Have you wanted to adopt a healthier lifestyle, but lack the willpower and motivation? Gain inspiration and learn tips to break bad habits from the following celebrities who’ve successfully beaten their own risky behaviors!
Smoking
Smoking is a bad habit that’s difficult to break because users are addicted both physically and mentally. Since it’s a leading cause of lung cancer, heart attack and stroke, it’s worth the effort to kick the habit. Nicotine is the substance in tobacco products that makes it so hard to quit.
Gradually cutting back on nicotine exposure, is one way to deal with physical cravings. Products that allow users to measure and reduce the amount of nicotine that they are using, such as nicotine patches and gums can help users stop smoking.
President Barack Obama was often seen chewing nicotine based gums during his campaign in an effort to stop smoking. Others have turned to counseling, and even hypnosis to help them quit.
One major drawback to these forms of abstinence is that they don’t address the comfort and psychological satisfaction that smokers feel from placing a cigarette into their mouths. Over the past few years, several celebrities have turned to vaping to address this urge.
Vaping is popular because it satisfies both the physical and psychological urges that accompany tobacco addiction. Electronic cigarettes typically feature ejuice containing different levels of nicotine in liquid form. Smokers slowly cut back while satisfying the oral craving that tempts so many to light up again.
Movie star Lindsay Lohan made big news when photos of her vaping were released in Extra in 2011. Since then, stars that have turned to vaping to help them cut back and ultimately quit smoking include Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl, who struggled to quit when she became a mother. Catherine Zeta-Jones quit smoking in 2013 after turning to e-cigarettes. Singers Charlotte Church and Katy Perry have credited vaping with enabling them to kick the smoking habit for good! Even actor and director Leonardo DiCaprio has been seen vaping in public!
Eating Disorders
According to overweight and obesity statistics from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, over two-thirds of all U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. Overeating is one of the most common eating disorders, but it’s not the only bad habit with harmful consequences.
Just as overeating can damage the body and lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, other eating disorders can be equally damaging to organs and systems in the body. For example, anorexia nervosa and bulimia are disorders where sufferers take extreme steps to control their weight. Some sufferers lose their lives because of chronic dehydration and starvation.
Many stars have been very public about their struggles with eating disorders. Media personality Oprah Winfrey has been very open about her decades long struggle with overeating. Earlier this year, Winfrey credited following a balanced diet crafted by Weight Watchers for her recent 42-pound weight loss.
Award winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morisette has struggled with anorexia, but credits therapy and mindfulness with helping her to learn to love her body and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Actor and comedian Russell Brand has spoken publicly about his struggles with bulimia and substance abuse. He credits adopting veganism with helping him break the endless cycle of self-abuse, and is now active in raising money for addiction treatment centers.
Substance Abuse
Many stars turn to excessive drinking and drug use to cope with the public scrutiny that comes with being rich and famous. Singers Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston all lost their lives at an early age due to their inability to break free from their addictions.
Despite these tragedies, a several stars have successfully entered recovery. Brian Welch, a co-founder of heavy metal rock group Korn, used the tenants of his faith to help him break free from addictions to alcohol, Xanax and sleeping pills in 2005. Aerosmith lead singer Steve Tyler, went to drug rehab in 1986 to conquer drug addiction. Singer Eric Clapton also turned to a treatment center to recover from heroin addiction.
Star Demi Lovato is one of many who struggle with co-occurring bad habits of addiction and an eating disorder. Levato credits a focus on living a healthier lifestyle and using exercise to improve her overall fitness to help her cope with the temptation to slide back into unhealthy eating habits and substance abuse.
Recovery from any bad habit is a process, a way of living, rather than a final destination. There are bound to be missteps along the way, but don’t give up! Being patient with yourself, and taking things one day at a time can help you in your quest to break your bad habits.