How to Create Healthy Habits That Actually Last
Another year means another opportunity to start fresh and make new goals for the year ahead.
But it also means a barrage of diets, detoxes, programs, and products selling quick fixes and secret solutions to your new year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, most of these don’t work or at the very least won’t create the long-lasting change you’re really looking for. After all, if diets, supplements, and detoxes worked, why would we need new ones every year?
So, here’s the bad news: There are no quick fixes to long-lasting health. But the good news is that there are simple, actionable steps you can take to finally reach those goals and make those new habits stick. Long-lasting behavior change is a process that will have its ups and downs, but all those baby-steps forward is how the progress happens. Ultimately, our health and well-being aren’t the result of a day, week, or month, but rather a lifetime of small choices. So, skip the fad diets and choose healthy habits that actually last (and are much more enjoyable, too).
Whether you want to add more vegetables to your diet, move more, try meditating, or sleep better, you can use these 6 tips to reach your goals.
1. Start Small
You want to exercise more? Eat more nourishing foods? These are great goals to aim for, but sooner rather than later you find yourself back in your usual rhythm with your goals as just aspirations rather than reality. The problem is that these goals are often too big or too general, which makes it harder to stay motivated and on track. Instead, start with specific and attainable goals that you can actually measure and achieve. If you want to exercise more, then try walking 10 minutes 5 days a week. Once you reach this goal and build confidence that you can do so, 10 minutes turns into 30 minutes, a walk turns into a run, and who knows, maybe that run will turn into a marathon.
2. Find Your Motivation
Unlocking what motivates you is key for reaching your goals. Take five minutes to think this one through and you’ll see a huge impact in the long run. For many, losing weight as the motivating factor isn’t going to sustain them. Dig deeper: Do you want more energy to do the things you love? Do you want to feel less stressed and happier? Do you want to set a positive example for your kids? Do you want to live longer so you can watch your grandchildren grow up? By focusing on what really motivates you, you can shift your mindset and prioritize your goals more easily.
3. Do It with Others
If you can, find a friend, coworker, significant other or community of like-minded individuals to keep you accountable, supported, and motivated. This may not be possible for everyone, but it can make a huge difference in how well you’re able to stick to your goals. If you make plans to go with your friend to spin class tomorrow, you’ll be less likely to skip out when your alarm goes off in the morning. If you want to start making more home-cooked meals, it will be a lot easier if your spouse is ready to get into the kitchen with you.
4. Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice
It’s not you, it’s your environment. We put too much responsibility on the individual and have high expectations for our willpower. Whether we realize it or not, the reality is that our choices and decisions are highly influenced by the world around us. The quantity and types of foods we have access to, the spaces we can use to exercise, and the patterns of our daily schedule shape the choices we make. We only have so much willpower and decision-making capabilities in a day, so if you’re constantly being forced to utilize your willpower or make decisions, you’re going to reach decision fatigue. Instead, make the healthy choice the easy choice. Leave fruit out on the counter for snacking, pack a gym bag and bring it to work so you’re not faced with the decision to go to the gym once your home on the couch, or store some nourishing snacks in your desk so you don’t run to the vending machine instead.
5. Imagine Your Future Self
Let’s face it: Most health-outcomes aren’t immediate. It can be difficult to work toward long-term health benefits when the immediate satisfaction of sleeping in longer, watching that new Netflix show, or ordering take-out is right in front of us. To help with this, imagine your future self so those long-term benefits are more of a reality. What would your future self-do? If she can do it, so can you.
6. Treat Yourself
Made progress? Reached some small goals? Congrats! Time to reward yourself. Don’t underestimate the power of a little positive reinforcement. Don’t be shy to pat yourself on the back for making progress. Find some incentives and rewards that will be meaningful to you. Maybe you met your exercise goals and you buy yourself a new workout top or you’ve been meal prepping like a champ and you treat yourself to dinner at your favorite restaurant.
And remember, health is a journey and it’s never going to be perfect. Don’t let setbacks keep you from moving forward. It’s the small steps and daily decisions that make the difference. Every pro or expert you admire had to start somewhere—make your start be today.
