5 Bad Habits to Drop Today

The key things to remember is healthier habits have an instant effect on the body. And just as the good habits effect our system immediately, so do the bad ones. 

If you're embarking down a healthier path for your life, you may be struggling with the changes, especially if they're dramatic. An example: going from never working out to working out 5 times per week. Or cutting bread and unhealthy sugary foods out of your diet. These habit changes are going to have a major effect on your life but whether you know it or now, your body immediately changes and responds the moment you begin making healthier choices, whether they be small or big. 

Here are 5 daily habits you should drop now. 

1. Drinking Too Often: Maybe you're not a textbook alcoholic, but there is such a thing as social alcoholics. A glass of red wine is okay but maybe not one everyday. People also underestimate how starting to drink with that one can lead to 4 or 5 in less than two hours. Before you know it, it's Monday evening and you're drunk. Set a max of two drinks at any sitting. 

WHAT IS A "DRINK"?

In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. You would find this measure in: 

• 12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
• 8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
• 5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
• 1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor

2. Eating diet foods: Low fat, low cal, low carb, we've all fallen into this trap. What we're finding out more and more with studies is that the "low" is often replaced by refined, artificial or synthetic ingredients which are not good for the body. These unwanted additives are not satisfying at all either. Dump the diet products. 

3. Overeating healthy foods: Coconut ice cream, multi-grain bread, goat cheese, avocados? Yes some of these are the "healthier" options but overeating them just as overeating anything can have a negative effect on your calorie intake. Portion control applies just as equally to healthy food options. 

4. Counting calories: There's been a lot of argument on the effectiveness of counting calories not only for dieting but for a healthy lifestyle. The truth is, we'd all miss some of the calories we consumed, making it difficult to stick to. Counting calories can also backfire. One study found that it made women more stressed. An increase in stress causes a spike in cortisol which is a hormone that increases your appetite even more. Even further, the calorie information on food packaging isn't a perfect measurement system. 

5. Not eating healthy fats: Think avocados, almonds, olive oil, these fats are the healthy options and essential in a balanced diet. Some vitamins, appropriately called fat-soluble vitamins, actually need fat to dissolve and be absorbed by your body.  What is important to remember about fats, is that some are healthier for you than others – and the types of fats you choose to consume will directly impact your health.

Here are some tips to help you choose healthy fats – remember, though, that even healthy fats are high in calories, so be sure to consume in moderation.

• Focus your food choices towards MUFAs and PUFAs and away from saturated and trans fats.  When grocery shopping, be sure to read the nutrition label carefully and only choose foods that have no trans fats.  Also try to avoid “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.”
• Use plant-based oils when cooking and baking.  Olive and canola oils are much healthier to cook and bake with than butter.
• Incorporate at least one serving of omega-3 fats every day.  Omega-3s are found in salmon, tuna, walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil and spinach.
• Reduce consumption of red meat and dairy.  These foods are high in saturated fat, so actively choose leaner cuts and consume them in moderation. Chicken, fish and nuts are good substitutes and provide healthier sources of fats.  Instead of adding cheese to your sandwiches or salads, opt for avocado slices instead.