Breaking Habits and Healthy Living

Why is it that once a habit has developed it’s so hard to break? That is unless it’s a good (as in healthy) habit then it seems to be really easy to break. So I guess I should be aksing, why are bad habits so hard to break? Brad and I were talking last night about how we have both gained weight and we really need to make some changes. Yes, I know that it’s normal to put on weight after getting married, but really? I’m the heaviest that I’ve ever been, and I know that there are uncontrollable factors that I can’t do anything about when it comes to my weight, things like my hypo thyroid, and BG lows due to trying to keep tighter control of my BGs that force me to consume unwanted calories. However there are things that I’ve realized that I have gotten in the habit of that can make a difference. So even though it’s a new year and I don’t like new years resolutions, and I’m not going to say that any of this is a new years resolution, but a way of life, and I’m making some changes. Even if I don’t shed the pounds like I would have in the past due to the things above and getting older and slowing down metabolism, these change will do my body good regardless, and I’m hoping that I’ll be feeling healthier and better overall.

What changes am I making???

When I saw a nutritionist 5 years ago when I was first diagnosed we figured out that at the time since I needed to gain weight, (I only weighed 105lbs),in order to reach that weight and not exceed the desired number I should be eating 45 carbs per meal for my height and to reach a healthy weight. I’ve strayed away from that over the last year. I did really good for the first few years but even a little while before getting my insulin pump almost a year ago, wow it’s been almost a year?!, I started eating more carbs and I know that now that I’ve been on the pump I’ve really strayed away from that rule. Now that I could stand to lose a few, back to the 45 carbs per meal rule for me. I think that this will also help with getting better control on BG levels, even though they aren’t horrible, they are pretty darn good I think that this will help.

Clean eating… We do pretty well with that I’d like to think.  It’s just too easy to go for a quick meal and grab something frozen or canned and there’s dinner, but lately I’ve been trying to stay away from that. I’ve been on this whole “make from scratch” kick lately. Weekends are wonderful for making a big batch of something yummy and freezing it for a quick week night meal or left overs for lunch at work.  I even made my own pizza crust the other night. I mean that was so easy I don’t know why I ever even buy crust or kits at the store. I always have the ingredients on hand. But since I really want to make some changes and lower my carb intake I think I’m going to have to try the cauliflower crust recipe that I’ve seen on pinterest.

Get moving! I have fallen off the work out wagon. 2013 despite the weight gain, was probably the best year for me working out. I always go through the pattern of working out for a month or two and then stop and then maybe pick it up again a few months later. This past year I think I did pretty well sticking to walking after work and if it was raining or too hot/cold outside then I would work out inside. That routine got a little rocky in maybe October and then the holidays just really threw a wrench in things. For the last month my body seems to be confused if it wanted to catch a cold or not so I held off from getting back into a workout routine. I’m hoping to start back on a schedule of some sort this week. I’ve struggled of course with the fact that it feels so counter-productive if I’m lowish enough to have to have a snack before/after a workout, so if I’m  “too” low before the time I want to work out I’ve tended over the end of 2013 to just  pass on the work out because I didn’t want to consume those calories. I’ve decided to instead of passing on a workout that if I have to have a snack then maybe an orange or an apple, some kind of healthy choice will be better. At least I can feel good about eating a piece of fruit opposed to the fruit snacks or other candy  that have no nutritional value except to get my BG in line. That will have to be an experiment I guess since I’m not sure how my body will react to a fruit choice instead of candy before a work out. I would think that it would still keep me from plummeting? Guess I’ll find out.

Snacking and the small things……. I’ve got to cut unhealthy snacking out. I didn't really understand it before I had an insulin pump when I would hear that it’s so much easier to eat food and this and that with a pump. I figured there couldn't be that much difference than reaching for my insulin pen and shooting up. Oh but there is! It is easier because I can put in my carb count or guestamate and then bolus and boom, that’s that and I’m done. Therefore I do find that I “cheat” more often that I did before. I’ve also developed the habit of keeping dark chocolate in my desk at work and having one piece in the afternoon after lunch. My reasoning has been that it’s okay because it’s one little piece and it cuts the craving and I’m not going for a candy bar or something really bad from the vending machine. But I just looked and guess how many calories are in one piece? There may only be 10 grams of carbs, and I haven’t felt bad about bolusing for that, but there are 190 calories in one small piece of this dark chocolate. Maybe if I really have to give into temptation I should be cutting that little chocolate bar in half. Resist temptation!!!! Coffee cream, that’s another bad one. I’ve been really good about going caffeine free for the most part, but I still drink decaff and I love my coffee creamer. I mean, I really like creamer in my coffee even way more that sweetener. I think I need to look at Trader Joe’s and see what they have as far as organic and “light” creamer. Maybe there is a substitute that I am unaware of? 

Here is to a happy and healthy 2014!