Unhealthy habits, we all have 'em. Eating too much, exercising too little, spending too much, saving too little, the list goes on. When it comes to your health and meeting goals for weight loss and fitness, some of the biggest obstacles standing in your way could be some the things you do everyday without even thinking: your unhealthy habits.

Habits aren't easily broken, but many of the methods for getting rid of them are the same across the board, regardless of what your specific vices are. Here are the most proven and effective methods for breaking unwanted habits:

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What's your bad habit? Biting your nails? Emotional eating? Lying to your doctor? For me, it's eating at night when I finally have some down-time. Luckily for me (and you), Prevention has put together this guide to how quit your bad habits. Here's some advice for you late-night snackers out there:

• Stay away from the TV. Far away. You eat more when your watching the tube, so do something else -- read a book, do a crossword puzzle, fold laundry or write in your journal.
  
• If you're going to snack, snack well. Choose apples over chips.
• Brush your teeth a couple of hours before bed -- it will keep for reaching for the bonbons
• And if all else fails, start going to bed earlier.
  

How did you break a bad habit?

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Eating on the couch is one of the worst habits you can have if you're trying to be healthy, so when I saw this "Sofa Hanger" my first thought was along the lines of 'what not to do.' But in truth there are lots of ways this could actually help, instead of hurt, your 'be healthy' efforts. If you have one you might be more likely to keep a glass of water at hand while you read a book or relax with friends (hydration is important!), or (like in the picture) having healthy snacks can be a good thing by helping you avoid hunger pangs and binges later.

This could be one of those "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" situations -- just make sure you join 'em on your own terms!


Via Diet Blog

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New research from New Zealand brings bad news for pot smokers. A recent study of 25-49 year-olds found that those who don't smoke cigarettes, but do smoke marijuana, still reported wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and phlegm.

In fact, because pot smokers generally inhale more deeply, forgo filters, and smoke to a shorter butt length, it's estimated that their habit is even more damaging than those who use nicotine -- with every joint doing the same amount of damage as up to 5 cigarettes.

However, it's not all bad news for marijuana enthusiasts. The study also found that users of the drug were significantly less likely to develop emphysema than their cigarette smoking counterparts (presumably because pot smokers tend to light up less frequently).

All of that aside, it's worth noting that the best thing for your health would be to avoid smoking anything -- marijuana or otherwise.

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What's your New Year's resolution? If it's to quit smoking, lose weight, get fit, spend more time with friends and family, get out of debt, get organized or quit drinking, you're not alone. These are among the 10 most popular New Years resolutions and they're the reason that health clubs, weight loss companies and anti-smoking plans see a huge soar in profits in January. But promising to do too much too soon may not be the best idea -- too much change can be overwhelming and with the added stress, you'll be back to your old habits in no time. So try to set manageable goals that you can easily achieve -- once you're there, you can always raise the bar at bit at a time and eventually you'll have made big progress. And why wait until January 1 to make a change? Maybe we should have new season, new month, or even new week resolutions. Taking small steps to reach our goals will have the most promising results.

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There was a time when your unhealthy habits were your own business. Those days are gone, I suppose, as demonstrated by this story, which was originally posted on our sister site, Blogging Baby. The story is about an English couple who were told that they could not adopt until the husband gave up smoking and provided a Doctor's letter to prove it. The husband claims that he only smokes in the garden shed, but apparently that is not sufficient and he must give up his20-cigarette a day habit within 6 months. The couple are heartbroken and, after many years of fertility treatments, frustrated as well. I don't blame them.

It doesn't seem fair, does it? They could be great parents, but one unhealthy habit has come between them and their desire for a family. It's also a bit scary that your health can be used against you to determine whether you're a suitable parent or not.

What do you think?

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Yesterday was the Great American Smokeout, and so today there's probably a lot of smokers out there looking for help and inspiration to quit for good. There are so many options out there nowadays to help break the habit, how do you know where to start? Most ex-smokers, just over 91%, report going cold-turkey. It's interesting, though, that although most people do it this way doctors only estimate it has a 10% success rate. Unfortunately, it rarely "takes" on the first attempt.

On the other end of the spectrum, the most successful but rarely used method would be a combination of medicines and counseling/support programs. It's estimated at over 40% successful. So why don't people try this more often? Experts speculate it could be because people don't want to spend the money, don't want to take medication, or just don't understand how strong the nicotine addiction is.

The bad news? There is no one answer for someone looking to quit the habit and it's probably going to take a lot of experimentation to find the right mix for you personally. The good news? There are so many options out there you're bound to find something that works, if you stick it out.

Good luck!

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