Remembering Those Healthy Habits

By Donna Stark

I am fairly confident that if I were to give my teenage daughter some money and ask her to buy “only healthy snacks” at the store, that she could do it. She would probably come back home with some of her favorites … cucumbers, peaches, apples, and pistachios. I also know that if I were to give her some money and ask her to just go ahead and get “some snacks,” that she would probably come home with her other favorites … popsicles, fiery-hot cheese puffs, sour patch kids, and maybe some cream soda to wash it all down. Certainly, she knows what is better for her body because when I add the word “healthy” in front of snacks, she makes all the right choices. But just knowing obviously isn’t enough, because unless the word “healthy” is stressed, her automatic go-to is junk.

When You Know Better

I don’t mean to be throwing my daughter under the bus here. Actually, it’s quite the opposite because the same can be said about me. I often catch myself picking up those items in the bakery a lot quicker than I do those plums in the produce section, or I make it a point to remember my coffee for my morning commute but don’t make it a point to remember my workout clothes for an afternoon gym session. And yet, I know better ... I really do. But changing habits is hard, isn’t it? It takes a lot of intentional thought to adopt new behaviors and sometimes, you don’t even know where to start. If you can relate to this at all, then take a look at the following suggestions on how you can start creating new, healthy behaviors at home.

• Keep the junk and the sweets out of your home. Period. If it’s not there, it won’t be eaten.
• Plan your meals in advance. It’s so much easier to hit the fast food restaurants when your dinner choices are left open-ended all the time.
• Keep chopped, ready-to-eat produce in the refrigerator and within reach. You can also freeze your fruit and greens for quick and easy smoothies in the morning.
• Schedule workouts like you schedule meetings and treat them like any other appointment.
• Add movement to your day if you sit at a desk for hours on end. Use the stairs. Pick the farthest parking spot. It all adds up.
• Drink plenty of water. Keep a bottle of water by your side and when it’s empty, refill it.
• Make sleep a priority. Establish a bedtime routine and create an environment that promotes quality rest.

Balance is Still Key

It’s no secret that if you maintain healthy habits every day you can afford to pick up those croissants every now and then, but don’t let those croissants talk you out of what you already know. And if you do pick up some items from the bakery, make it a point to remember your gym clothes the next day. But I don’t need to tell you that, do I? You know better than to forget.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Littleton, Colo.