7 unhealthy habits and surefire ways to get rid of them

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Everyone has at least one forbidden pleasure that is detrimental to their health, whether it is eating stress or watching TV shows until the morning. The life hacker offers a list of common unhealthy habits and recommendations to help you say goodbye to them forever.

1. Drink a glass of alcohol every night

Why addiction occurs

This habit is often referred to as happy hour. And for good reason: alcohol triggers the release of dopamines and endorphins - hormones of pleasure. But to re-experience the same sensation, each time it takes a little more alcohol, and then a little more … That is why it soon becomes difficult to get by with one glass.

Two or three glasses of alcohol occasionally in the company is normal. But wine seven days a week is already a problem.

The risk of a number of diseases is increased, including certain types of cancer and hypertension. If you do not feel any negative consequences after consuming alcohol in any amount, then most likely you have already formed an addiction. This is a reason to go to the doctor.

How to break a habit

• Set "sober" days. Drink only soft drinks a couple of days a week. This helps reduce alcohol tolerance. Therefore, on "alcoholic" days, it will be easier for you to know when to stop.
• Savor every sip. Stretch your gin and tonic or champagne for an hour. Place the glass on the table after each sip.
• Measure. Pour in exactly 150 ml of wine or 45 ml of spirits - this is what one serving of the drink looks like. Bars usually serve larger portions, 200-250 ml each. The same applies to mixed drinks: a gin and tonic usually contains 1, 6 servings of alcohol, in "Margarita" - 1, 7.
• Talk more, drink less. When you come to the bar, do not run straight to the bar. Order something non-alcoholic and chat with your friends. After all, you have gathered for this, after all! You can take alcohol later. For example, beer. Especially if you do not like him: then you can easily stretch one glass for the whole evening.

2. Drink sweet coffee

Why addiction occurs

A cup of regular latte contains 14 grams of added sugar. That is, 4 tablespoons is half the daily value of sugar.

After you drink a cup of sweet coffee, your blood glucose levels rise rapidly. This is especially fraught in the first hours after waking up: then all day you want more sugar, and because of this it is impossible to adhere to a proper diet.

How to break a habit

• Make your own coffee. Usually you order sweetened coffee, taste it, realize that it is not sweet enough, and add a couple more spoons. But if you make your own coffee, you will see how much sugar you actually consume.
• Give up sugar drastically. Brooke Alpert, nutritionist and author of Sugar Detox, has found that avoiding sugar altogether is a more effective tactic than quitting it gradually. It may be difficult at first, but you will get used to it pretty quickly. Order unsweetened coffee from a coffee shop, half diluted with milk or cream, possibly with the addition of cinnamon or nutmeg. Or ask the barista to mix coffee, milk and ice: many people find that unsweetened cold coffee tastes better than hot coffee.
• Replace coffee with flavored tea. Unsweetened tea is much easier to drink due to the fruit bits, spices and sweet aroma.

3. Watch TV late

Why addiction occurs

During the day, you are too busy with other things, so the only opportunity to sit in front of the screen and relax is before bed. But in order to feel relaxed and resting a little longer, you go to bed later.

How to break a habit

• Turn off the TV an hour before bed. And decide how much time you can spend watching TV shows or TV shows.
• Move the TV to the next room. He doesn't belong in the bedroom. If you associate bed with watching TV, it ceases to be a trigger reminding you that it's time to sleep.
• Delegate. If you are so busy that by the end of the day you have no time for recreation, you need to take a step back. Think about which things can be rescheduled for tomorrow and which ones can be delegated. Allocate time to rest in your schedule.

4. Seize stress

Why addiction occurs

Eating is an easy way to calm down, distract yourself, and feel more comfortable. The trouble is, in times of stress, you don't crave stewed vegetables, but foods high in carbohydrates or fats. Harmful food begins to be perceived as a reward, and in difficult periods of life you can no longer live without it.

How to break a habit

• Take care of yourself. Stress is one problem, but along with lack of sleep, fatigue, and uncontrollable hunger, it's harder to resist the urge to eat junk food. Sleep, rest during the day, and eat well.
• Pause. When potato chips beckon you, stop for a second and ask yourself if you are really hungry, if there is a physical need for them. If not, then think about why you need food now. Possible answers: This is how you procrastinate, trying to get rid of feelings of loneliness or bad mood.
• Make a decision. If you come to the conclusion “Yes, I'm stressed, and no one will stop me from eating these cookies,” then put the plate in front of you and eat the cookies with full awareness of this fact. No need to reach for cookies when your thoughts are hovering elsewhere. This is, of course, small, but still progress: you stop acting automatically. It's not a crime to allow yourself to eat something.
• Satisfy your need. It doesn't matter if you decide to eat something harmful or not, figure out what your body and mind really want: take a walk to refresh your head, chat with a friend, or write down your feelings in a diary at the end of the day. If you get rid of the cause, you will no longer need to run your hand into a bag of chips.

5. Drink little water

Why does the habit appear

One can think of a million excuses for why we don't drink enough water. Because the water doesn't taste good, or we just forget, or we prefer soda.

How to get results from training

• Study elsewhere. Does it seem like you're being looked at in the gym with condemnation? Train where you feel comfortable. Take video lessons at home, with a one-on-one personal trainer, or come to the gym when there are few visitors.
• Do what you like. If you hate yoga, you will not be able to direct all your attention and energy to the tree pose. Choose the workout that you like.
• Defeat boredom. When you challenge yourself, motivation rises dramatically. Set yourself a big goal, whether it's your first 5K run or preparing for a 100K bike marathon.
• Add variety. Variety makes training fun. Go to the gym early in the morning, not as usual in the evening. Do an interval training session. Or go for a rowing machine instead of a treadmill. All this brings novelty to the classes, so the interest remains.