How to stay healthy:

When life kicks you in the teeth

Everyone knows that the quickest route to a nightly splurging of all that is bad for us is a breakup. Or a lost job. A family crisis can do it too. Point is, when things start to stink, we tend to respond with bad habits rather than the healthy ones that help us feel our best. Not only does this work against us in the long run, it actually keeps us blue longer by lowering the endorphins we get from a good diet, solid workout routine and regular sleep. So instead of heading to the Exercise-Free Zone the next time life kicks you in the teeth, try these strategies for staying physically and mentally strong through tough times.

Exercise Your Willpower 'Muscle'

When we're stressed out, tired or sad, our willpower takes a nosedive. That's why it's so hard to resist the chocolate peanut butter cups after a long, hard day at work. The bad news is, you'll probably always hear the siren call of comforts like the couch, the television and the pantry when you feel this way. The good news is you can learn to resist it through repeated use of your willpower.

Stock a Healthy Cupboard

Fortunately there's no need to set yourself particularly difficult tasks. You can work your willpower muscles with easy things like trying to sit up straight or reducing the frequency with which you curse.

If you're having a hard time breaking a habit, put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time you find yourself engaging in that habit. Small, repetitious feats of willpower will help you become better at using good judgment when bigger tests arise.

Everyone goes for the low-hanging fruit, so it's best to keep low-hanging fruit out of your house. Think about it: You're a lot less likely to drown your sorrows in comfort food or liquor if you have to drive to the store to get it. When it's sitting in the fridge or the cupboard, on the other hand, all bets are off. Most of us don't have the wherewithal to resist such temptations when we're tired or sad, so keep them out of the house entirely.

An even better approach is to have substitutes on hand. If you're going through a tough enough time, you might just make that drive to the store. But if you have frozen bananas handy for a quick blended treat, you have a better chance of avoiding the trip. Sub in bread sticks for chips, fresh fruit for dried, and dark chocolate for the fattier milk version.

Put Exercise Within Easy Reach

With the possible exception of Lance Armstrong, no one climbs out of bed in the morning looking forward to a gruelling workout. Let's face it, exercise is hard to do and even harder to start. Your best bet, if you want to keep a regular routine going in the face of hardship, is to make exercise part of a routine that's easy to follow and harder to skip.

For instance, you could find a gym on the way to work, then put your exercise clothes on first thing in the morning ... or even sleep in them.

That way you have little excuse not to go first thing. Or you can keep resistance bands and a yoga ball in your bedroom so that you'll see them before you climb in bed at night or after you get up in the morning. Put your workouts within easy reach so that you don't have to decide to do it, you just have to do it.

Make a 'Lights Out' Rule

When you've got a broken heart, it's too easy to get lost in the bowels of the Internet researching 'cheating @#$%^&s' and 'getting over that jerk'. If someone's just died or your work is experiencing major upheaval, you might find reading a self-help book makes you feel better. And while by themselves these are healthy approaches to dealing with life's upsets, in the long run you'll feel worse if you lose sleep to them.

Instead of going to bed when you feel 'tired' (something your body isn't even good at judging when you're emotionally distressed), make a 'Lights Out' rule. Flip the switch at the same time each night. Don't put a lot of pressure on yourself to fall asleep right away. If you need to cry, think, talk to your partner or count sheep, go ahead. Just keep the lights off so that as soon as you're ready for shuteye, you'll get it.

Plan Your Response Ahead of Time

When something difficult happens, people are curious, and they want to try and help. No matter how well-meaning someone is, though, sometimes you just don't want to talk. Rehearse a short speech to help others understand what you're going through in a succinct way, or else to let them know you don't want to talk at all.

For example, if a co-worker asks what's up, you could respond, "So and so and I are no longer together, but I'm actually doing okay." If you can't face it at all, try something along the lines of, "Thanks for asking, but now isn't a good time to talk about it.

I'll let you know if I change my mind later though." Then smile to let them know that while you appreciate their kindness, the conversation is over. It's hard to keep our balance when the rug has been pulled out from under us. If you're going through a major life change, though, just remember that we've all been there. Having a hard time is normal, no matter how awful it feels to you.

Remind yourself that it will pass, and until it does, you do have the strength to stay healthy so that when the storm passes, you're even better off than before.

- Goweloveit