My friend from work, Dave* - well, wait - he wouldn't use "friend" to describe me. He says that he only uses the word "friend" to describe someone that he would feel comfortable borrowing $5000 from. Anyway, he says that after repeating a behavior daily for 28 days (or was it 21 days?), you create a new habit. Similarly, if you don't do something for 28 days (or 21, whatever), you break an old habit. After my 30 days, I thought that I would be dying for meat. And cheese! What about cheese!
Interestingly, when I went back to work last Wednesday I was very cautious about what I was eating, as I didn't want to anger my already
testy digestive system. For lunch I decided to play it safe and get some soup. Of all the soups they had at the cafe next door, I chose the vegetarian split pea. And then I thought I should go ahead and get half a sandwich in case I got hungry later in the afternoon. I got a a vegetable pita. And the thing is, I could have gotten a chicken salad sandwich or a tuna melt or anything else that I wanted, but I got the vegetarian pita. Because that is what I
wanted. Crazy. And I got the same thing for lunch on Friday. Hmm - it's so good I think I might get it for lunch tomorrow.
Now, don't get me wrong, I did take advantage of the vegan 30 days being over by indulging in the following:
- a croissant
- pizza
- cheetos (they were really good)
- steak fajitas (they were really, really good)
But I also had lots of fruit and salad and vegan things. And I didn't have a bunch of cheese because why? I didn't really want it.
I guess I broke my habit - at least the cheese habit - and created a new one. As for what's next food-wise, I think I will probably eat mostly vegan, with moments of delicious omnivorousness.
For my next trick, I have decided in favor of 30 days at the gym. I've had a couple of people express concern that I might hurt myself, that it's not good to go to the gym every day, you need a day to rest. To those people I say: please don't labor under the misapprehension that I am doing anything that strenuous at the gym. I mean, have you met me? It's not like I am training for the Olympics. I'm just doing some cardio.
Here are the rules:
I have to go every day.
I have to go for a minimum of 20 minutes a day.
I can work out on a machine or go to a class, it doesn't matter.
I started this on Saturday, so today was day 3. Yesterday was the worst, because the gym location closest to me is closed on Sunday, so I had to go up the the 92nd street location. It took me four hours (I'm not exaggerating) to convince myself I had to go. The conversation between the adult in my head and the child in my head went something like this:
Child: I don't want to go.
Adult: You have to go.
Child: But I don't want to go.
Adult: You have to go.
Child: Ok. But I'm just going to watch this episode of Frasier first.
Adult: Put on your workout clothes.
Child: But I'm waaatching this episoooode of Fraaaaasierrrrrrr!
Adult: Frasier's over. Put on your workout clothes and go.
Child: Ok. Right after this episode of Gilmore Girls.
Adult: You've seen that one at least three times and you don't even like it. Go to the gym.
Child: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I don't want to go!
Ultimately, the adult side of me won and I went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical. This evening I went after work, but I think I want to try to go in the mornings before work to keep my evenings free. So tomorrow morning will be it's own brand of fun.
I think I might have to spank that smarmy brat.
* Dave is very smart and knowledgeable about art. He is the author of
this site. He also does these really great, entertaining videos on art shows, installations and museum exhibits. And he waxes philosophic about donuts and tells extremely bad jokes. But that's only at work.