Ideas?
Anyone have a good idea on how I can remember to take my pills on a daily basis? I've tried setting an alarm but I tend to turn the alarm off and promptly forget to take my pills. Leaving bottles in plain sight doesn't work because my roomie is afraid of bottles being knocked over by curious cats and eaten by her dogs.....besides, if I see it on the counter every day I stop noticing that they are there (well, that and it looks terrible)!
I just bought a am/pm pill box that holds a weeks worth of pills....but it makes me feel incredibly old having that thing hanging around!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I have gotten rather bad with taking essential meds on any sort of regularity.
Also....need suggestions on breaking an incredibly bad sugar addiction. Has anything worked for anyone? I have absolutely zero will power.
I just bought a am/pm pill box that holds a weeks worth of pills....but it makes me feel incredibly old having that thing hanging around!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I have gotten rather bad with taking essential meds on any sort of regularity.
Also....need suggestions on breaking an incredibly bad sugar addiction. Has anything worked for anyone? I have absolutely zero will power.
Lots of people use pill-keepers, not just old folks. I usually keep my pills in the bottom corner of the spice rack since it's hanging right next to my spot at the table. Since I have to take it with meals, this is handy. I usually remember on my own, but if not, chances are I'm going to need to reach for the salt and see it there.
ReplyDeleteTry laying your pill-keeper right next to your cell phone, since you tend to have your cell-phone with you all the time. If you honestly still can't remember then at this point, just keep reminding yourself of the gigantic hospital bill you'll be paying if you end up there as a result of forgetting your meds! :P
As for sugar, guilt-trip yourself. It works great. And if you do give in and have a bit of it, then consider yourself satisfied and continue the day under your regular diet. The biggest mistake you can make is saying, "Well, I had sugar and ruined my diet for the day...might as well have another slice of cake and that bag of chips as well!"
Hey Shawna,
ReplyDeleteI'm bad at remembering to take my pills until it becomes a habit (which sucks when you're taking birth control). Pill remembering tips:
-- Attach pill-taking with something you do every single day. Example: I keep my pills by my toothbrush.
-- Also, I keep a glass of water in the bathroom so I don't get distracted on my way to find a glass and forget to come back and take the pill.
-- Take the pill the minute you think about it, even if it's inconvenient. It seems my brain checks "take your pill" off its to-do list as soon as it reminds me the first reminder. If I don't act on that reminder, I don't usually remember again.
Now, the sugar is a whole other beast. More and more I am relying on AA-esque techniques.
-- Every time you cheat on your goal, tell someone. Be accountable. It needs to be someone who won't justify the mistake, but also who won't police you. (I talk to Yancy and my mom.)
-- I totally agree with Miya: My worst days are when a little slip early in the day becomes justification for giving up. A mistake is not a relapse.
-- Sometimes when it's hard, it helps me to remember that the hard moments are most important. Not eating sugar when it doesn't sound good is not making progress; it's facing the craving and not giving in that moves you forward.
-- Get busy with something else (not food). This is the only way to actually get rid of the craving for me. If I'm at work, I'll give myself a goal. Example: I'll go get a acme treat to satisfy my craving but not until I finish editing this handbook. Usually by the time I finish what I'm working on, the craving has abated. If I'm still craving, then I figure I've earned something.
-- Stop the cycle! Not your cycle, but hte sugar cycle. It's easier not to crave than to ignore a craving. If I can eat a low sugar, low carb breakfast, being good all day is so much easier. You have to be really careful about what you eat though. Things often have more sugar and carbs than expected. I was getting horrible headaches after work, and I realized it was caused by a sugar spike from eating two fat free low-sugar yogurts and an apple as an afternoon snack. Just too many calories at once.
Finally, pray about both of these things. It helps so much. When you're craving sugar, pray for help. One of the best parts of praying in that situation is that you're reminded of the best motives for leaving sugar behind -- not just weight, looks, etc. -- and they are so much more powerful. The atonement has power over all our infirmities, even lack of self discipline.
Thanks for asking this question. It was really good for me to review all this for myself.