Lifestyle Habits to Reconsider

May 15, 2021 by Ally Comment

We all have habits we have thought about breaking. Personally, I have been working on breaking some of my bad habits for years now!

Let's be honest, when we build a routine or habits, it is so hard to break them!

It is definitely not easy and can take a lot of work. Take your time and take it easy on yourself. We are not all on the same timeline.

If you are thinking to yourself that this applies to you, come up with some ideas on how to break your bad habits.

As I have said before, it is all about taking baby steps. You don't want to rush yourself out of a bad habit because you may be likely to fall back into that habit.

These are some examples of bad habits that I have been guilty of!

Having Little to No Activity

I used to always love being busy and being out and about, but at one time, I became an introvert.

After Highschool, I started college with general education pre-requisites to get into the Dental Hygiene Program. I started the program in 2017 and completed it in 2019. It was difficult and time-consuming. I was in school my whole life until 2019.

All I knew at that time was going to school and working. I was always busy and got used to that lifestyle.

During the 2 year program, I didn't do much outside of school and work because I was normally studying or doing homework. This is when I became an introvert.

After I graduated, I was excited to get out and do more things, but realistically I could not afford to do much until I was working full-time.

Then I began working full-time and it seemed like in my free time, I wanted to sleep, cook and keep the house clean. Then it was hard to find the energy for other things. I was focusing on getting more rest in my other spare time, but that also involved binging TV shows.

I thought I was going to be the person to be out and busy all of the time, but I realized I was truly lazy. I ate a lot of take-out, didn't watch my diet much, and didn't get out or get active much.

When I was in quarantine from work for 3 months, I started to become depressed and put on 15 lbs in the first 2 weeks. I realized I needed to do something to change my habits I was building quickly.

My boyfriend came up with the idea of getting a dog to help lift my spirits, keep us busy, and because we both always wanted one of course! We had the time to train her due to the quarantine. It was perfect timing!

When we bought our dog, Zoey, I realized how lazy I was prior to having her.

I still watch TV, don't get me wrong. However, I manage my time better and watch some tv and also get active with Zoey.

It didn't take long to realize how much work having a hyper dog really is. She is always moving and always wanting to get active. To stay moving, we like to walk, play in the backyard and play soccer together. She really just likes to pick up the soccer ball with her teeth and run from us with it, but we're still being active!

We do enjoy our naps together afterward too! While getting more active, you will still want to stay well-rested!

You don't really have to work hard to get more active. Some simpler activities include getting outside and going for a walk to help with stress relief and burning some easy calories.

Another good idea is looking into new hobbies that involve you getting up and moving around like gardening, playing tennis, kicking a soccer ball, or going for a hike. If you are ready for a big change and some extra responsibility but want a cuddly sidekick, you can always get a dog! ;)

Personally, my favorite hobby is going on hikes. There are so many trails you can access and bring your dog on a leash!

A great App or website to use to find great trails to walk or hike is called All Trails.

Sometimes, if I'm lucky I can capture a great photo. I took the photo below last Fall at The Croton Dam in Croton, MI.

I enjoy getting out in nature and adventuring. I can burn calories while also keeping my dog active, so it's a win-win!

Getting outside and getting more active can benefit your health and longevity of life. If you feel like you would like to become more active, take baby steps in that direction.

You can try one of the activities above, or try something new like rollerblading or skateboarding. The whole point is to find something you enjoy, so you want to continue to do it.

Have fun and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air! Then enjoy your favorite TV show later ;)

Not Proportioning Food and Beverage Intake

If you are happy with yourself and want to enjoy yourself with some food and drinks, by any means, enjoy yourself!

Do what truly makes you happy. There is an even balance between foods that are great for you and foods that are not so great for you. I would never tell you that you should cut pizza or onion rings out of your life forever! If you know me, you know these are two of my all-time favorites! We all need our favorite foods from time to time!

One reason you should follow a somewhat healthier diet is that binging fatty, sugary, and greasy foods for a longer period throughout your lifetime can really affect your health in the long run.

No one wants to feel bloated and full all of the time. It makes you want to sit around and not do much. This can be a slippery slope to a habit of binging and becoming lazy.

If you are feeling the way I was feeling and want to change your food intake and do better, there are many ways to go about that. Not one specific way will work for everyone. Find out what works best for you.

We all have different goals. Therefore, we will all have a different diet. If you would like to improve your diet, think about what your goals are and how to reach them in a healthy manner. You don't want to starve yourself. You also want to get some activity into your routine to help burn off some of those bad fats, so you can still enjoy yourself from time to time!

Greasy, high-sodium, high-sugar, and high-fat foods are never great for you. But if you are working hard and burning an excessive amount of calories, you can probably eat what you want for the most part. You can enjoy what you eat and still get the nutrition you need to stay fueled.

I like to stay active with hiking, walking my dog, playing with her in the backyard, and doing my own workouts 3-4 times a week, however, I still watch what I eat because I would like to try to live a consistently healthier lifestyle, or at least be working on it consistently.

One great way to not starve yourself of all fatty, greasy, and sugary foods is to only eat it 1-2 times a week. Allow yourself to at least eat a little of your favorite unhealthy foods throughout the week, otherwise, it will be more difficult not to break your healthier lifestyle.

In the past, I've tried to cut out things like pizza and sweets completely. I ended up breaking my "diet" and binging pizza and my favorite candy due to never having it and craving it so bad! Of course, this was the case for me and may not be for everyone. I may not have as much willpower as some of you!

Find the happy medium for you and roll with it! There is always room for change and growth over time. Start with a realistic goal for healthier habits and a healthier lifestyle and then work you're way up! You got this!

Consistently Not Getting Enough Sleep

Do you ever wake up wondering why you allowed yourself to stay up so late the night before? Do you ever wake up more drained? If these apply to you, it may be time to think about adjusting your sleep schedule!

To fuel your body, you should get adequate sleep along with a somewhat healthy diet and a great amount of water intake.

If you are a parent and live a busy life, this most likely will not apply to you. You have another human to care for, so you might have to put your needs on the back burner. You probably have a to-do list in the back of your head and the most convenient time to get things done might be at night when the kids are asleep.

However, this can apply to many others. If you want to work on getting more sleep to have more energy, take the time to sit down and write down a schedule.

Look at your goals for the week and what you would like to accomplish in the time allotted. These things may include walking your dog, working out, cooking dinner, preparing your lunch for the next workday, pulling your meat to thaw for dinner the next night, etc.

Of course, things are not always going to go as planned and things pop up that will throw your schedule off. It will still help to get your brain on the right track and plan ahead to keep you closer to your sleep goal.

To get an adequate amount of sleep, my goal is to be in bed by 9 pm to give my mind and body time to settle and be asleep by 9:30. I usually pack my work bag and lunch the night prior to save time and allow for more sleep the next morning. As I said, this doesn't always go as planned, but it helps a lot.

The bottom line is if you are well-rested, you can be more productive, have more energy, and your body will be happier and healthier in the long run.

Not Focusing on Your Mental Health

Are you feeling down or unhappy? Do you want more out of life? These feelings can affect your health in life over a long period of time. Focusing on your mental health in return will benefit your overall health.

If you feel like you may have a lot of thoughts you need to get out or express, a great way to help with that is by journaling. Go pick out a nice journal at Tj Maxx, Target, or a store nearby. Write your thoughts and feelings down on a daily basis to help keep your mental health at bay.

I lost my mom when I was 9 years old. I found comfort in journaling daily because I had so much going on inside of my head. I also spoke with a counselor at the time. That was another great help in feeling healthier mentally.

There is no shame in needing to speak with someone. It may take time to find the one with who you connect well and feel comfortable expressing your thoughts and feelings. Try to be patient with yourself and the process. When you find the right therapist or counselor, you will know.

Overall, I could tell my physical health benefited from making sure my mental health was under control. Before all I wanted to do was lay in bed, but I finally had the energy to get out and do things. You will be able to tell a difference in your motivation and body when you improve your mental health.

There are other people you can talk to besides a therapist or counselor. Reach out to your friends and family and talk to them about how you're feeling. They are the ones with the best advice because they know you best! Go grab lunch, sit outside, and enjoy the fresh air while letting all your thoughts out. This has always helped me when I'm stressed or feeling down.

Another great idea for your mental health is getting outside and enjoying nature. Grab a blanket and drive to the nearest area where you can go lay down outside peacefully and enjoy the fresh air. You can also do some yoga or go for a hike if you'd like to burn some calories while enjoying the outdoors!

I hope these tips are helpful and insightful. Please comment or ask any questions you may have below. Thanks for reading!