Road to Bad Habits ~ My Column from Sunday

I stepped on the scales this morning for the first time in a week. The dial twisted and twitched before settling on an unfamiliar number.

I stepped off the scales and reached for my glasses. When I stepped back on, it wound around and still pointed to the first number I’d seen. I stooped over to make sure I was reading the dial correctly. 

I instinctively tapped the little window with my index finger to make sure the needle wasn’t stuck…it wasn’t. The little dial announced to the world, or at least anyone standing close to me, that I’d gained three pounds. 

I thought back over the last few weeks since I last stepped on the contraption and it occurred to me that I’d changed my routines.

I’ve had doctor’s appointments, meetings in town, and a few gatherings with friends. This change in routine altered my daily regimen. 

Instead of taking a brisk walk in the morning, I skipped them. Also, I normally have one of Jilda’s special blueberry protein shakes for breakfast, which is filling and scrumptious. But several times in the last few weeks, I’ve grabbed breakfast at Mickey D’s.

And instead of enjoying healthy meals at home as I do most of the time, I ate out. 

As I mentally dug a little deeper, I remembered my weekly Master Gardener’s class. 

Each Monday morning when I arrive, the treat table is laden with all kinds of goodies. 

Sure there are some veggies, and some other healthy choices on the table, but do I opt for them? No. I dive into the doughnuts, brownies, apple spice cake, and sausage balls.

Upon reflection, I’m betting my jeans aren’t the only ones getting tight in that class, but who am I to judge.

I made up my mind today to get back on the wagon. After all, spring has finally arrived, as is evident by the pollen on my truck that’s deep enough on the hood to plant potatoes.

I intend to refocus on my good habits, which include: walking, drinking plenty of water, and eating right most of the time. Doing these things is what helped me maintain my boyish figure through the years. 

As I typed today, I remembered a motivational book on tape that I listened to years ago by Jim Rohn. It’s entitled The Art of Exceptional Living, and even though the book was written back in the ‘80s, it is full of wisdom that’s still valid in my life. 

One thing that hit home today is what he said about habits. 

“Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.”

The good news is that the reverse is also true. Making the right choices, using good judgment, and forming good habits can change your life for the better.

In looking back, it’s easy to see where I drifted too far from the shore, as the old gospel song goes.

It’s time to put on my big-boy underoos and get things back on track in my life.