Change Your Habits Update
 

Thought I'd update my progress (such as it is!) and find out how the rest of you are doing with changing your bad habits to good habits.

Except for today, I've done fairly well eating at the table. Today I ate popcorn in the living room, which pleases my dog because he gets the kernals I drop. I still have a hard time not taking bites of stuff as I'm dishing it out. So, not perfect, but a lot better than I was. I find that if I have to take the trouble to dish something up and take it to the table, then I really must be hungry. It's cut down a lot on extraneous snacking, which, even if it's of healthy foods, adds more calories.

Anybody else want to report?

That is a great idea! I find myself nibbling on my 2 year olds snacks. That crap adds up.

I have not had any soda this week. I am limiting my soda intake to one a week. I really have not missed it to much. It was just there before so I drank it.

I have stopped eating after 7 whenever possible. Keeps down on even wanting that evening snack. :dancer:

Oh MP, I need to adopt that not eating after 7 policy. That's a real hard one for me. But, I'm going to try it. So, I am going to try to change my habit of eating after 7 to not eating after 7. It's so hard to not want to munch on something once all is quiet after the kids are in bed.

Sheila, good to hear that you are doing well. Eating at the table all the time is a hard one.

Tammy, I grab a stick of sugarless gum when I want to snack. I know I am not hungry it is just a habit so the gum really helps. Lets work on that one together.

I have been trying to figure out my triggers to want to eat when I am not really hungry. Two things so far. Sugar and stress. I never really pinned down the stress one before. Hmmmmmmmmm, maybe that is why a lot of nurses are overweight. :chin:

I've been doing better at brushing my teeth as well. Hopefully I will be able to keep it up. I know it's such an important thing to do and only takes a couple of minutes yet I find myself not taking time for it in the evenings.

I have not managed it yet but my biggest goal is to turn my treat night into a more controled treat night. I want to have a on plan breakfast and lunch and then have around 600 calories left. Then I will add an extra 600 to 800 calories for my treat night. The last two weeks I've really piged out on my treat night. Adding as many as 3000 calories after eating my normal 1800 calories. I can still lose doing that but I know it's not good for me.

I also have been trying to eat at the table more. It's been nice sitting down and eating dinner with Kimberley.

I am aiming to acquire a new habit of cooking! I am aiming to learn to cook one new dish a week......last night I cooked pumpkin risotto for a friend, and it tasted great!

The new habits I'm trying to acquire are 1) no sweets except for holidays and birthdays, and 2) no snacks. So far it's going well. Today's the 12th and I haven't had any sweets yet, and I only slipped up and snacked twice. I'd also like to develop these habits, but plan to ease into them:
-- Plan meals and cook them
-- Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal
-- Limit "white" carbs to one serving a day
-- Eliminate diet pop

BTW, does anyone know how many days you must do something before it's a habit?

That sounds like some good goals Darlene. They say it takes 21 days to form a habbit.

Thanks, Howie! So I have 9 days to go. Yay!

I am making myself drink a glass of skim milk with breakfast and supper. Doesn't sound that hard, but I have a hard time with milk and I try to get my dairy in using other sources that are not as healthy for me. So far so good!

Melissa

Well, let's see

I am now temping for a company that has ...FREE SODA!!!! :eek: At first, I was like, Cool!!! And now? I rarely if ever have one. As a former welfare kid, this is a BIG deal, b/c it's FREE!!! FREEEEEE!!!!!! :dance: But I know it's calories I do not need. Instead, I have brought a coffee mug & some ginger twist tea & have some whenever I want a soda. I am thinking about bringing some low sodium chicken broth, too, but haven't done so yet.

I am back to drinking 2 cups of skim at night. Fills me up & is good for me, too.

I am back to packing my lunches and snacks, rather than relying on the vending machine. I have been through a lot of granola bars this week, but it's better than the trail mix & cheese sandwiches I'd been buying from the machines. The one plus about the vending machine is, I can get milk to drink w/my lunch. :D

I got my doctor to sign the medical release from my gym, so now my new trainer Melissa & I can work out a program for me to follow.

I no longer go off plan for the whole day if I slip up for a meal. I just start again as if it never happened. Before I would just get mad at myself and end up going crazy since that day was messed up. Looking back it seems so silly.

I am also not cutting out my favorites. I am doing really good at portion control. I wanted some chocolate covered almonds the other day so I had 12 and counted them in my plan for the day.

My problem was not really what I eat because I eat pretty healthy but how much I ate so this is big for me.

I changed a really bad habit as of Sunday. I love to dump a bunch of creamer in my coffee. If you don't already know creamer really adds up with fat and calories. I mean I was putting a good 1/4 cup or more of it in. So...now, I use three small creamer packets and fill the rest with skim milk. It's taking a bit to get used to, but I think I finally am.

Good for you Tammy! I'm big on cream in coffee too... If there's no creamer, I don't drink coffee... I hate it with milk! You know what I do suggest though for low cal/fat - French Vanilla (or any flavor) Fat Free Coffee Creamer... You get used to it after a couple cups - Now I'm hooked and its much healthier! :)