21 Days to a Healthy Eating Habit, with Sample Menu
Posted: Sunday, February 08, 2009
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
Great health is not about getting on the latest dietary fad train, whether it comes from Hollywood, Brazil or South Africa. Lasting health is more about forming a healthy eating habit that will last a lifetime. Yes, eating healthy is a habit. You must make healthy eating a long-term, lifelong habit for you to feel and see lasting results. What is a habit? The lexicon defines a "habit" as "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary". A habit is a "customary practice or use." The word "custom" is a synonym for "habit".
From this definition, we can derive four truths about a habit.
1. A habit takes effort. It does not just happen. It is "acquired". You have to earn a habit.
2. A habit takes action. It is "behavior", not just thought or words. You form a habit by doing.
3. A habit requires consistency on your part. It is a "pattern regularly followed". You don't have a habit if you do something for only a week, month, or if you keep skimping and skipping. You have to stick to it all the time.
4. A habit will never become completely effortless. Notice that the habit becomes "almost involuntary", but not totally so. You will always have to put in some effort, even after you have formed the habit. Though it becomes almost second nature, it never gets to the point of reflex action like bobbing your eye or breathing in and out.
The Law of Habit Formation: Twenty Times = Habit
Do you know how long it takes for a repeated action to become a habit? According to the experts, if you do something for 21 consecutive times it becomes a habit.
Are you ready to make healthy eating your habit? On your calendar, start with the next morning's date and mark each of the next 21 days with the letters "EH" for Eat Healthy. Start eating healthy on your start date, and you continue eating healthy for every meal for the next 21 days.
Assuming you eat breakfast, lunch and supper/dinner each day for 21 days, it will take 63 (21 x 3) incidents of healthy meals for you to qualify as a healthy eater by habit. And this one habit will do more for your quality of life than some of the many useless or harmful habits we have formed like watching two hours of television each day.
Basic Menu for 21 Days (Sample to Get You Started)
Breakfast
Begin your healthy eating habit today, and in just 21 days, you will reach your goal. You can do it. How do I know? I've been living the healthy eating habit for more than 11 years now.
1. A habit takes effort. It does not just happen. It is "acquired". You have to earn a habit.
2. A habit takes action. It is "behavior", not just thought or words. You form a habit by doing.
3. A habit requires consistency on your part. It is a "pattern regularly followed". You don't have a habit if you do something for only a week, month, or if you keep skimping and skipping. You have to stick to it all the time.
4. A habit will never become completely effortless. Notice that the habit becomes "almost involuntary", but not totally so. You will always have to put in some effort, even after you have formed the habit. Though it becomes almost second nature, it never gets to the point of reflex action like bobbing your eye or breathing in and out.
The Law of Habit Formation: Twenty Times = Habit
Do you know how long it takes for a repeated action to become a habit? According to the experts, if you do something for 21 consecutive times it becomes a habit.
Are you ready to make healthy eating your habit? On your calendar, start with the next morning's date and mark each of the next 21 days with the letters "EH" for Eat Healthy. Start eating healthy on your start date, and you continue eating healthy for every meal for the next 21 days.
Assuming you eat breakfast, lunch and supper/dinner each day for 21 days, it will take 63 (21 x 3) incidents of healthy meals for you to qualify as a healthy eater by habit. And this one habit will do more for your quality of life than some of the many useless or harmful habits we have formed like watching two hours of television each day.
Basic Menu for 21 Days (Sample to Get You Started)
Breakfast
- Supplements: natural multivitamins (preferably liquid), flax seed oil, fish oil gel tablet, pro-biotic
- Food: whole grain cereal, whole grain bread, whole grain waffle, or whole grain pancake
- Drink: filtered water; 100% fruit juice (limeade or lime juice, Concord grape juice, or orange juice); green tea, black tea or both.
- Food: whole grain organic rice or pasta with stew, whole grain sandwich, Subway with whole grain or wheat bread, mixed vegetables, nuts, fruits
- Drink: filtered water; 100% fruit juice; green tea, black tea or both
- Food: whole grain bread with natural honey; mixed vegetables; whole grain rice or pasta with stew, fruits
- Drink: filtered water; 100% fruit juice
Begin your healthy eating habit today, and in just 21 days, you will reach your goal. You can do it. How do I know? I've been living the healthy eating habit for more than 11 years now.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Mogama,A great write! This stated it all:"...1. A habit takes effort. It does not just happen. It is "acquired". You have to earn a habit..."Thanks for sharing this.You've got it, Ronyae. Thanks for your comment. ~mogama~
Here, here...I agree, you have to get into the habit of eating right and this can be learned. Great article.Thanks, Teriss, for adding to the discussion. ~mogama~
Great article, Mogama. My problem is that all my habit are bad--at least when it comes to food. I like the good stuff; not necessarily the healthy stuff. But you're right in your write--I do need to change my 'habits'. I'll work on it. Thanks for setting us straight.SandraYou're right, Sandra, eating healthy is not as easy as it sounds. It was probably the most difficult change I've made, but it is very much possible if you're determined. Thanks for your input. ~mogama~
Great article Mogama, you know the saying, "You are what you eat"? I am affraid that its the truth. We would all do ourselves a favor and heed your advice on this. You can't go wrong with a good diet, and healthy eating, as usual, you write a good article, and I always find them to be an interesting read.....Your friend and fan in pen....GaryYou're most welcome, Gary. I always appreciate your comments. ~mogama~
Greetings, Mogama,I found this statement very helpful: "Assuming you eat breakfast, lunch and supper/dinner each day for 21 days, it will take 63 (21 x 3) incidents of healthy meals for you to qualify as a healthy eater by habit."The number 63 + healthy reinforce it. Thanks for writing this.JaneI like your twist there, Jane, leaving me to guess various inferences. I appreciate your input. ~mogama~
This is excellent. I'm a Health Consultant and will definitely refer clients to this article because it gives a clear and concise explanation of what it takes to achieve sustainable behavioral change.Thanks for your input. I really appreciate your comment in your capacity as Health Consultant. I've been eating healthy for about 9 years now. I must admit that making the switch from cheeseburgers, french fries and soda pops towards this lasting change in eating behavior was very taxing during those first weeks and months. I had junk food withdrawals, and I made several lapses, before finally winning the victory over hot dog. ~mogama~
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