These habits are sabotaging your health and weight loss progress… (9 Bad Health Habits to QUIT for Good!)
Every time you turn around, we see someone telling us what habits and routines to establish to get healthy and lose weight. While a lot of this is really good advice, adding new habits isn’t always the solution for improving your health. Often, what’s more important is QUITTING our bad habits before adding healthy habits to our lives. In this article, we’re sharing 9 bad health habits you should STOP TODAY if you want to get healthy and reach your healthiest weight.
Bad Health Habit #1: Avoiding Cooking
We totally get that living in a world that is constantly pushing us to be more productive and get more done makes it hard for us to want to add cooking to our to do list… But cooking your own healthy foods is one of the most impactful things you can do for your health – and it’s empowering!
When you cook your own foods, you know exactly what you’re eating, and you can choose each ingredient with intention. If you want to avoid meat or dairy, use less cream based sauces, load up on veggies… whatever it is you want out of your food, you can get exactly that!
Fast, convenience, and restaurant foods are usually loaded with harmful ingredients, “extra” of most of the things we should eat sparingly, and generally unhealthy and unbalanced. If you’re ready to start cooking your own foods and take control of your health, check out our growing recipe library to get started. Most of our recipes can be made in 1 hour or less, and all ingredients are researched and aligned with the Nutrifitx System. (Pro Tip: Use all the recipes and information on nutrifitx.co to follow the Nutrifitx System FREE! Level up your results by becoming a lifetime member.)
Bad Health Habit #2: Bored or Mindless Snacking
We all love popcorn and a movie, but when that starts to bleed into snacking every time you watch TV (or whatever other activity), it becomes habit, not hunger. When you create a habit of eating while you do something else, you build a mental connection or association. You start to crave a food only because you want to eat while you do something. And sometimes we eat simply because we’re bored. Our minds want occupying, so we reach for something to soothe the senses – usually this is something salty, sweet, creamy, cheesy, etc. This creates yet another mental connection or association.
These habits lead to over-consuming. Your body will tell you when it’s hungry – not a trigger activity or a bored mind. Cut this habit, and start getting intentional about your food. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. Listen to your body, not your mind.
Bad Health Habit #3: Emotional Eating
Similarly to bored and habitual eating, emotional eating is another source of over-consuming. If you find yourself reaching for food when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or even happy, it’s time to re-evaluate your hunger cues. We’ve all been a victim to this mindset before, it’s simply a matter of creating new associations and learning to communicate with your body properly.
Letting your emotions control your hunger cues can look different for everyone. Here are some ideas to help you recognize emotional eating in your own life:
- When you feel stressed, you reach for something crunchy – chips, crackers, high sugar granola, etc.
- When you feel depressed, you reach for something creamy – peanut butter, ice cream, maybe even frosting, etc.
- When you want to feel happy, you may reach for something sweet – chocolate, cookies, candy, soda, etc.
- When you feel bored, you may reach for something salty – nuts, chips, pretzels, etc.
Start paying attention to where your food cravings are coming from. Then, start matching those cravings up with feelings. Try to recognize your patterns, then try to re-associate:
- When you feel stressed, go for a walk or exercise.
- When you’re feeling anxious, write in a journal or spend some time meditating.
- When you want to feel happy, spend time with your pet or talk to friends and family.
- When you want to feel relaxed, read a book or take a hot shower.
You’ll start to crave those actions when you feel a certain way instead of craving food. Instead of eating your feelings, now you’re working through them in a healthy way.
Bad Health Habit #4: Constant Use of Screens
We all know how damaging elevated screen time is for our health. It’s bad for your eyes and your mental health… But what about your physical health?
If eye strain and mental health aren’t enough motivation for you to stop your scroll, consider how much time you’re spending sitting. Whether we’re watching TV or perusing social media, we’re often sitting while we do it. Break the sitting cycle, and start getting active. TV and social media aren’t going anywhere… Start taking a few minutes each day to get moving instead of staring.
Bad Health Habit #5: Never Disconnecting
Technology has made is super easy to stay connected with the people we love and the people we admire. There’s nothing wrong with being connected – it brings us closer! But everyone could use a little distance. Our minds are constantly consuming these days, and most of us never make a point of disconnecting. We wake up and check our phones or the news, and we go to bed doing the same thing. It’s too easy!
Take a break from consuming, and start listening to your own thoughts and feelings. Separate yourself from the world for a bit – it will be waiting for you when you come back! A few ideas for disconnecting:
- Wait 1-2 hours after waking to check emails, social media, the news, etc. If that isn’t possible for you, reduce the time to the max amount possible – even if that means just 15 minutes.
- Try having a wind down routine that includes a few activities that relax you without being connected. Things like reading, preparing dinner, journaling, stretching or light yoga, a short walk… These are all great options!
- During your lunch break, make it a point to reconnect with yourself. Again, that could be as simple as going for a walk, taking a moment of silence, or journaling a few lines of gratitude.
Bad Health Habit #6: Sacrificing Sleep
Sacrificing sleep is NOT how you boost your productivity. There may be days where you have to lose a few hours of sleep to hit a deadline of some sort or be there for the ones you love… But doing this on a regular basis is DETRIMENTAL to your health.
Research shows that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night are at greater risk for disease, obesity, and even premature death (just to name a few of the risks associated with sacrificed sleep). Plus, not to mention the brain fog and exhaustion you have to fight through in our increasingly demanding world.
Stop the cycle. Make sleeping 7-9 hours per night a priority. Getting plenty of sleep is good for your immune system, gut health, brain, and body. Sleep is when you repair and recover. Set up a sleep inducing evening routine, and make it a point to sleep like a baby as often as humanly possible.
If you need a boost, skip the pills and medicines. These sleep aids often make you more tired and do more harm in the long run. Try taking magnesium instead. We love taking 1-2 teaspoons of this magnesium powder dissolved in water about 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Bad Health Habit #7: Stressful Mornings
Waking up on the wrong side of the bed and unprepared is a recipe for a stressful morning and a stressful day to follow. Make sure you’re prepared, well rested, and have plenty of time to get yourself ready for your day before your day begins. If you have to get up earlier to do that, make sure you’re going to bed earlier, too.
For ideas on how to create your BEST morning (and evening) routine for a healthy and productive day, check out our FREE detox program! Click below to get started.
Bad Health Habit #8: Drinking Sugar
Sugar is so bad for your health – especially refined sugars. Studies show that the average American consumes around 3 pounds of sugar per week. That’s almost 152 pounds per year. For health, we need about 10% of our calories from sugar, and the sugar our bodies crave are natural sugars. Fruits, fruit juices, honey, syrups, nectars, vegetables, etc.
Sugar is the easiest to consume in drink form. Things like sodas, energy drinks, coffee shop specials, water flavorings, etc. Also be wary of sugar alcohols, which are just as harmful for your health. Start drinking water – all day, every day. Yes, you can still have some flavor, but make sure those flavors contain little to no sugar and lots of hydration.
For more on creating a diverse array of flavorful beverages to choose from, check out the Nutrifitx System! We have a whole section on Nutrifitx Approved hydration.
Bad Health Habit #9: Not Putting Yourself FIRST
We know that sounds selfish, but it’s the exact opposite.
When you put yourself first, you’re making sure that you fill your cup first – and you can’t pour from an empty cup. When you prioritize your health, you become stronger, healthier, energized, and better equipped to manage stress. That means you can give your all for the ones you love and the things that matter to you most.
Want to be more productive at work? Put your health first.
Want to be more energized and motivated to work on that side hustle? Put your heath first.
Want to spend more meaningful quality time with people you love? Put your health first.
Want to take care of family and friends when they need it most? Put your health first.
You must put your health first if you want to feel good – and the only way you can do any of the things that matter to you is by feeling good first. You can’t go half way on your own health and expect to go all the way for others.
