Turn Healthy Habits into a Healthy Lifestyle
(A HyperStrike.com newsletter publication)
By Yvonne Rayburn, CPT
Five Ways to Make Healthy Habits a Lifestyle
We all know the routine. The latest fad diet hits the media; we buy the book and incorporate the rules of the program into our life. For the short term that is. We see results for the short period we are going to extremes, cutting out a particular food group or basically eating nothing at all. While we are all looking for the quick fix answer, the bottom line is there is no magic pill, miracle diet or quick fix! We simply need to establish healthy habits and learn to incorporate them into our daily routines…for a lifetime. Here are five tips for turning your healthy habits you have been working to establish into a healthy lifestyle:
1. Track your progress. Seeing your results on paper is a sure-fire way to stick with what you are doing. And I don’t just mean logging your food and tracking your exercise. After you have incorporated exercise and healthy eating habits into your life for a few months, schedule a physical with your doctor. Take a look at the numbers on the paper. THESE are the progress I am talking about. Lower weight, lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol. These are the numbers that really count and you can track your progress knowing you not only look and feel healthier, you really ARE healthier!
2. Make Yourself Accountable. We all want to think we can get away with things that other people will never know about. And most of the time, we can. But what about holding ourselves accountable to things? “If I eat this brownie when no one is home, they will never know.” And you are probably right. But YOU know…and you are only cheating yourself. I am not saying you can’t ever have moments to indulge; after all, moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Just remember what truly matters and that these habits are for a lifetime. You can use tools like HyperStrike’s Planned Fitness Calendar to keep you on track!
3. Engage Friends and Family. Let those around you know what you are doing and ask for their support. Better yet, ask them to join you! Tell them this is not a “diet” or a phase you are going through with the exercise. This is now your way of life and having their support is really important to you. Chances are they will join you…and thank you later!
4. Make It a Social Thing. How many times do we catch up with friends over lunch or happy hour? Why not make your next social gathering an active one? Meet at a local park for a walk or hike. Play a round of golf and walk the course rather than take a cart. Find ways to make your social gatherings active ones and get the benefits of having the company you want and doing something that makes you and your friends feel good! I guarantee you won’t end up with heartburn or a hangover!
5. Just Do It! Research shows that doing something consistently for 14-21 days creates a habit. Make a commitment to yourself to eat healthy and exercise regularly for at least 21 days. My guess is you will want to continue! The benefits will start to flow into other areas of your life as you will have more energy and feel better all the time!
Healthy lifestyles start with a few healthy habits. Just like when building a house, start with am a foundation and build on that! For more details and ideas, see our article Building Healthy Habits.