(ThySistas.com) Getting out of bad habits can take a long time to get your head around. If you have a problem eating too much sugar, then the withdrawal symptoms can feel pretty dire! What a lot of experts talk about is making some sensible swaps, so you don’t feel like you’re going without. The reason a lot of people start a diet and end up falling off the wagon is that they feel like they are depriving their body, and who can blame them?! Going hungry is horrible. But if you make some sensible swaps in your diet and habits, you don’t feel like you’re going without, and you can begin to make healthy changes in your life.
Swap #1: Cigarettes For E-Cigarettes
We all know that smoking is terrible for us, yet we still smoke up to 50 a day! It’s not my place to tell someone they need to give up 
smoking, but you can make a change and use e-cigarettes. They still provide you with that hit of nicotine, but without all the chemicals and tar! The great thing about e-cigarettes is that many brands, such as Lizard Juice, can be loaded with a certain amount of nicotine so you can make that gradual change down to giving up completely. There are a lot of concerns about e-cigarettes, but for the most part, they are unfounded and comparing them to cigarettes, they are a far healthier option!
Swap #2: Carbs For Vegetables And Pulses
People love their pasta, but the reason that we gain weight is that carbs are turned into sugar in our body, which, when it goes unused, becomes fat. So we gain weight. There are many diets you can see online that promote a really small amount of carbs, approximately 50 grams per day (which is the equivalent of a small portion of rice) and it is difficult at the start because your body craves the carbs. The first trick to beat this is to eat your carbs at night, a couple of hours before bedtime, so your body will use it efficiently the next day. The second trick is to eat a complex carb, one that has a low glycemic index, like sweet potato or quinoa, because it will keep you feeling fuller for longer. The third trick is to make substitutes for your normal carbs. So if you love spaghetti, a very popular method for making this swap to a low-carb substitute is to prepare spaghetti out of vegetables, such as courgettes or squash.
Swap #3: Walk Somewhere
Instead of catching the bus, which makes you sedentary and will cause a lot of chronic health conditions later in life, walk somewhere! You will get a small dose of cardio exercise, and you will be doing your heart a favor. It is a lot easier to take public transport instead of walking, so by changing this habit and walking to the shops if they are nearby will be a great change. And you will get out in the open and increase your oxygen intake, which is a very simple way to fight small infections and colds.
Staff Writer; Shelia Hall