4 Ways to Implement Healthy Habits

We can probably all agree that there’s no better time to start taking better care of ourselves than right now. But having the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle and actually doing so are two completely different things. That is unless you make a plan and take the necessary steps to achieve those health goals.

Making any changes, especially when other demands in our life see overbearing, is hard. However, implementing new habits isn’t impossible, and sometimes it can even be easy. Whether your goals are easily attainable with some small changes to your routine, or you need to overhaul one aspect of your lifestyle, this guide is a good starting point to getting where you need to be.

1. Identify Strengths & Weaknesses

Let’s face it, we all have areas of our health that we can improve, and that’s okay. The first step to making progress is identifying where your lifestyle needs work. You probably have an idea of general areas you’d like to fix, whether it be diet, exercises, sleeping habits, or mental health.

However, you can make it more granular than that. Are you eating way fewer fruits and vegetables than you should be? Maybe you’re only getting 5 hours of sleep on average? Or, you’re just constantly stressed and need to make a change as soon as possible.

While your weaknesses are important, so are your strengths. Identifying the areas you’re good at maintaining, such as staying within your range of calories, going on daily runs, or waking up to your first alarm, can help you figure out how to succeed in other areas. Think about why you’re able to upkeep those good habits and try to find similar ways to implement your other healthy habits.

2. Set Goals

Once you’ve identified what areas of your health need the most attention, you can set specific goals. When it comes to goal-setting the most important thing is that they are measurable and attainable. Let’s look an example:

Vague Goal: I want to lose weight this year.

Measurable & Attainable Goal: I want to lose 5 pounds per month for the next 6 months.

When you’re setting your goals, it’s a good idea to write them down (in a goal-setting journal or just the notes app in your phone). That way you have a visible reminder and a commitment to yourself in writing. Depending on what areas of your health you want to focus on, here are some ideas for goals that you can set to help you implement better habits:

• Sleep: Follow a sleep schedule on weekdays, going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 7am. (Note: If the reason you’re not well-rested is because you have trouble winding down or wake up a lot, try a GABA supplement for sleep.)
• Exercise: Go to the gym for at least one hour 4 days a week.
• Nutrition: Eat three servings of vegetables per day, allow yourself three sweets per week, and 46 grams of protein per day.
• Mental Health: Devote 1 hour per day to self-care.

The great thing about well-formed goals is that you can track your improvement and scale your goals based on your progress.

3. Make a Plan

Take those measurable and attainable goals and turn them into a plan. This is where you have to drill down into the “how” of implementing healthier habits. Based on the goals above, here are some examples of how to make a plan to achieve those goals:

• Sleep: Set your alarm for your designated bedtime and wake-up time (and don’t snooze it!). You may also want to set an alarm to remind you to start winding down and begin your pre-bedtime routine.
• Exercise: Sign up for a gym membership, pack a gym bag that you take with you in the morning, and stop at your gym on the way home from work.
• Nutrition: Come up with a nutrition plan, whether that’s on your own or with the help of a wellness app, buy groceries that fit within your fitness goals, and follow the plan.
• Mental Health: Put your self-care hour on your calendar so you can’t forget about it. Invest in some products that help take the prep work out of the routine.

4. Start Practicing These Habits 

Generally speaking, it takes about 21 days for you to break old bad habits and replace them with good new ones. So, the sooner you start practicing healthier habits, the sooner you can start leading a healthy lifestyle. Using a goal-tracking journal or app is an easy way to keep yourself accountable and make note of the actions you’re taking.

Stick to It & You’ll See Results

Now that you have a plan set in motion, all you have to do is stick to it and you will gradually see your new good habits paying off. Don’t forget to document your progress and setbacks and celebrate your successes to help you stay motivated and on the right track.