Summary of Habit Change

At the beginning of this semester, I decided on a habit I was willing to change for the duration of the semester.  I chose to give up eating desserts and sweets. 


How did you select the behavior you were willing to change?
I wanted to give up a behavior that would be beneficial in the long run. I am very self conscious of my body figure, and I am working towards weight loss goals. Giving up sweets would help cut unnecessary calories out of my diet and help achieve my goals. Giving up this habit would also help me to become more healthy overall. 

How easy or difficult was it to abstain from engaging in that behavior?
Some days were much harder than others and some days were a breeze. I was doing very well for the majority of the semester, but I did have my relapses. I am currently back on the right path, and I am more motivated than ever now. Beach season is right around the corner, and I intend to shed the pounds that I want to. 

Did you have any help/support?  If so, from who?  Did that make (or would it have made) a difference in your success?
I had great support from my best friend Seth who was with me every step of the way. At school, we eat almost every meal together, and he would make sure I did not grab any desserts after my meal. Some of my other friends here at school were also very helpful. However, when I was at home, my boyfriend and family were not as helpful. They would offer me desserts because they forgot that I gave them up or would want to go out to eat to places like Rita's. When I was home, it was very hard to avoid sweets, especially around Easter time. I will need to work on this for the summer and make sure these individuals are more supportive of my goal and push me to succeed. 

What were some things you learned about yourself through this assignment?
I learned that I do not have as much self control as I had previously thought. However, if I am motived to achieve something, I will do it. I have also learned that my friends are a great support system.

How does your experience connect to information you have learned through assigned readings and in-class discussions?
After participating in this experience, I better understand what am addict experiences. I believe it would be extremely hard for an addict to change their behavior. I could not make it a whole semester with out dessert, and I would not consider than any where close to addiction. I just really like certain desserts. An addiction affects an individual physically and mentally. It is an extreme dependency. It is clear, even in the case of my habit change, that people, places, and things can act as huge triggers. Knowing what triggers to avoid would be beneficial to someone who is trying to change a behavior. I absolutely believe that habits can be broken. With enough support and determination, it can be done. I do not think addictions can be cured. I believe that an individual will always be addicted to their addiction. However, individuals can stop their addiction behaviors. Like habits, addictions can be broken but the addictive tendencies and feeling will always be present.