I’ve spent years trying to control my cholesterol. It’s one of those genetic things; my entire family has high cholesterol, and I spent a long time trying to manage it with diet, exercise, and a whole lot of supplements. For years, my nightly routine was to brush my teeth, floss, and then swallow five doctor-suggested, LDL-battling supplements.
Finally, a few months ago, I came to terms with the fact that my lifestyle modifications weren’t working and it was time to lean into modern medicine. My routine barely changed; I went from taking five nightly supplements to one prescribed pill. The good news is that my cholesterol levels finally went down. The bad news is that my flossing habit took a hit.
But Tom, you might say, flossing has nothing to do with swallowing pills! I’m well aware of this. But still, dropping those supplements is exactly how I disrupted a habit I’d performed for years.
Validation, Motivation, and Streaks
In case you were worried, I’m back to flossing. Yet during those days when I kept getting into bed, realizing I hadn’t flossed, and deciding “meh, I’ll do it tomorrow,” I wished I could track the habit in Zero. It might sound silly, but the habits I see in my Zero Calendar, logged day after day after day — those are the ones I’m confident I can maintain, because Zero gives me the perfect feedback loop. For instance, Zero reminds me to start my fast, and when my fast is finished, the app shows me that this is the 862nd day I’ve fasted. It’s a number I’m proud of, and seeing it every day in the app makes me even more determined to keep the number climbing.
And yes, I really have fasted for 862 days in a row. I know this thanks to the updated Streaks feature of the new Zero Calendar. If you’ve fasted for more than one day consecutively, you’ll see a little green checkmark and a number below your last fast in the Calendar — that’s your Streak length. Right now you can see your Fasting Streaks and your Balanced Day Streaks; we’ll add Activity, Sleep, and Restoration Streaks in a future release.
Get Your Streak Started
Seeing my Streak number climb does something for me — and, it turns out, for many Zero
Members — that no amount of internal cheerleading or empty threats can accomplish. Even on days I “don’t feel like” fasting, the knowledge that skipping my fast would break my Streak holds me accountable. It might be simple, but it works.
To celebrate this new feature, we’re challenging you to log seven fasts in 7 days between May 15 and May 22. I encourage you to use the Challenge as an opportunity to get a Streak started or as motivation to keep one going. Then, come back and tell me about your progress! I want to hear what’s helping you stay consistent and what else you’d like to see. Your feedback is what helps us keep making the Zero experience better for you.
- Tom’s September Update - September 25, 2024
- Tom’s July Update - July 8, 2024
- Tom’s June Update - June 11, 2024
