Comments on: Buying Something to Force Yourself Into a New Behavior Doesn’t Work: New Rules for a New Routine

By: Chris Cruz

Chris Cruz — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:56:05 +0000

A few years ago I bought a Palm(before blackberrys were mainstream) thinking I would use it to be more organized and have another toy to play with. I rarely used it and was just better off using a notebook planner. Luckily I resold it on Ebay for more than I bought it. My girlfriends sister is really trying to lose weight so she bought a $1000+ treadmill. Before that she had a personal trainer that was $250 a month. She tries to justify the purchase saying she doesn’t have to make payments for a year. I haven’t seen any progress. I nodd my head at her thinking buying the weight off will work but she’s only 19 and I’m not her parents.

By: gail_d

gail_d — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:02:33 +0000

If I could favorite this post, I would! Starting small works for me; I tend to get discouraged when my goals are too big (lose weight, get fit) AND require a big outlay of time, equipment, etc.

Per Thoreau: “I say beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.”

By: Cindy B.

Cindy B. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:28:18 +0000

Thanks Trent. My teen daughter asked to join the gym to loose weight, and I needed help to articulate why she would most likely not continue to go.
Turns out she has a one-month free pass that she can use this summer, with a girlfriend.

By: uriel

uriel — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:07:41 +0000

It worked for me trent. Bought expensive gym membership – that forced me to go. Year later Im still going. The difference is I enjoy jogging so I kept going specially because it was so expensive. I think the examples you gave were of people who didnt really enjoy their new hobby.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:30:24 +0000

Haha, my S.O. just bought a treadmill this week! We’ll see… I prefer to walk the dogs because I’m doing something for them and it’s good for me too.

I did start biking to work, but I pulled my old bike out of the shed. I quickly learned I needed a couple of smaller items, like a different type of tire and lights and rack, but I stuck with it. As a reward after liking the habit I bought myself a new bike–but I learned a lot about what that bike type should be before I went out and spent the money. Now I’m signing up for group rides and using it a lot, and I’m still in love with my big purchase!

By: christy

christy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:34:03 +0000

Best workout investment I made was a workout DVd on DVD swap. I researched the type of workout that someone of my fitness level and weight loss needs could accomplish without injury. I searched for reviews on various DVD’s online and then made my request for the best ones I found and similar ones I thought would work. After the 1st request was granted I withdrew the others and focused on doing the one I received. I set a time of day and left the supplies I needed in plain view in a little basket near my TV. I am not as faithful as I wish I was but have done better at this than other excercise investments especially considering the cost!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:32:49 +0000

I thought this might happen 2 summers ago when we bought a treadmill for me. I was a new mom at home, and I lived in an area not conducive for walking outside with a baby. (alright, I lived at the top of a steep hill, and I didn’t want to climb it after I was already tired from a walk.) We did some shopping around, and my husband found a good deal on a new middle range treadmill.

I had my ups and downs with it, where I wouldn’t use it very much in a week, and when not in use, it does look like a coat hanger, but I clean it off every day, and having it was a huge component in my weight loss.

Just because you don’t have an established routine or need doesn’t mean that you won’t develop one, but I think this post calls us to do a little bit of introspection before we make certain purchases. Do we have a history of buying big, and not following through? If so, then it might be wiser to borrow, or invest in a less expensive version, or pay for a membership somewhere until we know how much we’ll use the new toy.

By: bob

bob — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:16:12 +0000

Well, I don’t know. It’s not always true. Actually buying an expensive stuff to create a routine worked for me a couple of time.
For example I wanted to start running. I read somewhere that there was this cardio watch which have a fitness program built in. I bought it. Began to use it 5 times a week. In 3 months I lost 15kg. In one year 30kg… 2 years afterwards I still use this watch 3-4 times a week, and I didn’t get those kg back…
I tried all my live to do sport, but never succeeded. Until I bought this relatively expensive thing.
Cheers
Bob

By: NMPatricia

NMPatricia — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:14:02 +0000

This was an awesome post. It hit on the nail something that I am continually doing. Sometimes I don’t actually invest because of lack of money. But I think about it – and think that things would be better if… However, they usually aren’t. Several times since this post, I have thought “I needed something” and then thought back to this post. Let’s see… could I do with what I have or substitute for or what is my proof of my commitment. Thanks, Trent.

By: TC

TC — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:12:52 +0000

I love this post and I can relate to it. I wanted to start cycling but I bought a cheap bike and a helmet to go with it. Guess what? I haven’t started cycling yet. And I don’t think a expensive bike can get me started.

By: Kaizan

Kaizan — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:51:07 +0000

I was once given advice about starting a business that is also true of habit formation:

Think Big but Start Small

I love that phrase! With any new goal or habit, aim high but start small. Don’t aim for an hour at the gym straight away, just aim for five minutes. Literally five minutes. Now you might think that is ridiculous, since you’ll almost certainly spend more time travelling to the gym than actually exercising but that’s missing the point: In the beginning, it’s not about the amount of time you spend at the gym, it’s about developing the habit of actually going to the gym.

By: Suzi

Suzi — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:59:20 +0000

In trying to establish a fitness routine, I have gone to the extreme – starting with just one minute a day, every day. And then I add one extra minute each week. I’m now up to week nine and haven’t missed a day.
I too am keeping equipment to a minimum. A small medicine ball and a resistance strap is enough for strength – but I daresay you could replace the medicine ball with a big tin of beans!
But while going for a run doesn’t require any equipment, I did need something that would help me get my heart rate up if it was too dark or wet to go outside. I decided that a bosu was the best all round investment I could make, and I haven’t regretted it. I use it regularly, and for the cost of less than a month’s gym membership I think it was well worth it.
But as you say, none of this is worth it if you don’t take the small steps it takes to get into your routine. And for me, staying accountable by blogging about it, is what is keeping me on track. I highly reccommend it.
Suzi
onegoaloneminute.com

By: point26

point26 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:01:17 +0000

Ha! Way to place the blame of money wasting on anything and everything but yourself. If you think wii fitness is cardio, your fat, and always will be.

By: JulesT

JulesT — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:18:30 +0000

Am I the only one who uses their treadmill? I’ve had mine about 5 years and use it several times a week. It’s a godsend and has helped keep me fit when outdoor exercise was not an option. To be honest though, I bought it when a running injury and surgery forced me indoors. I keep using it because of the convenience and safety. I also wear good running shoes.

Other than that, your points are well-taken. I wish I had heard and heeded your advice many years ago. It would have saved me literally thousands of dollars over the years on sports, cooking, and craft equipment/supplies bought before I really knew whether that activity was something I would sustain over the long run. And some, of course, were never even started. They eventually made for some great garage sale fare for others. I am now a lot older and wiser and much more thrifty.

But I’ve never regretted buying my treadmill. And nothing ever hangs from or over it.

Thanks for the great advice!

By: SteveJ

SteveJ — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:55:18 +0000

I think your point about cutting something out is particularly smart. I know that’s my problem, I want to work a little extra, exercise a little more, spend more time with family and friends, do a little work on home renovations, get a little more housework done, read a little more, and well, I don’t seem to have 30 hours/day to work with. Right now I’m desperately trying to get in some extra time to shoot baskets, but it seems like I don’t stop going from rise and shine till I collapse into bed.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:49:26 +0000

I completely agree with the exception of the guitar. As a music teacher, I think that a beginning player should invest in a decent instrument (there are used and affordable instruments of good quality). A bad instrument is going to provide frustration and make your playing sound bad, which is what leads many people to give up. A quality instrument will sound better and motivate you to play. Even if you give up, the good craftsmanship can make it a great decoration, or it will have good resale value. I am all to aware, though, that simply owning an instrument, regardless of its quality, does not make somebody practice and become a good musician.

By: Sierra

Sierra — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:24:44 +0000

This is so true. The one major exception I can think of is the moleskine notebook I track my spending in. I tried for years to establish a spending-tracking system I would stick with and use, and went through about a dozen cheap pocket notebooks that started out as spending notebooks and became doodle pads for my kids.

Then I got a moleskine and devoted it solely to writing down my expenses, and have tracked every penny. Somehow spending $10 on that notebook really did help catalyze my new habit.

By: Lou

Lou — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:43:49 +0000

I think the article has some great points but I have had two happy exceptions.

I joined Weight Watchers. Knowing that I had that weekly payment was a definite jump start. Most of the information WW provided could have been found elsewhere. I found that having a financial investment made me more motivated.

Also, I joined the YMCA. It’s not like a lot of health clubs that ask for a big deposit and you can drop your membership with 30 days notice.

Both of those investments were good ones for me.

By: Alyx

Alyx — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:34:31 +0000

I really want a Wii and a Wii Fit to work out with. But having purchased the PS2 and Dance Dance Revolution with the same intentions, I realized that simply buying it would not work out, nor was it a good idea financially.

My solution was simple. For ever half-hour of hardcore exercise I do, $5 goes into savings for the Wii. This forces a new behavior and reward for that behavior. I’m not pressured to work out everyday, and I don’t, but the days that I do, I’m accomplishing something. And by the time I earn the Wii, the habits will be established to use it accordingly.

By: Bill in Houston

Bill in Houston — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:24:41 +0000

I have a treadmill in my garage. It was a gift from my brother (he was buying a stairmaster). I had it in my old condo and used it once in a while, but mostly in the winter. We moved into our house seven months ago. I have not unfolded the treadmill, or even moved it from where I moved it off the moving truck. Even though it didn’t cost me anything I keep it around, but I wouldn’t miss it if it were gone. I may sell it or give it to a friend.

My wife and I prefer to walk outside. We run into many of our neighbors when we go out, which is a lot more sociable than the thunk-thunk-thunk of walking on a rubber belt while watching television.