All in a day

I am a creature of habit. I realized that, as I put on ABC7 this morning to check the news. I cannot force myself to try CBS or NBC news. I have watched ABC News since I was a kid back in WNY. In fact, growing up between Rochester and Buffalo, I had an option between ABC News on channel 13 or 7. I was such a habit-driven individual that I wouldn’t watch 13 ‘til I lived in the Rochester-area. Nobody what city I am in; living, work, or vacation, I will only watch ABC News.


It’s interesting to look at the habits I’ve developed. They become almost ritualistic.  Not engaging in these habits can cause me slight confusion and a sense of an incomplete day. Now, I’m not saying I’m going to have a panic attack if I don’t watch ABC News in the morning, but it is a part of my day. It’s one of those daily habits that move me through my day.

Watching ABC News each day provides me information and enjoyment. Other daily habits can provide equally needed positive results, although, others can have negative consequences (cue forshadowing music). It’s important to examine these habits to understand how they developed, what role they play, and their consequences. Do the daily habits we keep have positive emotional or physical results?  As well, it was important to understand that I was a habit-driven individual when developing a healthy life stole.  I better understood how I functioned.

When I first began my weight loss journey in 2009 I remember looking at my two 20oz Pepsi habit of the day. My parents were huge soda drinkers. We drank soda as kids and adults in my household. The combined days of habitual drinking of soda increased my risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and inflated that spare tire that had settled in my midsection. I had to look at why I drank soda. Was it the taste? Was it the ritual of it? Was it the caffeine? Once I understood that I could battle my soda addiction more easily and slowly chance those daily habits.

Just like combating daily habits that would derail my journey to good health, I had to work to integrate good health habits into my daily experience. Some of those habits include morning stretching, regular exercise, scheduled meals, starting my day off with a large glass of cold water…etc It took time to engrain these into my daily agenda truly embracing them as part of my day in which if I didn’t do it I felt like my day was incomplete.

It took time to mold my day into a series of healthy habits. In the beginning it took some forcing (I was like the unruly child refusing to eat their vegetables). I had to stick to a regular schedule ‘til I got to the point that not doing these healthy habits became a foreign feeling and cause me to feel my day was incomplete. The more healthy habits are a critical piece of the puzzle of my day, the more likely I am to continue to engage in healthy living.

Today’s Menu:

Breakfast – Two Scrambled Eggs, Two piece of Whole Wheat bread, and a banana

Lunch – Bowl of Soup

Dinner – Pork Chop, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Snacks – Strawberries, Single Serving of Almonds, JELLO Pudding Snack

Today’s Exercise:

5 minutes Yoga Stretching

20 minute lunchtime power walk with Milo

60 minute boxing workout

Today’s Treat – Watching last night’s Game of Throne at the end of my day!!

Today’s what I like about me thought – My flexibility! Not only have I physically gained flexibility over the last year of more intensive Yoga practice, but I am flexible in life with the emotional give and take of being a good human being and friend.