January is the time to set practical goals for the year. Are you ready? Achieving your health goals for the full 364 days is hard work. It’s much easier to tell yourself you’ll start working out tomorrow and skip the gym. It’s hard to decide between having pizza or having the energy to cook a healthy meal after a long day at work. If you want to create a health plan for yourself, it’s essential to set goals that will lead to habits that are easy to follow and sustainable.
At Total Health and Fitness, we want to help you reach your goals and develop long-term habits that will make you happy and healthy. Our wellness fitness programs are easy to incorporate into your daily life. Forming healthy, sustainable habits is essential, so we want to offer choices you can add to your daily routine. These small changes can make a massive difference to your health and help you reach your goals.
HOW TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE HABITS
You may be wondering if there is a key to forming habits that are easy to maintain. In his book The Power of Habit, New York Times business writer Charles Duhigg explored the science behind habits. In an interview with NPR’s Fresh Air, he explained that every habit begins with a “habit loop.” A habit loop is a psychological pattern that consists of three parts. The steps in the process are:
- Cue. The process begins with what’s called a cue or trigger. The cue sets the habit into action because your brain goes into automatic mode. Habits are triggered by another action, so if you want to build a new habit, choose an action you do regularly. If you add more fitness to your routine, you can use your commute home from work or your first cup of coffee in the morning to motivate yourself to go to the gym daily. Want to drink more water? When your alarm goes off, pour yourself a glass of water or refill your water bottle every time it gets empty.
- Routine. The second part of the cycle is the routine, or the actual behavior or habit itself. It’s important to establish this new habit to train your brain to do it automatically. Research shows that this may take some time—up to 66 days—but it’s definitely worth the patience.
- Reward. The third part of the cycle is the reward. This happens after the task is completed and reinforces the habit. Once you have completed the task, reward yourself. You can treat yourself to a smoothie, a healthy snack, a nice walk, or anything else that will help positively reinforce this new habit.
The creation of habits involves a part of the brain known as the basal ganglia. Neuroscientists have found that this area also plays a vital role in developing memory, pattern recognition, and emotion. When a behavior becomes a habit, the basal ganglia take over the automation of the behavior, putting the decision-making part of the brain to sleep.
Duhigg explained to Fresh Air: “The brain starts working less and less. The brain can almost completely shut down. … And that’s a real benefit because it means you have all that mental activity you can devote to something else.” He continued: “You can do these complex things without even realizing it in your mind.”
SIMPLE AND SUSTAINABLE HABITS YOU CAN ADOPTÂ
- Eat breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. Choosing a nutritious breakfast will start your day off right and set you up for good food choices for the rest of the day.
- Drink water. Water is essential. It keeps you hydrated, helps boost energy, speeds up your metabolism, and is the secret to beautiful skin.
- Get outside. It can be hard to get outside sometimes, but fresh air is good for you. It can help relieve stress, reconnect you with nature, and help you get in shape.
- Eat your vegetables – they not only taste good, but they are also suitable for you! Vegetables are rich in vitamins and nutrients that provide many health benefits.
- Get your body moving. Whether you work out at home, the gym, or with a personal trainer, moving your body is good for you! Exercise is suitable for both your physical and mental health.
