1. You have no clue what a calorie is.
You’ve heard people talk about calories and you know there are some foods with lots of them and some with less but you don’t want to seem like you have an eating disorder so you don’t pay attention to them at all. Why is learning about calories important? It helps you to monitor your food intake which, combined with the amount of physical activity you do, directly determines your weight gain or loss. If you don’t know what a calorie is or how many you’re ingesting daily, chances are you’ll find yourself unable to button your jeans and it will become a day you’ll never forget.
2. You think energy drinks are good for you.
We get it. You’re exhausted from your daily load in life and you need a little bit of help. You can’t possibly manage your 9 to 5 job, the after work social gathering and your evening church events without guzzling a can of energy stimulant so you’ll survive it all. Unfortunately, that dose of energy in the little can is doing you more harm than good. You’d be better off drinking a cup of coffee which has at least 400 mg less of caffeine than an energy drink. The more caffeine you drink for those jam packed days, will likely lead to experiencing anxiety, restlessness and high blood pressure.
3. You’re low on cash so you eat ramen noodles to survive.
It seems like a very smart decision to make sure your cupboard has a few packages of ramen noodles in them but having these low cost meals as a staple in your diet won’t inflate your wallet but they will inflate your bottom. Due to the manufacturing process, ramen noodles are deep fried in oil and packed with sodium. Too much sodium in your diet creates water retention and that bloated belly you don’t want to see.
4. You’ve discovered wine and you’re using it as a sleep aid.
Drugstore wine is a win for sure and the perfect way to lull yourself to sleep on those nights when there’s so much to think about that you’re too exhausted to sleep. The drawback to using wine as a sleep aid is the fact that drinking wine regularly also means you’re ingesting sugar regularly since a glass of wine has on average 3.5 grams of sugar in it. If it takes two glasses of wine to get you to your point of no return, your body will store that sugar instead of digesting it because sugar is difficult to break down and eliminate. This will directly impact your weight maintenance and blood sugar levels.
5. You drink Starbucks because it makes you look cool.
You feel cool when you’re walking around sipping from that cup of double chocolaty chip frapuccino, sunglasses perched on top of your head, smiling at the world. If you knew that one cup of the stuff you’re swishing around your tongue before swallowing was the equivalent of eating 120 skittles you’d barf just thinking about it. It may be cool to buy designer drinks but your designer jeans won’t fit if you do it every day.
6. You’re on strike against vegetables because your parents forced you to eat it.
I understand why you don’t fold your clothes anymore; your Mom made it a punishment and you’re a grown up now so she can’t make you do it anymore. But, rebelling against Mom’s wishes can only go so far especially since some things Mom made you do were really good for you, like eating vegetables. You should try it. Learn how to season and prepare them and add a new level to your diet.
7. You eat unrefrigerated leftovers.
You fall asleep after eating half your meal, leaving the plate on the coffee table. You wake up 6 hours later and devour the leftovers without thinking twice about the fact that leaving cooked food at room temperature ushers in pathogenic bacteria which doesn’t affect the way the food appears but can cause foodborne illnesses.
8. You think if you take the stairs before and after work you can eat whatever you want.
While climbing the stairs is a good way to kick start your new fitness routine, for most people it’s not enough. If you really want to live a healthy lifestyle you have to learn more about the nutritional value of the food you eat and how they complement the amount of physical activity you do every day.
Even if you take 2 flights of stairs up and then down, you may not have burned off enough calories to allow your body to forgive those 2 donuts you ate during your staff meeting. Couple those donuts with a fast food lunch and a few sweet snacks breaks and you’ll probably need to climb up and down those stairs 8 times just to make a dent in the calories you have ingested with your food choices for the day.
9. You refuse to drink water because it’s boring.
Although water is colorless and tasteless, measuring the benefits of drinking water could cause a high tide. Besides improving your complexion, helping with digestion and promoting weight loss, drinking water is vital to a healthy lifestyle. If you can’t seem to wrap your mind around becoming a regular water drinker you can always opt to learn how to create flavored water from the comfort of your own home.
10. You’re dating someone who doesn’t care about their diet.
You can have all the resolve in the world and high-five yourself each evening for sticking to your healthy diet but when your significant other enters the scene with a pint of ice cream and your favorite film you can kiss every ounce of willpower goodbye. It is amazingly difficult to forge ahead into a healthy lifestyle if your partner isn’t encouraging you and walking with you. Couples who share the same passions and goals, including a good diet are couples who win because they reach their goals together.
