8 Bad Habits And Their Fix

These are the things we neglect, they look like they don't matter but they do and improving them will go a long way to positively affecting our daily lives and health. Here is how to kick them out for good.

1. Using fast food to quench hunger cravings

I know, at times you get back from work or class and you are so tired that you can't cook, snack would be a good option right? NO, it will only hold your stomach for some period of time and make you crave more. 

Side effect: Most of them contain unhealthy sugars and fat that can seriously affect your health negatively. These sugars and fat goes down to your waist line and store between your internal organs like stomach and intestine, causing visceral fats.

The fix: Have a meal timetable. Prepare extra food and keep in a warmer or get someone to cook your meal before you get back.

2. Staying up all night 

Staying up at night to finish a project once a while is okay but making it a habit can be bad for your immune system, it can also make you stress eat to compensate for the stress building up in your body due to lack of sleep.

Side effect: It can make you stress eat to compensate for the stress building up in your body due to lack of sleep. And you end up eating more calories than your body can burn, as a result lead to weight gain.

The fix: Have a to-do list that contains all you have to do during the day, so you won’t be rushing up at night or staying up all night, so by evening you will have less to get done and you can sleep earlier.

3. Using plastic containers 

Preserving foods by keeping them in plastic container seeming looks like the best way but it has negative effects on our health.

Side effect: Plastic container contain a chemical called BPA that is one of the leading causes of cancer, sorry for spoiling you best method of preserving food.

The fix: Use a stainless container or best still a ceramic container and keep in a cool and dry place.

4. Eating too quickly
You don't have time to sit down and have a proper lunch or dinner, so you eat in a hurry.

Side effects: Your rushed eating habits can cause acid reflux, bloating and excess gas. "It takes your brain 20 minutes to get the message from your stomach that you're full," says Tsang. So if you inhale your food on a regular basis, chances are you're packing on extra pounds, too.

The fix: Make an effort to really taste what you're eating and appreciate the flavours. Physically take yourself away from your desk to eat lunch, and give yourself at least 20 minutes to enjoy it. To slow down, chew slowly and pause between mouthfuls.

5. Falling asleep on the couch
After a busy day, falling asleep in front of the TV can be tempting.

Side effects: The best rest comes from sleep that is uninterrupted for seven to eight hours, and is in a dark, quiet place. Regularly drifting off on the couch with a TV in the background, then moving to your bed, keeps you from getting a solid block of Z's. It can also throw off your hormones and metabolism, leading to weight gain and an immune system that is less able to ward off disease. A study done at Laval University in Quebec City found that people who did not sleep soundly for seven to eight hours a night had reduced levels of the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and lets your brain know when you're full.

The fix: To get uninterrupted sleep, turn off the TV one hour before you head to bed, and give yourself some downtime: talk about the day with your family, listen to music or go for a walk with your spouse.

6. Skipping breakfast

Time is tight in the morning, and grabbing a tea for breakfast seems the only option.

Side effects: If you skip breakfast your system will slow down to conserve energy and store calories; this will affect your metabolism and your ability to concentrate. You'll likely overcompensate by eating more at lunch. What's more, studies show that breakfast-skippers are more likely to be not just overweight, but obese.

The fix: Eat within two hours of waking up. The key to a proper breakfast is balancing protein, fat and carbohydrates. Sound complicated? It's not. Pack a breakfast such as whole grain bread with low-fat cheese to eat once you arrive at the office. Some whole grain cereal or oatmeal waffles will also do the trick.

7. Poor posture
You slouch without thinking about it, because it's more comfortable than sitting or standing upright.

Side effects: Sitting in a slouched position for more than an hour can give you a tension headache, says Rhonda Kirkwood, a chiropractor in Halifax. Your head weighs about 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) and if it's not squarely above your shoulders, your neck muscles get overworked. That's what causes painful tension headaches.

The fix: The key is switching your position. Shift your weight, lean back and even cross your legs. Then switch to sitting in a proper "back-friendly" position – shoulders back, chin tucked in and elbows relaxed at 90 degrees. Your forearms should be supported by arm-rests as you work. Use work-related activities – such as getting an e-mail or phone call – as a cue that it's time to change positions.

8. Nail biting
Repeated nail-biting is often a subconscious response to stress, giving the brain something material to focus on.

Side effects: Because germs are transferred directly from your mouth to your nails, you risk causing inflammation and infection to your nail bed as you chew. In extreme cases, the nail bed is permanently damaged. Nail-biting can cause trouble for your teeth as well: A study in the American journal General Dentistry found that nail-biters may be at higher risk for bruxism – clenching of the jaw that can cause facial pain, headaches, tooth sensitivity, recessed gums and tooth loss.

The fix: Keep a nail file handy at all times – in your purse, beside your bed, in the car and at the office. Every time you get the urge to bite, file instead. If that fails, apply a bad-tasting nail polish. Such products, made to help people curb the habit, can be found at pharmacies.

After reading this, which of these have you decided to drop? Let hear your thoughts in the comment section.

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