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How to adopt a healthy habit and make it stick
How many times have you gone to bed saying that tomorrow will be the day you start to lead a healthier lifestyle?
While our intentions may be good, it’s often our built-in habits that prevent us from reaching our wellness goals. Being aware of how these habits work, and setting realistic targets, will help you switch bad habits for good ones.
The science behind your habits
A habit is created when a single conscious behaviour is repeated over time, until it becomes automatic. These steps are known as the habit loop. Here’s how it works:
The cue: A prompt to perform the behaviour – such as a sight, smell, time of day, place or an emotion.
The behaviour: The action or the habit itself.
The reward: The benefit you get from doing the behaviour, encouraging you to repeat it.
We all have the power to create or change our habits. By understanding how our habits are formed, you’ll be able to turn helpful eating, activity and mindset behaviours into regular habits that benefit your daily life.
Easy habits to adopt now
You don’t necessarily have to make drastic changes to improve your health and wellbeing.
These are simple habits worth adopting right now:
Activity: Get outside as much as possible. Research shows that spending time in the great outdoors could have massive benefits for your mental and physical health, from reducing depression and stress levels to improving mood and self-esteem. Plus, taking part in activities such as gardening, walking or events like Parkrun could help you earn FitPoints® while boosting your social life.
Food: Mix things up when it comes to fruit and vegetables. By eating fresh produce in all the colours of the rainbow you’re more likely to get a good mix of natural compounds, known as phytochemicals, some of which will be antioxidants.
Self-care: It can be hard to squeeze in rest time when you’re busy with work, family and social commitments, but relaxation is key to staying well and avoiding exhaustion and stress. Whether it’s participating in a hobby or gym class you love, taking a nap or having a bath, schedule a bit of me-time every day.
Listen to your body. If you’re feeling sore, try switching your usual high-intensity exercise for a stretch-based workout. Sluggish or bloated? Take a look at what you’ve eaten during the day and vow to make a balanced, healthy meal for dinner. Worn out? Take a break!
Mindset: And finally, ditch the guilt. We all slip up now and again, so if you’ve overdone it one day, draw a line under it and start again with your next meal. Beating yourself up over a mistake isn’t going to motivate you going forward – in fact, it could just make you feel defeated.
Make activity a habit
When it comes to physical activity, figuring out how you’ll do it matters just as much as deciding what you’ll do. If you focus first on clearing time for movement, you’re more likely to make it a healthy habit.
Choose what time in the day and for how long you can be active. Be realistic about your schedule, your to-dos, and your want-to-dos.
You could start with a 10-minute walk around the block a few times a week – or meditating for five minutes once a day. You may think this sounds too easy, but that's the point. Over time, you can increase your efforts and enjoy the benefit of these healthy activities without feeling that the journey was such a struggle.
Practice your new routine for a week and then take stock asking yourself ‘What’s going well? What’s challenging? Adjust as needed to land on a routine that works for you.
You can find inspiration and workouts in the WW Fitness Hub.
Rewarding your wins
Improving your health is the best win there is, and WW’s WellnessWins programme sweetens the deal, delivering inspiration – and cool rewards – for the little steps you’ll take towards reaching your goals.
Members can earn ‘Wins’ for tracking meals, activity and weight. Wins can then be redeemed for a range of products, services and experiences designed to inspire members on their wellness journeys.
Get all the tools and support you need to achieve your weight loss and wellness goals for the year with WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined). Their award-winning programme and app offers a holistic and personalised approach, putting everything you need for success in the palm of your hand. Learn more here >>.