Habits for Health and Happiness: Weeks 1 - 3

Since my new habit goals are set for one a week, and I didn't get my posts going until recently, I have a few weeks to catch you up on! 

Week 1: Stop the Soda

I chose this for my first week habit since it was in my hand, literally! I have done posts before about my love for soda, the fizz, the burn, the addiction. As good as the taste is to me it does horrible things to my body! I would feel bloated, slow, and sometimes get a weird taste in my mouth afterwards. 

In a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (Sept 2017) the researchers link drinking soda, particularly diet soda with increased coronary heart disease. That risk is increased even more with ages over 40! You can say I'm motivated to keep this habit permanent! 

Week 2: Write down what you eat

Have you ever written down everything you've eaten in a day, a week? You think to yourself, "I'm eating so healthy", until you actually look at it. Did I really have chocolate that many times this week? Being accountable for what you eat I feel is one if the hugest steps to moving forward with good Heath. Take notice of what is written down. Do you see patterns? Are you eating more late at night? 

Week 3: Get some apps to help you out! 

We live in an electronic world, take advantage of that! A few I like are My Fitness Pal, iMacros, and Map my fitness. 

With My Fitness Pal you can log foods eaten, water drank, and exercise. You can link it with a lot of other apps such as Map My Fittness. Map My Fittness will track your movement to allow you to see how far and fast you go. I love to use it on my hikes. It's even saved me from getting lost a couple times since it shows you on a map where you are and where you've been. 

IMacro is my newest. Truthfully I don't love it, yet besides tracking calories it has the points system like Weight Watchers. I figure it's good to try new things. 

Citation for Soda

Gardener, H., Rundek, T., Markert, M. et al. J GEN INTERN MED (2012) 27: 1120. doi:10.1007/s11606-011-1968-2

52 Habits for Health and Happiness

I have decided to take a different approach to accomplishing my 2017 goals to be healthier. So often you will start the new year with all these plans for great health and a perfect lifestyle. Immediately incorporating healthy food, exercise, and trying to change personal daily habits. How long does it last? A month? Two months? Then it's back into the choices that had you auditioning for the next couch potato award. This has happened to me over and over again. 

This year I am taking a different approach to accomplish the changes I want to make in my life. I have come up with my "52 Habits for Health and Happiness". Instead of overwhelming myself with my list of do's and don'ts each week of the year (that's why there are 52) I will focus on a new habit each week. The goal is to take a week to make each habit well, a habit. Then the next week continue with the habit I have formed and add in a new one. The end result is that in a year I will have accomplished a transformation of health and happiness! 

I welcome any of you to join me. Of course you can change or rearrange the goals to fit your needs and lifestyle. I might even change up some as I go along! I am also adding in a before photo. I'm curious to see how the new habits I make change how others see me. 

52 habits to health and happiness 

1. Stop the soda

2. Write down what you eat

3. Get some apps to help you out

4. Cut out the extra sugar 

5. No more fast food

6. Give up gluten

7. Bring your lunch to work

8. Exercise 3 days a week for 30 min for 2 weeks 

9. 3-5 minute stretch every morning 

10. Exercise 5 days a week for 30 minutes for two weeks 

11. Drink adequate amount of water daily

12. Exercise 5 days a week for 45-60 min 

13. Stay within portion guidelines 

14. Limit dairy

15. Re-evaluate your breakfast (get your fiber in) 

16. evaluate your caffeine intake

17. No more added salt

18. Call/text a family member daily 

19. Know the good fads: top healthiest foods

20. Write down your stress triggers 

21. Know the good fads: essential oil to destress 

22. Count to 10 when your upset 

23. Pass on the processed meats 

24. Get at least 6 hrs of sleep a night 

25. Meditate/self reflect each morning for 5 minutes 

26. Know the good fads: oils

27. Practice yoga once a week for two weeks

28. Meditate/self reflect for 5 minutes each morning and night 

29. Practice yoga twice a week

30. Listen to your body 

31. Limit the fatty meats

32. Have at least one meatless day a week 

33. Compliment yourself daily

34. Get your steps in

35. Give someone a compliment daily

36. Eat one raw meal daily 

37. Limit yourself to 10 hrs of TV/movies a week 

38. Floss after every meal 

39. MD optometrist 

40. Incorporate weights into your exercise 1 day a week for two weeks 

41. MD dentist

42. Incorporate weights into your exercise 2 days a week  

43. MD women's/men's 

44. Limit yourself to only 1 hr of social media a day

45. MD PCP

46. Watch your sarcasm

47. Let your faith be bigger 

48. Consciously serve others 

49. Plan/register for a challenging physical activity 

50. Plan something to look forward to 

51. Let go of past grudges/forgive others 

52. Journal 

Alternates: 

Make your bed daily