How to Break an Unhealthy Eating Habit

April 22 2019

Is your habit something you truly want to break? If it’s not, find a workaround by adding healthy foods to your day (like an extra veggie at dinner to fill you up) or taking something out to balance it (like a dessert).

If you do want to break your habit, here’s a game-plan:

Make the connection: Do you eat chocolate chips out of the bag when you stay up late to do work or watch TV? Do you stop for donuts every Sunday on the way home from church? Are you prone to raid the cabinets when you haven’t had much sleep the night before? Figure out the WHY behind your habit.

Find an alternative: That may mean taking an alternative route home from church or establishing an entirely new habit, like making smoothies or scrambled eggs when you get home. Focusing on sleep instead of your eating habits may naturally get you back on track. Remember that you fell into those habits because they felt good, so be sure whatever you’re doing instead is enjoyable too.Seek support: Ask your spouse, co-worker, or friend to help you. People who care about you will want you to feel better. Could your co-worker make a cup of tea with you in the afternoon instead of hitting the vending machine together? Could you and your spouse watch TV in a cozy spare bedroom (away from the kitchen) instead of the living room to break the snack cycle?

Give yourself time: Habits aren’t easy to break once they’re ingrained—and it takes time to build new ones. Focus on slow, gradual progress instead of going cold turkey. And never label yourself as “weak” or as having “no willpower” if you fall back into old patterns. It’s not about strength–it’s about finding routines that are healthy and doable for you in the long term.

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Sourced from WebMD.