Tearing up bad clothes is one of life’s most difficult tasks. In our self-service society, we struggle not to form bad eating habits. No one has time to cook healthy meals. Fast food is easy and many of us fall into the trap of taking the easy way instead of the right way. But you can break bad eating habits. Anyone can do it. Someone! Here are some steps to help ensure your success in changing your eating habits.
- Getting started is the hardest part of the change. We’ve all tried the latest and greatest diet fads. Programs like the South Beach diet, the Atkins diet, the Zone diet, the Subway diet, and Weight Watchers have certainly shown some positive results. The problem is that most people cannot sustain these diets for long periods of time. Many have difficulty even getting started. The key is to focus on nutrition. We all know the difference between a healthy meal and an unhealthy one. Find a program or create your own nutrition plan that you can live with for the long haul. Do not propose failure with a program, that is not realistic for you.
- Try starting slow. It can be overwhelming to make massive changes to your lifestyle. Choose one change you can make in your life, whether it’s starting to exercise a few times a week or removing a regular high-calorie food from your diet. Every two weeks pick another change regarding your fitness or nutrition and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to getting in shape.
- Choose a day of the week to enjoy. Having a day every week or two where you eat what you want and as much as you want can help to have a positive mental and physical effect. If you have an “off” day to look forward to, you’re less likely to cheat for the rest of the week. Physically, a high calorie intake once a week can create positive hormonal changes that can enhance fat loss. Eventually, everyone has a binge day. Plan for it, and you can minimize the damage and better maintain your general eating habits.
- Ask others in your household to make changes as well. There is power in numbers! Having someone you can lean on when you break or form a habit can make all the difference in your success. Getting the support of a friend or loved one and giving it back can make the process rewarding and help maintain your success.
Whether you’re breaking a habit or creating a new good habit, in my experience, two weeks seems to be the magic time frame for most people. If you can stick to your plan for two weeks, either by adding or removing a habit, the habit becomes ingrained. Each week thereafter it becomes easier to keep your change. Remember that anyone can make changes. Get started today and make the changes that can improve your life.