How Your Morning and Nighttime Routines Affect Your Health
After you read up on the consequences, both good and bad, of your habits, it may be time for a tweak or two.
By Emma Haak
Fueling Up for the Day Ahead
What you do: Mindlessly grab whatever's around for breakfast
Why that's bad: We all know how important breakfast is—but if whatever's within reach isn't nutritious (like a doughnut), you may be better off skipping your first meal entirely, says Elisabetta Politi, MPH, RD, Nutrition Director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center. How do you decide? If you're someone who's all-or-nothing (i.e., you can't help but follow the doughnut with a day's worth of junk and say you'll start fresh tomorrow), then you're better off holding out until you can grab a healthy snack or lunch.
One more thing: There's an exception—If you've got the willpower to course correct, and a track record of actually doing it, taking the doughnut now and then isn't a big deal.
Why that's bad: We all know how important breakfast is—but if whatever's within reach isn't nutritious (like a doughnut), you may be better off skipping your first meal entirely, says Elisabetta Politi, MPH, RD, Nutrition Director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center. How do you decide? If you're someone who's all-or-nothing (i.e., you can't help but follow the doughnut with a day's worth of junk and say you'll start fresh tomorrow), then you're better off holding out until you can grab a healthy snack or lunch.
One more thing: There's an exception—If you've got the willpower to course correct, and a track record of actually doing it, taking the doughnut now and then isn't a big deal.
Published 05/26/2015
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.