brain cannot cope and I end up back where I started. It has taken a long time, but I am finally at the point where I can do No S and enjoy the simplicity without adding my refinements.
Simplicity is necessary for a habit to be sticky.
(My habit that stuck from FlyLady is equally simple - One thing at a time - Put one thing away before taking out another.)
For a perfectionist like me it is terribly easy to come up with ways to 'perfect' things which generally just make them so complicated that my lazy brain cannot cope and I end up back where I started. It has taken a long time, but I am finally at the point where I can do No S and enjoy the simplicity without adding my refinements.
Simplicity is necessary for a habit to be sticky.
(My habit that stuck from FlyLady is equally simple - One thing at a time - Put one thing away before taking out another.)
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
Newbie
Hi everybody,
I'm one day old here.
I came upon this site yesterday and as I read through it, I was surprised at how closely it mirrored the basic ideas of Flylady. And since Flylady has worked very well for me in the past five years, I'm sure nosdiet will too. It has such a common-sense approach to eating, and I've internalised some of it's basic principles over the years, so I'm pretty sure this is going to be one programme where I won't fall off the wagon (or very often, at least!).
Will keep you posted on my progress...
I'm one day old here.
I came upon this site yesterday and as I read through it, I was surprised at how closely it mirrored the basic ideas of Flylady. And since Flylady has worked very well for me in the past five years, I'm sure nosdiet will too. It has such a common-sense approach to eating, and I've internalised some of it's basic principles over the years, so I'm pretty sure this is going to be one programme where I won't fall off the wagon (or very often, at least!).
Will keep you posted on my progress...
Re: Newbie
Hi Savita,Savita wrote:I was surprised at how closely it mirrored the basic ideas of Flylady.
I started doing the No S diet 2-3 months ago and just discovered Flylady too (I joined that about 2 weeks ago). I too thought they were very compatible ideas, No S is helping me get control of my eating habits and Flylady is helping me get control of my home, so it all works very well together
I've also found that Flylady's "Menu Planning" habit is helpful to both keeping my household running smoothly and helps me stick to No S (e.g. planning to have leftovers for lunches means less snack temptation at work!).
Happy Flying and No S-ing!!
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BrightAngel
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This is a great post. I found it well worth reading.reinhard wrote:I think it boils down to three things. "Sticky" habits (or "habit friendly behaviors") are: simple, natural, and unobtrusive.
They need to be simple because habit is dumb. You can't automate complicated conscious processes into something unconscious and routine.
By natural I mean they should resemble behaviors that people have historically performed over many generations (regular meals, regular nightly sleeping, "useful movements"). Habit is often (accurately, I think) called "second nature." If the behaviors your are trying to habitualize resemble "first nature" then the associations that you are trying to build have already been primed. Instead of having to be forced in against a lot of resistance, they'll easily fall into place.
Your new habits should be unobtrusive because you don't have just one habit. You've got many. And you've got obligations to the outside world as well – job, family, etc. Your new habits should conflict with these other pre-existing habits and obligations to the minimum possible degree. Because if there is conflict, then habit has to turn to the conscious mind for resolution. And if that happens often enough, it's no longer unconscious, it's no longer habit
Laziness, of course, will undo even the stickiest habit. It takes diligence no matter what. But selecting behaviors that share these three qualities gives you much more of a fighting chance.
Reinhard
BrightAngel - (Dr. Collins)
See: DietHobby. com
See: DietHobby. com
Yes, thanks! I totally agree with the originial poster. This is sticking and I can hardly believe it!!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up but I can't see how I won't lose at least SOME weight pretty early on even though I have only about 15lbs to lose.
Every morning I used to practically binge on sweets and I haven't done that even once in nearly a week!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up but I can't see how I won't lose at least SOME weight pretty early on even though I have only about 15lbs to lose.
Every morning I used to practically binge on sweets and I haven't done that even once in nearly a week!