I was raised on Hamburger Helper and Rice-a-Roni. Spaghetti-O’s, condensed soups, microwave dinners, and ramen were staples, as were ice cream, soda, cookies, and chips. My family ate the standard American diet, and exercised next to never.
My parents had long commutes and demanding jobs. We were out the door to school and work by 6:45 a.m. By the time we got home around 6:30 p.m., we had to rush to whip up some processed food, do the dishes, and wind down with some TV before getting ready for bed.
We didn’t discuss healthy habits much, except when my mom and I were “dieting.” Maybe we were too tired. Maybe we thought there was no time. Maybe we weren’t really all that motivated. We were comfortable.
And that’s really what we’re talking about, isn’t it? Breaking out of our comfort zones. Challenging ourselves to do better.
I continued my childhood habits into adulthood, as most people do. A psychologist friend once told me we all carry our “family of origin” with us. Breaking those ingrained habits, both physical and emotional, takes a lot of work, a lot of self-awareness — and a lot of practice.
Practice, practice, practice. The old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” I don’t believe that. I’ve been practicing healthier habits for years now, but I still slide backwards at times. I know better, though, and feel it sharply when I’m slipping. I may willfully take the plunge anyway, but I find it easier to get back into good habits. “When you know better, you do better,” Maya Angelou said.
We might not reach perfection, but yes, it does get easier with practice.
You know what else makes it easier? Surrounding ourselves with friends who are also living a healthy lifestyle. A 2007 study found a direct correlation between the weight and health of individuals and those they considered friends, even if the friends were hundreds of miles away! A person was much more likely to practice healthy habits if their friends did, and the opposite was also true.
Together, following best practices, we can break these deep-seated habits. It is possible to grow beyond your family of origin.
How do your origins affect your lifestyle today? What helps you on your journey to break unhealthy habits? Please share your insight in the comments!
