Mindful of unhealthy habits
From nail-biting to overeating, mental approach key
 |  A manicurist works on Karp -- a treat unthinkable months ago, when his fingernails were bitten to the nub. |
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 CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at how participants in the "New You Revolution" program are faring as they try to break unhealthy habits. (February 15)
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(CNN) -- Jonathan Karp's fingernails, mangled and minuscule from years of biting, have never been worthy of a special treat -- until now.
The New Jersey resident began the year, and CNN's "New You Revolution," intent on ending his nail-biting habit by the time his fiancée slipped a wedding ring on his finger. Halfway through the eight-week program, he has already seen marked progress. (Profile)
"I've stopped biting, so now I don't even want to start up again," Karp said during one of his daily, videotaped journal entries last week. "That's my major motivation."
Just before Valentine's Day, he and his fiancée, Erika, enjoyed a manicure -- an indulgence that would have been impossible as recently as a month ago, when some of his fingernails were barely visible.
Besides keeping the video journal and keeping a nail file on him at all times, Karp has tried a host of alternative therapies to address his longstanding habit. (Karp's journal)
A recent acupuncture treatment left him more relaxed, he said, but Karp said twice-a-week appointments did not fit into his schedule.
His next treatment: hynotherapy. Hypnotherapist George Bien explained this option aimed to change Karp's largely subconscious tendency to bite his nails.
"What this does is, it helps create a different reflex," Bien said of hypnotherapy. "It trains the brain, virtually instantly."
But Karp was skeptical about his session, saying he was "uncomfortable the whole time."
Otherwise, he remained optimistic, saying he was about 80 percent to his goal. (E-mail Karp)
"The first time I have to clip my nails with a clipper, and I'm like, 'Wow, they're getting too long' -- that, I think, will be the day [to] drink some champagne," Karp said.
Leigh Ann Raynor
Six weeks ago, the Rev. Leigh Ann Raynor frequently feasted on fast food -- and little else. (Profile)
Besides convenience, Raynor's lack of expertise in the kitchen hindered efforts to curb her unhealthy eating habits. That has started to change, thanks to regular cooking classes that emphasized nutrition and expediency.
Ann Pittman, a food editor at Cooking Light magazine, recently showed Raynor a simple way to make lean beef tenderloin.
"I think even I can manage this," said Raynor, who lives in Thomasville, Georgia. (Raynor's journal)
The cooking tips have expanded Raynor's culinary repertoire -- from practically nothing before the "New You Revolution" began, to five new meals that she can make within 20 minutes. (E-mail Raynor)
Harald Fricker
Harald Fricker's expanding waistline in recent years stemmed from a love of food -- something his love of exercise, including regular morning runs, could not overcome. (Profile)
One of the first things his trainer, Joel Weinstein, did when the "New You Revolution" began was clear Fricker's refrigerator of fattening and other all-too-tempting but unhealthy foods and drinks. (Fricker's journal)
That hands-on approach has trickled down to the Colorado resident's diet. His lunch at work, for instance, has gotten leaner -- a turkey sandwich, for instance.
 Sandra Garth has lowered her calories by cooking leaner versions of her favorite meals. | |
Fricker is still eating regularly -- five small meals and 2,000 calories a day. But he's doing it smarter and taking part in a diverse exercise routine. The efforts have paid off: He's lost 15 pounds in the "New You" program's first four weeks. (E-mail Fricker)
Sandra Garth
Food also has very much been on Sandra Garth's mind lately. But recently, her problem isn't eating healthy -- it's eating enough. (E-mail Garth)
Garth began the "New You" program intent on shedding weight and improving her fitness by the time her son and daughter-in-law returned from serving in the U.S. military in Iraq. (Profile)
The Michigan resident has made significant strides toward her goal. The results can be glimpsed by examining her refrigerator, now full of healthy foods, and her diet, which consists of leaner versions of foods she has long enjoyed. (Garth's journal)
In recent weeks, Garth sometimes has had trouble eating 1,000 calories a day -- short of the at least 1,200 calories her nutritionist recommends. Eating too little, experts say, could slow down her metabolism and undermine her long-term goals.
