Gina Jackson Personal Fitness

I have a couple of clients that are working hard to make the necessary transitions to a healthier lifestyle. Hell, we all have a habit or two we need to break, adjust or get under control. How many unhealthy habits have you developed over the years?

There are not too many of us who haven’t at some stage of our lives had some unhealthy or bad habits of some sort.

Probably the most common one that affects our health - and our fitness regimen - is, of course, smoking, so this is the one that I want to highlight - via a Fitness Partner’s Blog, Jane Anslet - Wellness-Decisions.com from Australia.

Jane states that “Many people who start smoking think that they will be able to stop whenever they want.” Most of us that have the habit, may have started as teenagers.

• Smoking is more addictive than heroin, cocaine or alcohol.
• Up to 90% of smokers begin smoking before the age of 19.
• Symptoms of addiction (having strong urges to smoke, feeling anxious or irritable, feeling depressed or trying unsuccessfully not to smoke) can appear within only days after becoming an ‘occasional’ smoker.

From an environmental standpoint, she notes, “Almost 50% of all urban litter is tobacco-related.” So our “dirty, little habit” has a far-reaching consequence for the community around us.

The second one that I see quite frequently, is the habit of overeating or “binge snacking.” Recently a client returned from Europe and commented on the noticeable eating habit differences of parents, children and adults in countries such as Spain, Britain and Holland.

The best example of overdoing it was the illustration she shared of a small bag of M&M candy. The typical American parent (or adult looking for the afternoon sugar surge) would give one candy bag to each of their children and think nothing of the number of calories contained in the package. Whereas, she witnessed the “sharing of the bag” over a course of the day amongst a group of children, each receiving one - repeat ONE (1) M&M candy as the snack.

Look at the chart! There are 240 calories in a 1.7 oz bag - the typical candy bag size we grab and eat on the run; or give to the kids in the lunch box as an afternoon snack.

Now you do the math and make the conscious healthy decision for yourself and your family the next time.