I rarely get the craving for fast food and let alone McDonalds, but last week for some weird reason after my one and only 8 a.m. class, I got a sudden craving for a sausage McGriddle. I never eat McDonalds – never – and that was how I tried to justify my irresponsible decision that would have cost me 550 calories. I drove into the drive-thru and as I did so, I made the observation that everyone in line was, well, we will just say they didn’t appear to be the epitome of fitness. It was like I was foreseeing my future I chose to get in line. Needless to say, I didn’t go to McDonalds; instead I went across the street and went to the health food store where I bought hot tea and Ezekiel bread.
Most websites say that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but unfortunately you cannot just form healthy habits in such a short span of time, especially when it comes to exercising and nutrition. It can be a long process, but with baby steps like skipping out on the drive-thru, it is possible. Here are a few healthy habits according to the Centers for Disease Control that can hopefully get you started on your way to good health.
According to the CDC, one should avoid making radical sudden changes to one’s diet to try to lose weight, which can result in quick weight gain. Instead the CDC says to reflect, replace and reinforce. First reflect on all of your eating habits, both good and bad. Secondly, replace your bad habits with better, healthier choices. And lastly, find ways to reinforce your healthy habits.
To better reflect on your habits, consider keeping a food journal. If you are constantly writing down everything you eat, you will think twice about eating that extra slice of pizza or chicken biscuit. Not only will it make you aware of what you are eating, how often you are eating and how much, it will help you realize the changes you might need to make. As an added plus, you can go to the CDC’s website to download a free printable food journal or use a free app like MyFitnessPal.
Once you realize what some of your bad habits are, you will be ready to start replacing them. You might realize after keeping a food journal that you are eating too often. If that is the case, then try planning meals more in advance in order to be less tempted to overeat. If you find yourself consuming more calories than you should during meals, try pacing yourself instead of trying to finish your meal as soon as you can.
After you start reflecting and replacing, be sure to reinforce your new habits. Do your best to stick to them, but remember that it takes time to develop healthy living habits. Don’t beat yourself up if you go out with your friends for a late-night fast-food run; it takes baby steps. It takes passing up one sausage McGriddle at a time.
