Is Your Environment Making Weight Loss Difficult?
It’s March 1st, 2010.
That means there are just 20 more days until the start of spring! If you live in the northeast US, that’s REALLY exciting…maybe it will mean the end of snow, after another 2 feet was dumped on your last week.
But even here in Kentucky, we’ve had our share of snow this year…
…the warmer weather is surely inviting!
Many people think of spring as a time to clean house – spring cleaning.
That’s all good, but what if spring cleaning had a different meaning … a meaning that would help you achieve (or maintain) the body and health you want?
In the first of this 2 part series, here are a few strategies to start “spring cleaning” in your house before spring officially arrives…
…why wait another few weeks to get started?
First, IDENTIFY the negative stimuli that are affecting you.
- Clean up negative cues.
- Eliminate or replace negative cues with more positive ones.
Step 1: Identify: take an honest look at your surroundings. Walk through your house. Focus on subtle negative signals that you may not have realized were present.
- Do you keep food in any room besides the kitchen?
- Is there a snack drawer in the office or candy dish in the living room/family room?
- If you have any exercise equipment in your home, is it buried under clothes or boxes?
As you walk through each room, identify the stimuli and associated behaviors you have had a hard time trying to change.
For example, do you snack while watching TV, or every time you walk through the kitchen?
These things can be changed; in this example, you have to consider:
- what behavior is occurring (snacking)
- what is linked to the behavior (sofa and watching TV after dinner).
This quick and easy process will allow you to make the necessary improvements and do a little “spring cleaning” in your house.
Even though we are influenced by our surrounding environment, it does not have to mean your environment dictates your behaviors.
Do periodic sweeps of your environment to make sure you do not let old, unhealthy cues and behaviors find their way back into your lifestyle.
Start today with Step 1 – Identify what may be holding you back. Tomorrow we’ll talk about cleaning up and removing/replacing to create a fresh start to a new you.
March 1st, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I've noticed one environmental cue that triggers eating for me is when I burn scented candles — especially those with a food-related scent (vanilla, cinnamon, etc.). I think it's important to note, too, that all those food commercials on TV are designed by people who are the best in the world at making you want something you don't need!
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March 2nd, 2010 at 9:20 am
absolutely! Even if you have to spend time "cleaning" something up to improve your enviornment your efferts will be rewarded when you are more successful at improving your eating habits! I noticed that in a messy house I didn't feel relaxed and comfortable and in turn I ate more and ate poorly. I organized my kitchen, cleaned it up and now enjoying sitting down to eat my food and when my food is gone I consider myself done instead of hanging around and eating more.
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