Finishing out my series on the self-help book Stick With It today. I have a couple of confessions to make about it, too. First, none of the information seemed truly new to me, but that may be because I am a self-help junkie and always have one on the go. To sum up, I’ll just use the “science” acronym the author employs.
S. “stepladders” — breaking big goals into small steps makes sticking to them easier.
C. “community” — sharing the goal with others inspires you to keep on the path.
I. “important” — if the goal is truly important, you’ll more likely stick to it.
E. “easy” — the easier it is to follow the new habit, the more you’ll use it.
N. “neurohacks” — switch out the usual “thought precedes action” by taking action first.
C. “captivating” — to change behavior, make the change utterly compelling.
E. “engrained” — repeating the new action will make it into a lasting habit.
While the ideas here are not new, my doctor made it clear I must change some of my behaviors, as my blood sugar numbers are worse than ever, and even if I quit sweet treats today, I might still become a diabetic. I’m so close to being diabetic that a mere one tenth of a point would bring me to that official diagnosis.
I bought Stick To It after I read over the paperwork my doctor gave me at my last visit. Then I did more research on my own. It’s no secret I enjoy a cocktail or two now and then. My Instagram is loaded with photos of pretty drinks I’ve concocted and glasses of chardonnay captured in certain light.
According to my doctor, I can still enjoy a glass of wine. One glass. Once a week. With a meal. My habit has been to drink a bit more than that, so I did further research. I was worried about the one drink limit. I tend to have a couple of glasses. And I enjoy them very much. So I wondered: am I more than just a social drinker? Do I need some type of intervention program?
So I read another book and took a quiz and found that I am not in danger of becoming an alcoholic. This was a real concern to me, as there are people in my family with the disease. Luckily, it is not my disease. Which means I should be able to change my routine to just one glass of wine. How to make that captivating? I’ll need something else to post to my Instagram account, too.
I’ve known people with diabetes. Some of them have died from it. It has affected them in terrifying ways. A friend recently had a kidney transplant. Another didn’t get one and died after years of painful dialysis. Another had her foot amputated. And those are just people I’ve known quite well. Eyesight can be ruined, too.
So what are the top two things people can do to stop diabetes? #1 is lose weight. #2 is exercise. Cutting sweet or sugary foods is also a must. My doc asked me to try the Mediterranean diet. I’ve been trying. But now sticking to my goals of weight loss, exercise, and eating properly aren’t just about fitting into skinny jeans. Sticking to the habits that will make these behaviors permanent is really about quality of life. Or life itself.
Cynthia Harrison 