How do I break a habit?

A person cannot expect to be well thinking about health, if he eats, drinks, breathes and sleeps like a sick person. You can’t “break” a habit. Instead, create a better way and replace that old habit with a new one.

You were aware of your actions the first or possibly even the tenth time you learned something new. By the 100th repetition it was a habit. You were no longer aware of the action, it was automatic. We started learning how to eat from our parents and the number of teachers has been multiplying ever since.

Along the way we have been acquiring a multitude of habits about what, where, and when. why and how to eat It is not really necessary to know the history of our clothes. Now is the time to decide which clothes are good and which ones need to be replaced.

For example, consider the habit of eating while watching TV. It is called a BAD habit because you are not aware of the amount of food you are consuming. It is probably more than necessary.

How much attention are you giving to food and how much to the TV screen? It is certainly not a 50-50 proposal. Have you become like one of Pavlov’s dogs: every commercial is a signal to run to the kitchen for more food?

How about doing your own research on the subject? Once is good, but several times would be better. Prepare your food and bring a tray with everything you had planned to eat to your favorite viewing position. Then imagine that the TV suddenly stopped working. DO NOT turn it on, just go ahead and eat your dinner!

Notice how the food looks and smells. Take a bite and pay attention to how it feels in your mouth and what it tastes like. Chew each bite well before taking the next. Take time to enjoy food with all your senses. Remember, you are not in a competition trying to see how much food you can fit in your mouth in the shortest amount of time.

Pay attention to the point where you are satisfied and the hunger is gone. There may still be some food left on the plate; we’re talking satisfied, not stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey!

I learned this the hard way when the repair shop kept the TV longer than necessary. I thought I had been following all the “rules” for healthy eating, even taking the time to weigh everything before cooking. Surprise, I didn’t feel like finishing everything on my plate.

Compare your test dinner to previous times when you were so engrossed in what you were seeing that you didn’t notice the food. The dinner plate was empty but he didn’t remember how he tasted anything.

Take what’s left on the plate to the kitchen and throw it in the disposal. Those extra calories are better there than on your hips or added to your love handles. Begin to learn the difference between hunger that is your body’s signal for more fuel (energy) and hunger that cannot be satisfied with food.

If you can’t eat unless you’re watching TV, try this trick. Start your meal with a large green salad. Measure out salad dressing, but salad greens are low in calories. By the time you finish the salad, you will have exercised your chewing muscles and allowed your appetite control to kick in. (By the way, do you really want to teach your kids that TV and eating are synonymous?)

The habit of drinking carbonated beverages by the six pack each day is another one to replace. A visiting friend commented that children in the US are not weaned off the bottle. “They just replace the bottle with a soda can.”

It’s not just about the extra calories in beverages: Research shows that some ingredients can have serious long-term effects on the body. Give your body the water it needs for the proper functioning of all internal organs.

Two new habits — eating without TV and drinking water instead of carbonated beverages — can work wonders for everyone. Both are best described as preventative medicine.

These new habits are for everyone who now considers himself reasonably healthy. Are you gaining a pound or two each year? What was your weight 10 years ago? At the current rate of increase, how much will it weigh in 10, 20, or 30 years? Most people tend to decrease physical activity as they age.

It would be great if we had easy access to imaging programs that show what people look like as they age. Seeing what we would look like in 10 years could be the impetus that compels us to replace some of the old habits with healthier ones.

Start now to replace the habits that interfere with your desire for a healthy lifestyle. You will be happy with the results.