Simple Steps to Shake Off Laziness and Boost Health
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle
Do you feel stuck in unhealthy eating patterns and a sedentary lifestyle? Keep reading, because I've gathered effective daily strategies to help you break free from these habits and start living a healthier life.
Everyone has a different baseline of what they consider "inactive." For some, the challenge might be incorporating more movement beyond daily chores, possibly due to a hectic schedule or lack of motivation. For others, the struggle is understanding why everyone isn't as proactive about health.
In this guide, I'll help you gradually increase your activity and improve your diet, without demanding immediate, drastic changes.
Is It Possible to Change Unhealthy Habits?
It’s easy to admire those who seem naturally motivated to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle every day. It might also be easy to label yourself as "naturally unhealthy" and find it hard to be energetic and health-conscious.
While changing habits might seem daunting, it's definitely achievable with persistence.
Three Steps to Building New, Healthy Habits
Breaking old habits is challenging, but it's even harder to establish new, beneficial ones. Let's simplify it into three manageable steps:
Define what new healthy habit you will adopt
Be specific about the new healthy habits you want to develop. Instead of vaguely planning to "eat healthier," commit to "including at least two servings of vegetables in my meals each day."
Set daily reminders for your new healthy choices
The initial excitement can carry you for a few days, but it's easy to slip back into old routines. Maybe it’s raining, cold, or you’ve had a long day. Set daily reminders on your phone or include your new habits in your to-do list to keep on track.
Integrate the new behaviour into your new routine until it becomes automatic
Before a new activity becomes a habit, anchoring it in your routine helps you perform it without reliance on sheer willpower. For example, if improving your diet, prepare a healthy snack to eat after work but before dinner. You always finish your workday, so that cue will always be there. Following it with a rewarding activity, like watching your favourite show while enjoying the snack, makes it even more satisfying.
How Long Does It Take to Establish a New Habit?
Developing a new habit can take time. It’s important to have realistic expectations and understand that you will need to invest effort. While some can shift a habit in as little as 21 days, others might need 66 days or more, especially with a busy lifestyle.
Focus on one habit at a time for more effective results. Imagine how much you can change in just one year!
What If I Make a Mistake?
Hey, no one is perfect. It’s almost inevitable that you’ll stumble at some point. The key is not to let one slip-up derail your entire effort. One mistake doesn’t mean failure; it’s just a hiccup on your journey.
Every day is a new opportunity to reinforce your new, healthier habits.
By emphasising gradual change, specific actions, and routine integration, this rewritten template aims to guide individuals towards sustainable improvements in their nutrition and lifestyle for long-term health and wellness.
More resources
That’s why we always ask anyone considering hiring us to help them with their health to book in a complimentary strategy session. These are no-obligation chats where you get to learn what its like working with us and get all your questions answered.
Explore our website for masterclasses, challenges, or perhaps a 30-day Shift Your Weight habit change program for those pesky plateaus or beginners testing what's possible.
