The trick to programming a habit is to reinforce (reward) a good activity, not reward or punish bad activity (eating junk food). Finally, the mind begins to associate consequences with actions. In this case, you do the exercise and you get a reward.
Simple enough, right? But this is what happens: people will decide that they will receive the reward before the exercise. So after several beers or hours of TV, they’ve lost any incentive they had to get started. Not many dogs will do a trick after receiving a reward. Not many people will work after they get paid.
Behavior conditioning rule n. # 1: The reward comes AFTER the activity.
So in the case of doing, say, 20 sit-ups or using the push mower to cut back grass, you’d pay off after the sit-ups. For example, after 20 sit-ups, I would recommend a glass of water or reading the newspaper. (Mowing the back lawn with a push mower earns at least a couple glasses of lemonade.) In my experience, the payoff should be just total satisfaction.
The payoff shouldn’t be too overwhelming. Not an hour of television, not a case of beer, not half a cheesecake. This will prepare your mind for failure. Like a pet, child, adolescent, or spoiled worker, your mind will tend to wait for the big payoff before taking the slightest initiative.
Now, hearing this sometimes offends people, as they don’t think it’s very fair. It reminds me of the dieter who gorges on junk on a Wednesday because “she was so disciplined” and hit the gym on Monday and Tuesday. That is the wrong reward and the wrong amount.
Even giving great rewards for great efforts has its setbacks. As if the lady insists on losing 20-30 pounds and then rewarding herself with a trip to Mexico or a Liz Clairborne outfit. Every day is like working without pay. The end seems to be miles away. In the mind of the weight loser, diet and exercise seem like bitter medicine every day. And every day is a little torture session.
Fortunately, there are easier ways to achieve this goal. To get started, you need to go back to the small rewards strategy. In this case of weight loss, this dieter could give himself a mark on the calendar for each day that he follows the diet. Better yet, check that box for each meal that indicates you stayed true to your diet. There is a better chance of success with several smaller rewards than with a few large ones.
Check marks become the simple reward. Eventually, a certain number of check marks, such as 100, could signify a vacation trip or that fancy outfit. To make it even simpler, every 10 check marks could mean a movie or a visit to a store. 25 check marks can mean a visit to a good restaurant. The rewards could even be something you often do, like strolling through bookstores. That way, you will have a little more pressure to act.
Here’s one: Don’t answer or talk to friends on the phone until you’ve finished 20 minutes of your workout (or work at home or chores).
So now you have the positive reinforcement of a good habit. Maybe even a little pressure withdrawing the reward if you don’t. At the risk of repeating myself, the rewards must be small and frequent to influence the mind to form a routine.
I have used this reward system to improve my study habits. He wouldn’t let me watch The Simpsons TV show until I completed a chapter of homework. While on the bus to and from college, I would study 4 pages of notes and then reward myself with a fiction reading. Using this method, I raised my Biology grade from a D to a B in a few months.
Immediate rewards are stronger than delayed rewards. That is why it is important to reward yourself immediately after short and regular efforts. For example, rewarding yourself with a phone call, a juice or a meeting with friends after a workout makes a stronger impression on the mind than buying a new outfit after 3 months of training.
To further strengthen your behavior, keep a log of your activities. Writing something down each day serves to remind you of your homework and your progress.
Date / Time – Desired Behavior – Reward
January 2, 2005 – 30 lunges – Call a friend
Jan 3, 2005 – 40 Minute Running / Cycling – Juice / Beer / Gatorade
Jan 4, 2005 – nothing, worked late, defecated – N / A
What we are trying to do here is get the mind to associate the
unpleasant task as well as enjoyable. If running means television
and not running means there is no television, then there is influence on the mind to get
the body running. And run fast, because your favorite TV show will air in an hour.
For more methods, read the download: Stomach Flattening
