Bad Habits
Sometimes I feel like I am one big mess of bad habits and no matter how much I want to be a better version of myself smarter, faster, slimmer, stronger I just can’t seem to break free from them.
Now I am not talking about the type of bad habit that aggravates like slurping while I drink or leaving nail clippings on the bathroom floor, or the milk bottle out on the kitchen bench. Oh no, I am talking about the type of bad habit where you end up on the couch staring at the TV surrounded by empty glasses, half full bottles, and lots of snacks.
Squeezed for time
So how did I get here, well juggling two jobs for a start generates more work that one person should commit to or could possibly complete in a day which means I am wound up tighter than a spring. To make it through my “must do” list I either forget to eat or postpone eating until the jobs are done. By late afternoon hunger pangs hit hard but of course I am not prepared with a healthy snack to tide me over until dinner. This is always a big mistake as my brain is screaming for sustenance and is the inevitable “feed me now” response is triggered.
This has been my routine since I returned to the workplace at the end of 2021. For anyone who doesn’t live in Melbourne this was the end of covid lockdown or “lockins”. After work I literally race the school traffic to get home before my partner so I can have a peaceful hour to myself. To assist in my unravelling from the busy day I raid the fridge for comfort food, pour myself a long gin and tonic then unwind with my feet up in the recliner eating drinking and watching Survivor on 10 play. This is my Bliss!
Snacking on salty foods makes me drink more and then after two drinks there is no desire to get up and exercise. So this is my delicious delectable undeniably bad habit that I have never tried to hide but am trying to break and I can tell you now that there is no guilting myself out of it. I can sit for more hours than is healthy and lament the days of having the energy to walk around the park or hit the gym. A gift and a curse!
Slow Burn
As a woman over 50 my metabolic engine has automatically dialled down to barely burning, so with self-discipline falling short and hormones running amok inside a body it was predictable almost inevitable that my body was going to move slower and grow wider if I didn’t take care. From Isagenix shakes to Spartans fitness class I haven’t shed a scrap of extra padding. I am now trialling the Simple app of logging my food together with intermittent fasting but its not going so well. Still not making good choices about when and where I eat and how much. And I don’t drink enough…water!
The Problem
The root of the problem for me is not knowing when it’s time to stop. This has been a lifelong bad habit of mine that has got me into trouble plenty of times. Like the time I wouldn’t (couldn’t) stop furiously cleaning downstairs while my partner was upstairs washed up and done for the day pouring us drinks. Even though I was exhausted I had to finish the job because I am a little OCD and ended up breaking an expensive mirror. Now if there is any luck going around, I never seem to get any of it.
Google says that bad habits are unwanted behaviours that a person can pick up due to stress and other factors. They help us deal with stressful situations The good news is that bad habits can be broken with adequate care and ideal circumstances. I am thinking a health retreat but don’t have the time or that sort of money to spend on myself. So I am looking for a simpler way to crack this nut.
Retail Therapy
Who hasn’t used junk food or retail therapy to recover from a breakup or bad news. After a week of hell at work who hasn’t laid on the couch binge watching funny you tube clips or a new Netflix series. What better companions for this activity that food and drink. Salty snacks and alcohol light up the pleasure centres of our brains and we feel temporarily happy!!
Gin has proven track record of keeping me calm helping me to function and cancelling out some of my other bad habits (which I am not going to mention here) and honestly drinking alcohol frees the mind and clears the soul for another day. I like myself better when I drink!
Feb Fast
Its February and time to “get serious” and lose the excuses and the weight. Feb Fast has been the motivation I have been waiting for. I have swapped out corn chips for celery and gin for the non-alcoholic version. I have mastered the art of drinking mindfully and am happy to report and consuming more fibre by adding fruit into my margarita mocktails.
Every time I sit down to relax, I have learnt how to trick my hedonistic side and am slowly taking back control…
Keeping it simple and tasty with non-alcoholic gin and tonic thanks to Banks Non-alcoholic Gin. But more than ever I love using Lime Simple Syrup to mix up delicious mocktails for me and my partner. Our favs are the green tea Mojito Zero, Virgin Mule and Lime Margarita thanks to Lyres Blue Agave