Change #2: Fighting the Sweet Tooth

Overcome a bad habit.

Everyone has at least one thing they'd like to give up or change. My current goal is to go an entire month without any dessert. I can go without alcohol or caffeine anyday (although beer has been my friend lately), but not having dessert is a daily struggle. I've been thinking about sweets a lot today, but am not letting myself give in. I'm on day four without dessert, which is a big deal for me. I think eating dessert occasionally is fine, but currently I eat it at least once a day. Some things I've been doing to help myself are to:

1.)Replace the habit with something new. Instead of eating cake or ice cream (or both), now I eat a small serving of fruit or a smoothie.

2.)When you feel like giving in, remind yourself of the benefits of changing the habit. For me that means having an increase in energy, saving money, not feeling overstuffed, fitting back into my jeans, and improving my self confidence.

3.) Make a list of the benefits. I didn't realize the importance of this until I was writing out number 2! There's something about the act of writing (or typing) and seeing a visual of your thoughts.

4.) Keep it simple. This means tackling one goal at a time. I want to start drinking more water; I want to eat more meals throughout the day but with smaller portion sizes; I want to eat with the seasons. The list could go on and on. I know I can accomplish these because I've already been Vegan for 3 years and even cut out almost all processed foods over the last year. Once I've steered clear of dessert for a while, only then will I move on to another change.

5.) Don't be too hard on yourself. If you happen to give in one day don't give up the entire goal! Remind yourself of all the days you overcame your cravings and continue on the next day.

So what habit will you break today?