20-1-7 CHALLENGE

2017 Resolutions – Take 2!

Here we are, staring back at nearly half of 2017 in the rear view mirror already…so how did you do on your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions? For those of you playing along with me, you know I changed things up this year with my 20-1-7 Challenge, trying ONE new healthy habit each week. What stuck? What dropped off? What was the biggest surprise?

Looking back, I’m happy to share that the vast majority of challenges “stuck” and are part of my life routine. Which challenges became permanent changes for me?

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Positive Twist: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #20: The Final Challenge!

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Positive Twist: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #20

A couple years ago, I heard a motivational speaker issue a challenge- every time that you find yourself saying or thinking something NEGATIVE, add a comma and a “but…”and finish the sentence with a positive twist. (I wish I could remember her name, to give credit- my apologies.) For my last weekly challenge, rather than focusing on a physical change, I thought it would be great to focus … Read more

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Travel Snacks: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #19

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Travel Snacks: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #19

At home and work, I have a well-established routine for bringing healthy snacks. I always take a thinly sliced apple and a single serving-size of peanut butter or a handful of nuts. However, when I travel…the lure of french fries and Coke will create a force field that sucks my car right in to that drive through (with a long list of rationalizations why I “deserve” this treat.) … Read more

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Eye “FLOSS”: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #18

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Eye “Floss”: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #18

We all know flossing our teeth is a good idea, right? Certainly our future 70 year old selves would engrave that in our bathroom mirrors if they could. Every dentist that I know is quite faithful about flossing daily. Interestingly, most eye doctors that I know have a similar but lesser known ritual for their eyes. Not actually eye “floss” as my title teased, but eye LID SCRUBS.… Read more

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Candy Day: 20-1-17 Challenge Week #17

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Candy Day: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #17

Growing up, Sunday was “Candy Day.” Mom lined up her brightly colored glass jars and bowls filled with assorted hard candies and fun-sized Snickers and Milky Way chocolate bars along the counter, while my siblings and I impatiently lined up to fill our little sandwich bag with treats. We were never allowed to eat candy during the week, but on Sunday afternoons we indulged. This tradition worked on … Read more

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Old School Keyboarding: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #16

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Old School Keyboarding: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #16

When my Mom’s Alzheimer disease prevented her from recognizing me as her daughter, the only way I could consistently engage with her was through music. Christmas carols, children’s songs and Broadway show tunes would almost always bring a smile to her face, and her eyes would often brighten as she nodded and sang along. My most cherished memory from those last challenging years was sparked by this … Read more

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Nuke It: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

NUKE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

How do you clean/sanitize the sponge that you use to clean your family’s dishes, pots & pans? Like sneakers, kitchen sponges are replaced far less frequently than recommended. When researchers check bacteria counts on kitchen sponges, the numbers are are impressive- both in restaurants and in homes. (Oct 2016, International Journal of Food Science, Microbiological Safety of Kitchen Sponges Used in Food Establishments)

It makes sense that … Read more

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HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge, Week #14

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #14

I’m frankly embarrassed with the frequency that I use the “FIND My iPhone” App (what a Godsend for distracted minds!). However, this week’s challenge is not to FIND it, but to purposefully HIDE it- when we DRIVE. Parents of teenagers- what do we tell them every day? “DO NOT TEXT & DRIVE”, right? RIGHT.

And then- how many of us have our iPhones sitting in the drink holder…calling … Read more

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If the SHOE Fits… 20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

If the SHOE Fits…20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

While the saying goes “If the shoe fits, WEAR it,” this week’s challenge is almost the opposite, because we are talking about your athletic shoes. Call them sneakers, tennis shoes, running shoes, whatever- here is the important challenge. Look at the bottom of your shoes. If the tread is obviously worn smooth in any part, it’s time for NEW shoes. My mantra is “yes, new shoes … Read more

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CLUTTER CONTROL: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #12

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

CLUTTER CONTROL: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #12

My family is NOT inherently neat and tidy. Paper clutter engulfs our kitchen counters, home office and dining room table ten times faster than I can sort, record, and recycle. Scientific studies have well documented that visual clutter ADDS significantly to stress/anxiety, and that LACK of clutter does the reverse. I tend to be an all or nothing person, so when I start to spring clean, I obsessively … Read more

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