I don't know about you but my old habits are very hard to break. But by breaking them and establishing new habits, I guarantee my weight loss.

What are some of the bad old habits?

• Overeating.
• There are times when I would continue to eat, even if I were full and stuffed.

• Unhealthy snacking.
• Chips provided at work, ice cream at home, dessert at my in-laws...if it was there, I would have it.

• Grazing.
• When I grazed I grazed!  I would go to the pantry just because the food was there and I knew it, and I would pick up something to eat from there.  Same thing with the refridgerator.  Everytime I went for water, I would open up the door and grab a handful of something and eat it.  All of that added up!

• Lack of exercise.
• Do I really have to say anything about this?

So, by joining Weight Watchers, I decided that even if I diet, unless I change my bad habits into good habits, I would fail.  (Actually my wife was the one who drilled this into my head.  Thank you love!)  Here is what I am doing now to replace the bad with the good.

• Overeating has been replaced with pushing away.
• Now when I feel full, I stop for a few minutes and actually see if I am full.  If I am I get up, move away from the full, put my plate up and stop eating.  I am also drinking a full glass of water when I start feeling full, to help it along.  
• Another thing I am doing on this habit is to use the correct portions.  Again, I must thank my wife in helping me do this.
• My next step is to use smaller plates and trick myself into thinking the portions are larger than they really are.

• Unhealthy snacking has been replaced with healthy snacking.
• Who knew that carrots and peanut butter, or any vegetable with hummus would be satisfying and tasty at the same time?  Now don't get me wrong, there are times when I do miss the sweets, but I can remedy that with healthy sweets.  
• I haven't had a bag of chips in 3 weeks now.  Please note that I said a bag of chips.  I have had chips, but I am actually measuring and counting them now for correct portions.
• Also, I don't have a snack until I actually feel hungry between meals.

• Grazing has been replaced by healthy snacking and just saying no to myself.
• When you keep yourself full or partially full by eating right and having healthy filling snacks, there is no need to graze.  This has been the hardest habit to break, and there are times when I have fallen off the wagon, but I am sticking to not grazing.  Sometimes you just have to tell yourself, Hell No!

• Lack of exercise has been replaced with exercising.
• This doesn' t mean that I am exercising everyday, but I am exercising more.  I am working my way up to walking everyday, and will begin to incorporate weight training very soon.

So that is it for now.  Bad habits vs. Good Habits.  To lose weight you know which one to choose.

So choose.

Have a blessed day!
Eric