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Build New Habits

By Peter Walsh
Establish healthy habits

Routines help reinforce the habits you want. Those habits help create the body you're after. If you've gotten some unhealthy habits, it's time to make a change.

Use the chart below as a step toward identifying your poor habits and creating new behaviors to suit the life you dream of living. Check out this sample chart, then download your own!

Instead of: Snacking when I'm bored…
I will: Walk for 15 minutes.

Instead of: Rewarding myself after a hard day with a pint of ice cream…
I will: Pick a small, manageable area of my house (a drawer, a bookshelf) and fill a bag of stuff for charity.

Instead of: Eating to relieve stress…
I will: Take a bath.

Instead of: Having a three-hour dinner in front of the TV…
I will: Make plans to dine with a friend or even have a phone date while I eat an amount I decide in advance.
 
Instead of: Ignoring my body until tomorrow because those salty treats are here today…
I will: Throw away the chips and celebrate by steaming some vegetables.

Instead of: Sneaking down to the kitchen for a midnight snack…
I will: Strip down and stand in front of a full-length mirror, reminding myself to treat my body with honor and respect until the urge passes…

Instead of: Eating French fries…
I will: Eat a side salad.

Instead of: Eating ice cream…
I will: Eat plain yogurt with honey.

Download this blank chart and make a pledge to declutter your diet.

Now that you're making progress in your outlook, let's tackle your pantry.

 


 

As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

Excerpted from Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? by Peter Walsh. Copyright © 2008 by Peter Walsh Design, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Free Press, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.