Bad habits…we all have them. But bad habits in fitness can make losing weight difficult.
The problem with habits is that they are difficult to break. So a new way to approach this is to look at it as not having to break habits but developing new ones. It sounds more positive, doesn’t it?
Let’s start with some bad habits when it comes to food. How many times does your family get fast food? It’s gotten so bad that eating out once-a-week is looked at as healthy. One of my goals for the New Year is going to be cutting fast food down to once-a-month.
Another bad habit is overloading the plate. Choose small portions and a glass of water. If you take a sip of water in between bites, you will get fuller faster. This way there is less chance that food will be left on your plate, making you feel obligated to finish it all.
Denial is another bad habit. If you decide, “I will never eat chocolate again,” you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead, learn to enjoy treats in small amounts every now and then.
The last bad habit with food is eating when you aren’t hungry. How many of us eat because we are bored, sad or angry? If you must, at least choose something healthy. You will end up feeling better.
Now let’s consider some bad habits when it comes to exercise. The first one is inconsistency. Start, stop, start again, stop again. The only way to lose weight and tone up is to be consistent.
Another bad habit is sitting too much. If you have a desk job, get up every once-in-a-while to do something physical. Little spurts of physical activity can really add up.
The final bad habit is not learning to challenge yourself. Exercise can quickly become boring unless you are setting new goals and trying new things.
Now let’s get out there and develop some new fitness habits!