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Healthy habit disrupter
WELL + BEING written by BRANDY (BAXTER) STAYMAN REGISTERED DIETITIAN This year has been an overwhelming and stressful time for many as they have navigated the unknown waters of a global pandemic. That has translated into major disruptions for people’s healthy habits. Most of us have been affected in some way or another –
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Give yourself grace. We are all doing our best to survive and manage
through tough times. Avoid guilting yourself about overeating or not staying on track with exercise. Guilt can derail
parents having to work from home while helping children
motivation for change and take a toll on mental health.
through online school; adjusting to new schedules; or being
Instead, work on accepting where you are and focus on
laid off from work, to name a few examples. It’s no wonder
taking steps forward.
we might have stopped some of our good habits or not put
there are things we can do to help get our health back in
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order and leave the year healthier than we came into it.
pecting to go from couch potato to marathoner overnight,
In turn, refocusing on our good habits will provide many
choose a few goals you are confident you can accomplish.
benefits: better quality of life, better stress management
Once those become habits, focus on a few new ones. That
and improved immune systems, all of which are important
will cause changes to enhance your life and not stress you
during these times.
out with unattainable expectations.
a lot of energy into forming healthier ones. As we move forward into the last few months of 2020,
Pick one to three specific, attainable changes to make.
Rather than going on an extremely restrictive diet or ex-
