Healthy Habits

I cannot drink water 

I don’t like it

Me: What if cold water? 

Him: yup, still water doc

Me thinking of ways to encourage more water intake

I had a poster on benefits of water nicely positioned in the room 

Me: *me hinting at said poster*

We talk benefits and how to start the habit

He: doc

Me: I have an alternative or other things we can try

Him: I’m listening

Me: eating fruits is a way to get hydrated

grinning … see last time he didn’t want to do fruits as he is not a “fruit person”

I continued

Watermelon, cucumber , citruses 

Him: nicely played doc

I’ll try some fruits this week

Me: try automating purchasing fresh fruits and veggies weekly and eat it a few times a day … say before you watch a funny TikTok video

Him: doc how do you know?

Me: well it’s one of the ways I’m stacking my habits … I guessed on TikTok but mine is instagram at times. 

Him: explain

Me: well I reward myself for doing a healthy habit by stacking it on something I do already as a habit. I watch instagram videos sometimes to laugh … before that I’ll send a voice note to check on someone before I watch it. That way I am reinforcing a new habit. By rewarding myself I increase the change of making a new habit- checking in on others frequently!

Him: sounds complicated doc but I’ll try it

Me: let’s stick to you eating one fruit in the morning at 8am and we’ll go from there

Him: sounds like a plan

Conversations continue!

-Dr. Olabintan

Pic: see pic with said poster

Author

Dr. Tolulope Olabintan MD, AAHIVS, FAAFP, dipABLM Dr. Tolulope Olabintan is the Co-Founder and Medical Director of Livingspring Family Medical Center. She is a Christian, Family Physician, writer, mentor, mother and wife. She takes joy in empowering her patients and readers to live their fullest lives possible. She helps patients live long and well as she believes that the quality of life is just as important as the quantity of life. She is also a foodie and loves the colors teal and orange. Dr. Olabintan completed her medical degree at UMDNJ Rutgers Medical School in 2007. Dr. O went on to finish her Family Medicine Residency from Albert Einstein College of Medicine Family Medicine residency where she also served as a Chief Resident. She then went on to complete a women’s health/surgical obstetrics fellowship at St Francis hospital in 2011. She is a board-certified Family Physician, Lifestyle Medicine, a HIV specialist and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.