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Day 109: Discovering the Power of Triggers

Image of a young woman in a gym preparing for a workout while looking at her smartphone. She is wearing earbuds and selecting a playlist. The woman has dark hair tied back in a ponytail and is dressed in a bright blue tank top with black leggings. The background features gym equipment like weights and treadmills. The setting is brightly lit, emphasizing a vibrant workout atmosphere using music as a positive trigger to workout.

Hi again, thanks for stopping by! Today's lesson delved into the concept of triggers, inspired by the metaphor of Dumbo's magical feather. This helped me understand how certain stimuli can instantly influence our feelings and actions, positively or negatively.

The Role of Triggers in Habit Formation

The lesson outlined that triggers aren't just emotional reactions; they are powerful tools that can propel us towards desired behaviors. For athletes, triggers might include specific words, phrases, or rituals that help them perform at their best. For me, turning on my workout playlist and starting my treadmill immediately shifts my mindset towards exercise. However, I also recognized some triggers that lead to less desirable behaviors, such as reaching for ice cream when I'm feeling overheated. I'm working on replacing this with healthier responses, like drinking iced water that I am doing my best to keep my water bottle filled at all times.

Workout Routine and Reflection

Today was a workout day, and Fridays continue to be my favorite session of the week. I'm not entirely sure why—whether it's the end of the week feeling, the specific exercises, or a combination of both—but it's a reminder of how important it is to enjoy what we do to maintain consistency.

Introducing a New Habit: Tracking What We Eat

The coaches introduced the next habit we'll focus on that starts on Monday: tracking what we eat and drink. While the idea of tracking can be daunting—especially given my past experiences with restrictive diets—the approach here is different. It's not about counting calories but about understanding our habits, recognizing emotional triggers, and making informed decisions based on how foods make us feel.

I'm happy that our weeks start on Monday as this weekend is Mother's Day and that is a couple days of celebrations where I won't always have choices around meals. 

Options for Tracking

The coaches shared several tools for tracking:

PN's daily journal: A form-fillable document for those who like a structured approach.

Hand portion tracking: For focusing on meal composition rather than specific food details. This the  ones I have been using to get a general sense of balance and most days I seem to be getting those.

Tracking Apps: For those who prefer visual tracking or want to include notes about their emotional state and meal context.

Non-food tracking tools to monitor overall habits beyond diet. I think it is fair to say that this is what the program is focused on, overall habits.

Personal Reflection

Honestly, tracking food is a challenge for me due to previous negative experiences with diet monitoring. However, I appreciate the flexible options provided, allowing me to choose a method that feels less intrusive and more supportive of my goals. I'm going to try and go to into the two weeks of lessons for this habit with an open mind because I know it is important to be aware of overall food/drink intake, and hopefully other people in program will share how they are managing this as well.

Weekly Recipe from the Coaches

Clean out the fridge weekly veggie stew - from Eating Well

Looking Forward

Today’s lesson and the introduction of the tracking habit have given me a lot to think about. Using triggers effectively and tracking my eating habits in a supportive, non-restrictive way could be key to refining my approach to health and wellness. I’m looking forward to exploring these tools and continuing to adapt them to my needs.

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Location: Canada

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