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Weight Loss Exercise

Make Little Bets, Failing Fast


If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I am always experimenting. I find that the best way to learn how to get healthier and to live a better life is to be always changing and trying new things. I heard a couple of weeks ago about a concept that was explained to me as making little bets.

What Are Little Bets?

The idea of little bets is that we can take small chances that are a bit of an experiment every time. Most of the time we don’t like to make huge changes in our lives because normally we are worried about change, and we also don’t want to look foolish if we fail.

So a little bet is just a way to make a small change, or a change that is not too significant, just as a test. This opens up the idea of making changes in our life very often and to see what works for us and what doesn’t

Lets take running for an example. If running was the perfect pastime for everyone then we would all be running to work everyday. As we all know this is not the norm. If you have never been a runner you would be expected to go all in, buy expensive shoes, take a class, run everyday, maybe twice everyday. Of course you would also be reading books and watching documentaries about running and would have the perfect app for tracking your training schedule.

I don’t know about you but that sounds super unrealistic to me.

What you can do instead is decide that every morning you will get up 5 minutes early, get some shorts and a tshirt on and run around the block one time. Then you will come in and have your shower and get to work. Maybe this works out, maybe it doesn’t but the idea is that there is not much commitment and you don’t have to worry about the big lifestyle change. You are just trying it out.

Living a Lifestyle Of Little Bets

I didn’t really think of this myself but I have been trying these little bets for years. Just in the last year I have changed my sleeping times and patterns a few times, tried drinking apple cider vinegar in the morning, drinking lemon juice in the morning, taking Chlorella supplements right now, walking as a regular exercise, 5 different workout plans, changed my eating a dozen times.

I think my wife thinks of all the little changes that I make as being flighty but to me I know where I am today and how I want to be more healthy tomorrow. I know that as I learn more about diet, exercise, and psychology that I can get better and better at living a more fulfilled life and to this end these little bets have always been paying off for me. I have learned lots of things that work for me and just as many things that don’t. This does not take much of a commitment at anytime but just testing things out is a great way to make real and lasting change in your life.


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Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Make Little Bets, Failing Fast


If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I am always experimenting. I find that the best way to learn how to get healthier and to live a better life is to be always changing and trying new things. I heard a couple of weeks ago about a concept that was explained to me as making little bets.

What Are Little Bets?

The idea of little bets is that we can take small chances that are a bit of an experiment every time. Most of the time we don’t like to make huge changes in our lives because normally we are worried about change, and we also don’t want to look foolish if we fail.

So a little bet is just a way to make a small change, or a change that is not too significant, just as a test. This opens up the idea of making changes in our life very often and to see what works for us and what doesn’t

Lets take running for an example. If running was the perfect pastime for everyone then we would all be running to work everyday. As we all know this is not the norm. If you have never been a runner you would be expected to go all in, buy expensive shoes, take a class, run everyday, maybe twice everyday. Of course you would also be reading books and watching documentaries about running and would have the perfect app for tracking your training schedule.

I don’t know about you but that sounds super unrealistic to me.

What you can do instead is decide that every morning you will get up 5 minutes early, get some shorts and a tshirt on and run around the block one time. Then you will come in and have your shower and get to work. Maybe this works out, maybe it doesn’t but the idea is that there is not much commitment and you don’t have to worry about the big lifestyle change. You are just trying it out.

Living a Lifestyle Of Little Bets

I didn’t really think of this myself but I have been trying these little bets for years. Just in the last year I have changed my sleeping times and patterns a few times, tried drinking apple cider vinegar in the morning, drinking lemon juice in the morning, taking Chlorella supplements right now, walking as a regular exercise, 5 different workout plans, changed my eating a dozen times.

I think my wife thinks of all the little changes that I make as being flighty but to me I know where I am today and how I want to be more healthy tomorrow. I know that as I learn more about diet, exercise, and psychology that I can get better and better at living a more fulfilled life and to this end these little bets have always been paying off for me. I have learned lots of things that work for me and just as many things that don’t. This does not take much of a commitment at anytime but just testing things out is a great way to make real and lasting change in your life.


Related Blogs

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Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Thankgiving Eating Tips



I received these Thanksgiving eating tips from one of the fellows at Better Body Better Life and though I would pass them on. We all need to think about these every day now just on big holidays but the problems is that on holiday meals like on Thanksgiving we end up eating the wrong foods and too much of them.

Thankgiving Eating Tips

Portion size is key.  You can enjoy turkey (white meat is healthier), stuffing and all the foods that come with Thanksgiving, but know how to ration them on your plate. Ideally, you should have three fist size servings on your plate, one for protein (turkey), one for carbohydrates (stuffing) and one of veggies (sweet potato or green beans).

Thankgiving Eating Tips

Thankgiving Eating Tips

Eat breakfast.  Skipping a meal to “save” your calories so you can eat more at dinner is a bad idea.  Not only will you be starving your body of calories needed for energy, you’ll actually eat more erratically at the big meal to soothe your hunger.

Save leftovers for the next day. Remember that it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to let your brain know that’ you’ve had enough, so if you’re thinking about eating more, wait at least 20 minutes and then re-evaluate the situation.

Make time for exercise.  Although you might find yourself extra busy this time of year, you’re also probably more stressed.  Exercise shouldn’t be neglected this time of year.  Even 20 minutes a day of walking or some physical activity is good for you both physically and mentally.

Switch out the products.  If you’re involved in preparing the food, use products lower in calories, fat and sugar.  Use healthier substitutes for ingredients like oil and butter; use evaporated skim milk instead of heavy cream and plain fat-free yogurt instead of sour cream.

Drink plenty of water.  It will keep you feeling full and boost your metabolism.

Stay out of the kitchen and dining room.  Make the center of your Thanksgiving holiday the living room or outside in the fresh air, and only enter the kitchen to cook and the dining room when it’s time to eat.

Have you ever seen these thankgiving eating tips before? Probably. But have you followed them at all? I bet never! I am terrible if left to my own devices so before I open that door to go into my sisters house for Thanksgiving or a friends house for Christmas dinner I have to think about these tips so that I will apply them an not get caught messing up.

How about you?

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