We have come to the end of another year, which brings New Year’s celebrations and a fresh start to our habits and routines! Habits and habit building can be very daunting, but the rewards of knowing how to build habits as well as keeping the routine of implementing them can be so great. Habits help ground us and keeping them consistently can help us have healthy and thriving daily lives! Join Maryland Dietitian Kay Loughrey as she brings you the last blog of the year and some helpful tips to help you prepare for a brand-new year!
Habits are so important to all parts of our health, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Habits are actions that we learn to do without thinking through a process of repeating over and over. They take time and effort to build as well as consistency and intentionality, but they are attainable! Habits will help you reach your goals much faster by keeping you focused on them. Although there are many methods to building habits, one that has been proven to work consistently is called the “Cue, Routine, Reward” method. The cue is something that reminds you to begin the habit, while the routine is the habit itself, and the reward is what comes because of the habit! With this method of building habits, you can be sure that they will quickly become a part of your everyday life! Keep reading below to for a few of Sweet Life Wellness’s helpful hints for building habits that last!
Building Habits that Last!
- Start small! No habit is ever formed by starting at the hardest level. Starting with something small allows your brain to get used to the process without overwhelming it.
- Use the habit tree method! Connecting a new habit to one that already exists can also help your brain ease into the process as it makes the cue of the habit easier to recognize.
- Have a strong cue and reward! The cue, what signals your brain to begin your habit, should be strong enough to spark your interest to begin the habit each time. Additionally, the reward should be inspiring enough to give you the desire to complete the task of the habit.
- Keep a habit-tracking journal or use an app! Seeing progress during the habit building process is such an effective way to build up confidence to continue working towards a consistent habit! Some people prefer to see a physical copy of their tracking in a physical habit tracking journal while others prefer an electronic version and still others prefer using a habit tracking app.
- Have accountability! One of the biggest success factors with any new habit is having a friend or family member who knows what goal you are trying to work towards. This person needs to be someone you can trust fully and who will encourage you to continue even when you want to quit. Do not try to build habits alone… community is always better!
Habits take time and effort, but they are so worth the energy to have more of a healthy and happy life. Sweet Life Wellness hopes with what was shared today you can be confident in your habit building as you keep working towards your goals! For more information on habits, we recommend reading “Atomic Habits,” a helpful book on habit building that you can access here. Read more from Sweet Life Wellness about building habits here!
Resources
Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2012;62(605):664-666. doi:10.3399/bjgp12X659466. Accessed November 11, 2023.
Standford Graduate School of Business. “Building Habits: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change.” Stanford University. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/building-habits-key-lasting-behavior-change. April 18, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “3 Steps to Building a Healthy Habit.” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/3-Steps-Building-Healthy-Habit.html. May 9, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023.
News In Health. “Creating Healthy Habits – Make Better Choices Easier.” National Institute of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/03/creating-healthy-habits. March 2018. Accessed November 11, 2023.
National University of Singapore. “Build Healthy Habits that Stick.” https://www.nus.edu.sg/uhc/resources/articles/details/build-healthy-habits-that-stick. July 16, 2020. Accessed November 11, 2023.
- Click here to watch the Latest Sweet Life Wellness Podcast Episode on How to Enjoy Mindful Eating.
- Click here to listen for FREE on Apple Podcasts.
- Want to listen for FREE on Spotify? Click here.
Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Karis N. Hicks
North Carolina Central University
M.S. – Nutrition Studies
Thank you for reading this blog post. Join the Sweet Life Newsletter to stay up to date on blog posts, events, and other ways to live your best sweet life.