Change You - Lose your Obese Habits and Lose Weight!

Listen closely: the only time it's too late to change yourself is when you're dead. Until then, you're simply making excuses or lying to yourself - Unknown

Most of us are aware when we are doing something that will hurt us eventually. We may excuse it as stress or having a bad day, but the fact still remains – we have choices.

Let us go through some of our habits that are reversible:

1.Getting up late or to the ring of the alarm – Research shows that lack of sleep can be one of the reasons why we are not healthy. Getting a full night’s sleep is one of the best habits for a healthy body, healthy mind and a healthy outlook. Lack of sleep weakens our immune system and also disrupts the body’s repair and replenish systems

2.After brushing your teeth, avoiding breakfast because you don’t have time! If you are not hungry, it may be because you had a late dinner (after 6PM the day before that is) or that you habitually skip breakfast because you are not hungry. This habit is one of the worst because the digestive juices are ready for another day and are waiting for that first morsel of food to go down the pipe. And what do they get? Black coffee? Terrible. Of course you can have coffee. But do take a whole grain bagel and some fruit with it so that your metabolism kicks in at full swing.

3.Not going to the bathroom to get rid of yesterday’s wastes. Oh, you go once in three days only? Another bad habit, and yes, this one really hurts you! Chronic dehydration, lack of exercise and lack of fiber in our diet can all add to the development of constipation. The toxic waste stuff sits in our bowel, it allows the contents to putrefy, ferment and possibly be reabsorbed. The longer your body is exposed to putrefying food in your intestines, the greater the risk of developing disease. No kidding.

4.Not drinking enough water throughout the day, especially first thing in the morning. In this era when most of our food is loaded with chemicals and poisons like excess salt and sugar, we need to take at least eight glasses of water a day. The first thing that goes into your mouth in the morning should be pure spring water- and lots of it!

5.Rushing through the morning? As adults, we all have things to do. Some of us go to school or work and some of us stay home. All of us have things to do. Frantically searching for stuff in the morning can get our nerves all raw and increase the tension in our body. Stress not only increases disease, it can start health problems on its own. So learn to get up early and take the time you need for yourself and to help the kids if necessary.

6.A long commute? Stressed out and using your car horn more than necessary? Or are you, like me, grumbling and cussing under my breath while my BP goes up like a helium balloon? Put some soothing tapes in the car or listen to a book on tape. Don’t forget to have your eyes glued to the road, ok?

7.At work or school, do you come prepared for everything? Do you have a mid morning snack? Do you have lunch prepared or do you get “whatever”? Do you have a bottle of water with you at all times so that you are not tempted to drink multiple cups of coffee and take a few donuts/muffins in between too?

8.Do you sit in front of the computer for hours on end or do you get up and walk every hour or so, even if its to the next cubicle?

9.For lunch, do you sit and chat with your friends or do you try to go out and take a walk in the fresh air?

10.Returning back from work, do you just slump down on the sofa and watch TV the rest of the day, even eating on the couch?

11.Have any energy to cook a good meal? What are you feeding the kids? Remember, their health is in your hands. Fast food, processed food loaded with preservatives, etc can harm their developing bodies. Isn’t it our responsibility to raise them healthy and teach them good eating habits so that they will outlive us?

12.Do you take the time to relax in the evenings? Not by lying on the couch to watch TV, but by going for a walk, playing with the children or pets, participating in swimming or tennis?

13.Do you prepare for the next day by packing nutritious lunches and snacks and refilling the water bottle?

14.How about the time to go to sleep? Do you read something interesting or listen to some soft music before you drift off to sleep?

15.Do you wake up at night and go to the bathroom?

As you can see, there are several changes we need to make in our lifestyle. Every little step towards a better life for us and our children will reap benefits beyond our dreams.

It is not easy to be a perfect (parent/spouse/child/teacher/employee) etc. There is always a struggle as to where to put our energy into. By choosing priorities, we can work on the most essential of responsibilities and leave the not-so-important work behind.