I wasn’t looking for a book like this, but I’m glad I stumbled across it. The book is Healthy Habits Suck: How to Get Off the Couch and Live a Healthy Life…Even If You Don’t Want to by psychologist Dayna Lee-Baggley. The cover is what got me initially. It made me curious enough to look at the description and that did it. I bought the book and I started reading. It was a quick and enjoyable read. If you have set some resolutions for your health this year, whether it involves exercise or eating or maybe making sleep a priority in spite of a busy schedule, this book has a lot to offer to increase your likelihood of success. There are no guilt trips in this book. In fact, the author flat out tells you that sometimes you just choose to take a hit and eat the thing you are trying not to eat. In her case, as a vegetarian, she says when she eats at someone’s house, she doesn’t say anything about her preferred eating and eats what is offered, meat included. And sometimes, when you just can’t manage to stick entirely to your goal, you do something that’s just a little bit better than what you used to do; you’re still moving in the right direction that way. This author understands and explains why it is that it’s always more of an effort to do the healthy things than it is to do the pleasurable things and why a cookie is always going to be more appealing than broccoli. Once you also understand, you will be able to stop beating yourself up when you slip because you’ll realize you did what your body believed was most helpful for your survival.
A piece that I think is particularly powerful in this book is how she helps readers to connect their values. If you have a good understanding of your foundation values and how they relate to your healthy intentions, you will have much deeper motivation for working toward those goals even when it’s hard.
So, no matter where you are on the whole New Year’s resolutions things, whether you never make them, whether you made some and have already slipped or given up, or whether you are going strong, consider reading this book for some motivation and some really helpful information.
