Strength needed for positive lifestyle changes

I have never considered myself a "crispy skin youngster" or thought of myself as weak physically. I work out daily even when I get a cold or sprain my ankle. Ice cream is a staple in my diet all year around and is a must after a spicy hotpot feast.

But after turning 30 last year, I began feeling signs of aging, or cracks in my iron crust.

The most tangible change lies in my sleep quality. I used to sleep like a log. On weekends, I could sleep for more than 15 hours a day to make up for all-nighters I pulled on weekdays to meet assignment deadlines and feel refreshed on Monday.

But these days, I find it hard to fall asleep even when I'm exhausted. I can wake up as many as five times a night and often have disturbing or scary dreams.

Lack of sleep gives me more than dark circles under my eyes, but also skin breakouts, drowsiness at work and difficulties in focusing on tasks.

Years of bad dietary habits — eating super-fast, skipping breakfast and regularly snacking at midnight — are also taking a toll on my health. A traditional Chinese medicine specialist said two years ago that I had polyps on my intestines.

As a result, my New Year's resolution for 2024 is to quit snacking before bedtime and go to bed before midnight.

I stuck to the goal for two days but faltered on the third day, falling prey to a bag of potato chips, a bar of milk chocolate and several slices of white bread at 1:30 in the morning. Since then, I have not pressed the restart button.

Reflecting on the moment I failed myself, I think I just let myself go too easily. I was telling myself: "You are still young. Your health is not in a crisis. Some potato chips will not hurt. Potato is a great source of starch."

In the meantime, I was intimidated by the prospect of no late-night snacks for the rest of my life. How could I do away with such a guilty pleasure after a long day of hard work or a good workout in the evening?

But I have come to terms with myself and decided to take baby steps, such as grabbing a bottle of sugar-free iced tea rather than a can of Coke at the convenience store.

The conventional wisdom is that developing a new habit can take from a few weeks to several months. For me, the fostering of a healthy lifestyle could be years in the making, but I am glad I've realized the necessity to make a change in my early 30s.