These are some of the worst and best habits that you can indulge yourself in. I personally have had all the bad habits as well as all the good ones. I can say from personal experience that you will feel better if you dump some of those bad habits. Now I know that it is very easy to say just get rid of your bad habits and replace them with new ones. Honestly, it really isn’t that simple. It takes time, perseverance, tenacity, and dedication to change. That is what we are doing when we discuss changing our habits. We are changing as humans. We are becoming someone that we were not. So that means we must metamorphosize into something or someone new. I cannot help but use the butterfly as an example. The ugly little creature inside that cocoon. After a period, completely changes into something new and beautiful. That is something us humans can do. We can change our old behaviors and habits. We can change and become different. We can and we will if we simply decide to.
That’s right, all it takes is a decision. It takes a decision to change. You may have to make that decision 1,000 times a day at first. You may only have to make that decision 1 time a week, or a month. But that really is what it boils down to. You must decide that you want to change. Now that change is going to take time. How much time? Well, that depends on the individual and the habit that they are trying to change. I personally do not like change. I kick and scream through it most times. I do it mostly due to the pain a certain behavior is causing me. I would love to tell you I change because I choose to be a better person. As much as I would like you to think that. It is just a fantasy. I'm really not that wonderful. If I want to be happy, I must continue to go through the metamorphosis of life. Whether I like it or not. If you have ever been unhappy than you know that the only way to become happy, is to change something. I find that usual something ends up being me. I am always and forever responsible for my happiness and struggle. As well as my success. Which I proudly shout to the world on a daily basis. Not too brag but to show people that it can be done.
For anyone looking to change their habits. I always steer them to the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. This book has helped me to change. This book gave me a different perspective on habit change. This book made it easier for me to change. Not to be confused with easy. There is nothing easy about changing your habits. I will say this. If your habits are causing you any type of discomfort or pain. Then you may want to look at those habits and do a deep dive into how you can go about changing them. Some habits can be replaced. Some simply get eliminated. Some habits you can do together. Mr. Cleary calls it habit stacking. Think walking and getting some work done at the same time.
“Here is a list of 5 of some of the worst habits.”
1. Smoking and alcohol –
Smoking is incredibly destructive to your health and fitness as it increases your risk of cancer and other serious illnesses and can make it harder to exercise and stay in shape.
Alcohol really isn’t much better for us. It can damage our organs, weaken our immune system, increase our risk of cancer, and cause addiction. Consuming too much alcohol can also lead to violence, accidents, relationship problems, and financial difficulties. Everything in moderation. Unless of course you don’t understand what, that word means. Then it is something you need to look at.
2. Not getting enough sleep –
Not getting enough sleep can have a negative effect on your overall health and wellbeing. It can cause fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and a weakened immune system. It can also increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
3. Sitting for extended periods of time –
Prolonged periods of sitting can lead to poor posture, increased risk of disease, and decreased physical activity, which can all lead to poor health and fitness.
4. Eating processed and fast foods –
Eating processed and fast foods can lead to weight gain, poor nutrition, and an increased risk of chronic diseases, all of which can impact your health and fitness. There is some evidence that suggests that processed foods are being engineered to make people eat more. There was one study that had 1 group eat whatever they wanted as long as it was from whole foods. The other group ate whatever they wanted from processed foods. The group that ate only processed foods ate on average 600 more calories a day. That’s a day folks, which is 109,500 calories more a year. Which equals 31.2 more lbs. of fat on your body in one year!! That my friends is insane. There is no wonder why over 68% of our population is overweight.
5. Skipping meals –
Skipping meals can lead to fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and overeating later on, which can all sabotage your health and fitness goals. I’m not a fan of restricting. It works for some but not most. I personally would not tell someone not to do it. I would just say let's pay attention to how you feel and what is going on in your body. We can then adjust depending on how things are going. I myself will binge eat more often if I skip a meal. So, this is a bad habit for me. I need to make sure I eat throughout the day so that I don’t overeat at night because I’m ravenous. Let’s face it. When I’m that kind of hungry I will always go for the quick fix. So, I definitely lose being mindful of what I’m eating.
“Here is a list of 5 of some of the best habits.”
1. Establishing a consistent exercise routine.
Having a consistent exercise routine is important for having success in a health and fitness journey because it helps to ensure that you are consistently working towards your goals. When you are consistent with your exercise routine, you are able to track your progress and adjust it as needed to achieve the best results. Additionally, having a consistent exercise routine helps to maintain your motivation and helps to prevent burnout. It took me a long time to figure this out. Being consistent is so much more important than doing something for 3 months and then letting life get in the way for the next 3 months. Pick something that you will do on a consistent basis. If that means only once a week. Then so be it. You are better off doing something once a week for a year, then you are doing something 5 times a week for 90 days. It’s the cumulative results you get over time that get you the results you are looking for. I think that goes for everything in life. Not just health and fitness.
2. Eating a balanced diet.
Eating a balanced diet is important because it helps to ensure that we get all the essential nutrients our body needs to stay healthy and functioning properly. It also helps us maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. I’m a big believer in eat whatever you want within reason. There are no so-called bad foods. Everything and anything is bad if you consume too much of it. Now before someone gets into a tizzy. Yes, I do think that there are lots of foods out there that are not good for us. Yes, there are things that I chose not to eat. That doesn’t mean those foods are bad for you. Maybe you can eat them in moderation. If you find out that you cannot. Then you must decide whether or not they are a good choice for you. Everything is on the table. It is for the individual to decide what is appropriate to consume for their individual goals. I do not know about you. But when you tell me I cannot have something. It is all I want. I will obsess and drive myself batshit crazy. So, for me, and I have found for many others. It is best to just make a decision that you do or do not want to eat something.
3. Getting adequate sleep.
Getting adequate sleep is important for health and fitness because it helps to improve concentration, boost energy levels, and regulate hormones. Additionally, getting enough sleep helps the body to repair itself, improves mood, and strengthens the immune system. Without adequate sleep, people can become more prone to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. Plainly stated, It is super important that you get enough sleep. It must be a priority if you want to function properly in life. It has been scientifically proven to be vital for our health that we get enough sleep. No just because you can function on 5 hours, does not mean that it is enough for you. Go to bed earlier!!
4. Practicing mindfulness and meditation.
Some of the benefits of having a practice of mindfulness and meditation, include being able to stay present in the moment. If you are are anything like me, you love to wander. It’s like my brain has a mind of its own. It can help to reduce stress and anxiety. A quick 5 minutes of being still and quiet can help me to regain my composure. Sometimes that is just taking a walk down the hall. It helps to improve focus and concentration. If any of you have ever heard of or have been in the zone. This is the place I’m talking about here. Think of something you did that is normally hard. Time seemed to fly buy and the task is done. It felt effortless. It almost feels like it was a dream. I’ve been there a quite a few times in my life. Mostly during a sport.
5. Staying hydrated.
Drinking plenty of water is important because it helps to keep our bodies hydrated and can help regulate body temperature, digestion, and waste removal. It also helps to prevent dehydration, which can cause various health issues. The average human body is made up of 60% water, roughly 709 ounces, which is approximately 4.5 gallons of water. That it a lot of water. We need to continually replace that for optimal health. Our blood is 55% water. So, if we are continually dehydrated. Our blood cannot flow through our systems properly. Making our heart work much harder than necessary. So, something that we must always be mindful of is replenishing our water during and after any type of activity. We should shoot for 8 – 12 ounces of water for every 20 minutes of activity. Of course, this is just a general guideline. Some people like me sweat profusely. So, when I am running, I have found that I needed to weigh myself before my run, then weigh myself after. So that I could hydrate properly. I also found it to be very important that I use either an electrolyte drink or simply add some salt to my water. Salt is extremely important to our systems. So, when we sweat it out, we need to be mindful of replacing it. Otherwise, we can definitely feel fatigued.
It is true we are the only ones in this crazy world that can change ourselves. There is not anyone that can do it for us. The change must be something that is more important than where you are now. Sometimes you may have a desire to change. Sometimes the change doesn’t happen. That’s ok. Do not get down on yourself. Just keep going forward, keep plugging away. Sometimes it takes pain. Pain is the great motivator for change. God knows without pain I would have not changed a thing.
Remember that you do not have to do it alone. I am a firm believer in that also. We are not meant to be alone. We are not meant to do things alone. Think about it. In war it is considered cruel and unusual punishment to keep prisoners isolated from everyone. It is against the law to do so. So why as humans do we continue to try and do things alone and by ourselves.” I can do it. Just leave me alone”
I must have said that a thousand times. Over a period of time, and usually struggle, I end up asking for help.
For some reason us men just refuse to ask for help. We are a stubborn creature. We can use that stubbornness to help us change for the better. Hey whatever works. When I was first getting sober, I told my sponsor the only reason I go to meetings is to meet women. He laughed and said "whatever keeps you coming. Just don't drink." I did keep going. I changed a lot over the past 35 years in sobriety. I also gained some really bad habits in the process, that I needed to replace with some healthier more useful and purposeful ones that I could be proud of. That didn't happen overnight.
Remember it takes T.I.M.E. Things I Must Earn.
God, forbid we ask for directions!!
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