C&J Nutrition's Tips For Giving Up a Vice

Not only is a nutritional counseling session with C&J Nutrition part of the grand prize for our Get Fit For 2011 giveaway, but the duo of registered dietitians want to help you catch up on your Get Fit For 2011 challenges. These gals have some great advice for giving up a vice, the 10th challenge of the contest. Here are their tips.

Very few people can quit a vice cold turkey. Most of us need some sort of ongoing support to stick with healthy changes until they're ingrained in our life enough to make them permanent. That support comes from many different places - co-workers, family, friends, etc. - but the most important source of support is YOU. Here are a few tips for helping yourself stick with the plan to give up a vice, both immediately and in the longterm.


  1. Set goals that are challenging yet attainable. It feels great to meet a goal. It feels even better to struggle a bit and feel challenged and finally meet a goal. On the other hand, it doesn't do you any good to set a goal that is unrealistic for your life. Instead, set a goal that you can achieve but that will challenge you. In order to determine this, ask yourself what it would take on a daily basis to achieve your goal/give up your vice. If your list of daily activities to achieve the goal are things that are feasible with some effort, then it's challenging yet realistic. If your list gives you an ulcer because you're pretty sure you can't (or won't) do most of the things on it consistently, then it's probably not a realistic goal for you right now.

  2. Make mini-goals and track them daily. What are the daily habits it will take to make your goal a reality? If you're giving up mindless snacking in front of the TV at night, the daily mini-goals might be: Making a list of things to do other than eating at night and checking it when you feel like snacking; doing exercises in between commercial breaks on TV; putting all food into cabinets and out of sight after a certain time; eating all snacks from a portioned out bowl - not straight from the container. Once you have your mini-goals solidified, write them down, visit them daily, and keep track of your achievements.

  3. Be your biggest fan. Let yourself know how awesome you are . . . and let yourself know often. We love sticky notes for this purpose because you can put them EVERYWHERE! If you're giving up daily sweetened coffee drinks, put a post-it on your medicine cabinet that says something like "You deserve to feel great. Make it happen, starting . . . NOW!" Maybe another post-it can go on your desk that says "Energy creates energy. Take a breather, walk the stairs, chat with a friend. Find energy in things that make you feel GREAT." Your wallet could hold a sticky note that says "Order in a way that respects your body and goal - you'll never regret that."

  4. Think of all the things you're gaining by giving up your vice. Stay positive. We know some days are more challenging than others, but remind yourself over and over WHY you're doing this in the first place. That reason is more powerful than anything else, but sometimes it gets buried and needs to be brought back to the forefront of your mind!

Be sure to complete any of the previous challenges in the Get Fit For 2011 group to enter our weekly giveaway of a $100 New Balance gift card and a chance to win our grand prize - a four-day fitness boot camp in LA, which includes a nutritional consultation with the C&J Nutrition team!

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Source: FitSugar