Change is tough for most of us—even changes we want and need to make. That’s because we’re creatures of habit. Some are good such as always eating breakfast. On the other hand, always cleaning your plate is not so good. When it comes to eating many of our habits were established during childhood, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to change them. And that’s good news!
It’s important to move carefully and methodically into any lifestyle changes you need to make—even if you need to move fairly quickly to bring your diabetes or other medical condition under control. Research proves that sudden, radical changes just don’t last. However, following a process—one that begins with careful thought in which you reflect, replace and reinforce can help you move forward into a healthier way of eating for a lifetime.
Reflect on your eating. Here you begin to get the information you need that will help open your eyes to your eating habits—bad and good, and your triggers for unhealthy eating.
Keeping a detailed food journal for a week or two makes it absolutely clear what your eating habits are. Your journal should include everything you eat, the time of day you ate it, how hungry you were and what you were doing while eating. Our habits can be so automatic that we don’t realize there is a pattern that needs to change. Seeing your eating habits in black and white makes you more aware of where you need to make adjustments. It’s also important to note how you were feeling when you decided to eat, especially if you were eating when not hungry. Were you bored? Tired? Stressed out?
As you review your food journal highlight the habits, events, and feelings that may be leading you to overeat. Eating too fast, eating when not hungry, eating mindlessly, eating when emotionally upset, arecommon habits that can lead to weight gain. Identify a few of your eating habits you’d like to work on improving first. Also, be sure to pat yourself on the back for your good habits. Maybe you always count your carbs or almost always eat fruit for dessert. Recognizing your successes will help encourage you to make more positive changes.
Once you’ve identified your habits think about the events, feelings or situations – also called triggers or cues, that occur before you engage in your unhealthy eating behavior. Socializing with friends; seeing your favorite cookies in the cabinet, or watching television, are common triggers for eating when not hungry or overeating.
Create a list of your cues and circle the ones that you face on a daily or weekly basis. For each cue on the list ask yourself if there is anything you can do to avoid the cue or situation. If you can’t avoid the cue or situation what can you do differently that would be healthier?
Replace your unhealthy habits with new, healthy ones. If you know you have a weakness for cookies, leave them in the store. Or, if your kids can’t survive in a house without sweet treats, buy a sugar-free version for yourself. Eat a meal or healthy snack before socializing with friends. Do whatever you can to change your environment to promote your health goals and avoid being tempted to make undesirable choices.
Reinforce your new healthy habits. Now is the time to reach out to the folks who care about your wellness enough to encourage you to do the right thing. That may also mean putting a little space between yourself and friends or family members who don’t fully support your efforts or trigger you to overeat. This is no time for naysayers—no matter who they are.
You’re going to fall off the wagon at some point. It’s part of the process! But if you don’t beat yourself up about it, or think one mistake “blows” a whole day, you can come back with more knowledge and learn from your failure. When you find yourself engaging in an unhealthy habit, stop as quickly as possible and ask yourself: Why do I do this? When did I start doing this? What changes do I need to make? Remember failure is part of the process. The key is to be patient with yourself, learn from your mistakes and start again.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSED, RD, CDE, CDN is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes. Her new book “Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World” will be released in January 2018. She is a spokesperson for OneTouch.
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