Wanna play a game?

A few weeks ago, I shared some ideas on how to make weight loss inevitable. 

Weight loss becomes inevitable when we choose simple habits we’re willing to keep doing, and we practice them until they feel easy.

Leaning on simple habits makes the holidays so much more enjoyable, too. 

My simple approach to eating – eating when I’m hungry and stopping when I’m satisfied – lets me enjoy time with friends and family rather than needing to control the food in my life.

As we wrap up Thanksgiving weekend, I’m sharing a habit I’ve been practicing that’s also been fun. 

And who couldn’t use a little fun during the often over-filled holiday season? 

I love the idea of using small goals that stretch me, but that don’t overwhelm me.

So, when I heard about a friend who was hosting a stepbet challenge – I decided to join. 

Stepbet is an app that connects to your activity tracker. It looks at how much you’ve been moving, and gives you an individual goal that will stretch you, but that doesn’t seem impossible.

I placed a $40 bet – on myself – that I would walk a set amount of steps six days a week for six weeks. If I finish, I get at least my $40 back. And if others drop out of the bet – I could earn a bit more.  

But what I’m really loving about this bet is the way it’s making me work through the excuses I typically give myself.

I hate being cold and I never walk in the dark – well, with daylight savings that means, I’m indoors most evenings. 

But some days I’ve needed to get steps in to stay in the game so I’ve walked after dark – and in the cold. And. I. survived. 

It made me ask “who would I be without this excuse?” 

What would it be like to stretch yourself a bit more? 

Maybe drink a little more water? 

Add another serving of vegetables each day? 

Walk 10 more minutes a day? 

And I’ve noticed that since I’m walking more, I’m drinking more water and sleeping better – all things that support my self care in this season.