I’ve recently renewed my dedication to healthy eating and exercise. If you were waiting on that newsflash, the wait is officially over.

No, this is not a New Year’s resolution. I took a slight hiatus – not a complete one – over the last few months. No real excuse as to why, other than digestive issues changing my focus. In that time, I slowly slipped back into some unhealthy eating habits and being a little less active. The combination of those two resulted in a several-pound weight gain. 

As an aside, I can’t tell you how irritating that initially was. However, after giving it some thought, people gain and lose weight all the time. Through the holidays and winter months is the most noticeable. I’ve heard that the average person gains approximately five pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The holiday gain is real. I guess I’m normal.

If you’ve done the same thing, it’s important to recognize the negative/ unwanted behavior and begin corrective measures. We do not want to be another negative story by gaining everything back – those stories are far too common. 

Weight management is a phrase used to describe both the techniques and underlying physiological processes that contribute to a person’s ability to attain and maintain a certain weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity. 

For my weight loss, I chose to slowly change my relationship with food. I took stock of what I was eating and when. Sometimes the first step has to be consciousness. All too often we eat whatever we want and we eat until we’re no longer hungry. Sadly, that sometimes means eating far too often and way too much unhealthy food. I found I was guilty of both. 

About 3-4 years ago and over the course of several months, I slowly changed my relationship with food.  Beginning with breakfast and making my way through the rest of the day, I changed what I ate using something my professor in college said, “If you do something for 28 days, it become a habit.” When I made the first change, I stuck to it for 28 years. It worked. I made another 28-day change. 

Yes, waiting 28 days per change takes longer than going on a “diet” and losing weight. However, I wanted a lifestyle change. Most of those healthier changes I made are still intact. 

Which brings us to exercise. Back then, I slowly increased to at least 30 minutes in the morning and at least 30 minutes at mid-afternoon. Today, with the colder weather setting in (not completely to blame), I’ve backed off to maybe 30 minutes in the morning. Not enough at all.

If you are like me and need a little incentive, consider this it. Let’s get back at it. It’s time to focus on nutritious foods, be conscious of how much and how often we eat, and get moving with at least an hour of exercise a day. We got this. 

Standard reporter Lisa Hobbs can be reached at 473-2191.