Habits: Good & Bad

  The other day, Brennan started talking to me about people making and breaking habits. I happened to know some research about the topic and we had a great conversation. Though, we were including all types of habits surrounding different facets of one's lifestyle, most of the examples I came up with had to do with weight loss, diet and exercise. Another, example that came to mind was flossing and brushing your teeth.
  This conversation brought my mind back to how I started successfully losing weight in the first place by acquiring good daily habits and maintaining my state of mind surrounding them. But I also thought about the amount of time it took me to pick off my good habits one by one last year, until my daily habits are almost unrecognizable. There were some habits that lasted longer than others (like eating oatmeal and an apple most mornings for breakfast) and others that just fizzled out within a week of me falling off the wagon (like during a summer vacation).

Below is a link to one kind of habit tracking chart I found on Google. I'm going to print some out for Brennan and I and I'll let you know which habits we each choose to track. I know one of mine will be exercising. http://www.sparkpeople.com/system/habit_forming_chart.asp

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  One thing I know, is that becoming a healthier person doesn't happen over night, but instead occurs when you add information and tactics to your lifestyle little by little. I did this by reading information and watching shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "Dr. Oz" and health documentaries like "Chow Down." (Chow Down is a great documentary about heart disease and plant based diets. It can be found on Hulu!)
  Also, watching certain shows to scare you into good habits isn't a bad idea either! Haha
  Everyone is different, so the articles that may help one person, may not help information click for you or inspire you. So below are a few different places to start. Most of the information is similar but its laid out differently and includes different points. Use the ones that will help you.

Tips for Breaking Bad Habits & Developing New Ones
The Catch-22 of Forming Habits
Creating a Pleasant Morning Routine
How to Maintain Not-Quite-Daily Habits
   Livestrong
How to Form Healthy Habits
What Are Healthy Habits?
Healthy Daily Habits
Why is it Important to Exercise & Have Healthy Eating Habits?
  Ask Men Magazine
Top 10 Habits That Improve Your Appearance
Top 10 Habits That Ruin Your Appearance
Top 10 Habits That Make You More Productive
   Fitness Magazine
Exercise for Life - 9 Habits
7 Habits of Highly Effective Exercisers
9 Motivation Rut Busters
Breakfast Recipes for Every Morning