20 Bad Habits That Made Me Fat Pt:II
Through my month of research in understanding why I became more than a 100 pounds overweight I found that a lot of my debacle had to do with habits. Habitual behavior is tricky because it often goes unnoticed. We as humans do not engage in self-analysis when undertaking routine tasks.
You see, I could simply say, "hey I'm gonna lose weight", and I have before. I have been below 300 pounds two times. But in the end I found myself back where I started and I believe it's because I never looked at WHY I was overweight or WHAT I was doing to myself? If you don't know what your bad habits are and address them then you really haven't met the real issue on in my experience. We can all say "now is the time" and impulsively run off to the gym for awhile banging iron and doing our impression of a hamster on a treadmill but it's the understanding or your personal habits and breaking them that will make the permanent difference in my mind.
I created this blog to do more than just weigh myself once a week and leave a trail of gym check ins. As I've been told many times before, "this is a lifestyle change." In embracing that ideal, I have committed myself to digging deep into my bad habits by studying those of others in my situation. Hopefully posting them can be a reminder to me and interesting to others who are looking to do the same.
The first ten bad habits I posted are what I felt got me here. The next ten are the ones that kept me here. All 20 I must learn to break!
1: Eating the Free stuff:
Looking back I noticed one of the biggest contributors to my flesh inflation was the free biscuits, chips, and breadsticks I mowed down before my meal even came to the table. Just out of curiosity I looked up the calories of a single breadstick at Olive Garden. The answer was a whopping 150 calories....PER STICK! I would tear down at least 450 calories in bread alone! So no more FREE stuff. Unfortunately that includes the rolls at Texas Roadhouse. I didn't have the heart to look that up.
2. Large Plates:
Going hand in hand was my use of large plates at home. More food....more calories. Learning to use small plates this week has been VERY enLIGHTening!
3. White Bread:
Part of what was on that plate was a huge chunk of white bread. I've learned that the whole grain alternative (in moderation) has more fiber and can even reduce abdominal fat over time. Awesome!
4. Eating to Fast
Whoofing down was not me loving my car stereo. I was always known as a fast eater. In ways, it was impressive to some. A parlor trick. But now I know better. On webmd.com it says that the brain takes 20 minutes to tell our body it's full after we finish eating. A study from MSN Health says slow eaters save 66 calories on 3 meals a day. There is another 20 pounds a year saved!
5. Big Bites
What led to the fast eating? Big bites. Mens Health says that large biters consume 52% more calories than small biters. Whatever the math, this one is going to be tough to kick.
6. Not Enough Water
I read in Mens Heath that a study in Utah had participants drink 2 cups of water before each meal. They lost 30% more weight than those that didn't. I've tried it this week and must admit feeling fuller and eating less!
7. Planning What I Eat
Haven't done this much as a traveler but when Im around a kitchen on the road I will.
8. Not Seeking Nutritional Advice
Everyone needs help and I'm no different. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig have been teaching nutritional eating longer than I've been around. Probably would help me with my planning aspect too.
9. Not Using a Scale
Keeping myself on track with a weekly weigh in would give me more direction. Plus the Weight Watcher group I'm joining is big on it.
10. Don't Go It Alone
I've spent to long walking this road by myself. I've got Weight Watchers for guidance and my friends and family for support and a little guidance too. Once again, I would like to point out that Im not trying to come off like the mayors wife or a blowhard. I'm investigating and researching as much as I'm planning. Finding out what got me here and how this happened has been unbelievably insightful!
In the end I feel better going into this having a better grasp of what I did wrong to get here. But like all knowledge and logic, it's only as useful and powerful as diligence and dedication will carry it. That, I won't find on the Internet. It is the habit that only I have the power to break.
Resources used in a one month study period: Mens Health Magazines, Weight Watchers website, fitbie.com, MSN Health, Thin to Life by Anne Fletcher, Mens Journal and Mens Journal.
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