“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” H.G. Wells
I like this quote because it reminds me that when I mess up, I still have a chance to fix things. And it really hit home for me because I had “fallen down” – as far as food choices, exercise, and blood glucose levels go -when I was away from home this summer and earlier this year. When I thought about my “falling down” experience(s) I realized I was in vacation mode most of those times, and other times stress definitely played a role.
I think that, within reason, it’s ok to take a break on occasion: relax my eating habits, check my blood glucose less frequently, exercise less intensively, but still take insulin. For me, the important thing is to find a balance between such a “break” and still feeling good and having energy.
Earlier this month I learned an interesting trick: using “triggers.” I can teach myself to keep up healthy choices/habits when I’m not in my usual routine, by establishing triggers.
One thing I find challenging is consistently making healthy food choices in restaurants. Maybe I could say, “When I’m in a restaurant, I will think about healthy choices as soon as I pick up the menu.” So picking up the menu is the trigger. I can make it a little game or challenge for myself – to find a healthy choice on the menu.
Another challenge for me is getting to bed at a reasonable time. When I go to bed really late I want to sleep late in the morning, which leads to less time for exercise. Maybe my trigger could be a certain time. “When it’s 11:30 pm, I will go to bed.” This way, I can get up early enough to exercise and still do the things I want to do.
What are some triggers you use to help yourself maintain healthy habits while away from home?