Habits: To Break and Build

Did you know that habits are the reason we do almost everything in our life?  Habits cause us to wake up in the morning and walk straight to the coffee pot on our way to the bathroom.  Our habits are also what cause us to reach for the something sweet mid-afternoon or after we eat dinner.

“The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us.  The task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.” James Clear - Atomic Habits

We couldn’t agree with James’ statement more.  In our popular program, the 21 Day Detox or our Hormone Solution we are encouraging our clients to break habits around eating sugar, grains and coffee; talk about major habit breaking.  And you know what – only about 50% of them succeed, because some habits are just too hard to break.

Over the past 20 years in the fitness industry, I’ve learned there are a few habits that really need to be broken to live your healthiest life, but along with breaking those, there are a few you need to build for a lifelong system of wellness.

3 Habits to Break

(HINT: they aren’t all directly tied to Fitness or Nutrition)

Stop Scrolling

This habit effects every part of our life.  Yes, the companies that made our phone specifically made them this addicting.  I know I can’t get you to give up your scrolling all the time, but if you can give it up first think in the morning, your life will be so much better.  There are hundreds of studies that show that our most productive time of the day is in the morning…lets stop filling that precious time with everyone else’s “story” and get to building our dreams. 

Want to see something eye opening, check your screen time for how much time you spend on social media each day.  If you used half that time for something else, what would it be?  How would it improve your life?

Set Boundaries

Ever feel like you are always the one to say yes, to almost everything?  In order to grow, to reach our goals, to have time for ourselves, all of that requires us to set boundaries around what we hold most precious.  What are your top 3 goals?  What do you need to say no to, to make those goals a reality?  As Marie Forleo says, “Simplify to amplify”.

Lose the Sugar & Alcohol

When it comes to nutrition, the two biggest things you can give up, that will help you with your wellness goals are losing the booze and all the added sugars.  Both of these cause belly fat gain and disrupt your major metabolism hormones.  Why to dump sugar and alcohol.

4 Habits to Build

Water

It’s the drink of life.  And come’on – you know you need to drink your water.  Let me explain the vanity benefits of drinking more water: reduction in excess water weight, better skin, better digestion (pooping regular makes the belly flatter) and overall less aches and pains.  Aim for a gallon a day.  How?  Drink 8 ounces every time you go to the bathroom, or before every time you eat.  It will add up quickly.

Exercise

Regain your workouts.  Take them back and claim the time and space for you to do them.  Can’t add in a full 30-60 minutes a day, that’s ok.  Try and exercise snack.  Add in 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes after lunch and another 10 minutes after dinner.  Your body needs to move to burn through the blood sugar in our diet.  Plus, exercise keeps your body physically younger.

Nutrition

This – this right here is key. Start with small daily changes to make a BIG overall change in your nutrition.  Pick on thing in your diet that you want to change.  Once that change has become a habit, stack another change with it.  Looking to add more veggies and reduce carbs?  First, add your vegetables to both lunch and dinner.  Then add some to breakfast.  After you have successfully added some veggies, then remove your carbs from one meal – lunch or dinner, you don’t need them at both.  Looking to make more changes – try out our 21 Day Detox, it takes specific foods out every 3 days.  I bet they are the ones you want to pull from your current diet already.

Self-care

Stretching, recovering, meditation or journaling, all are forms of selfcare.  When you are building a new fitness/nutrition routine, you can’t be 100% all the time.  The key to losing weight and building lean muscle is allowing your body to reap the benefits of all your working out and your healthy nutrition with a day off.  Check out our blog on Relaxation for ideas.

The key to improving our life is always one good habit and one bad habit away.  Focusing on the habits that directly affect your wellness can lead to improvement in all areas of your life.  Got questions – we’re here to help!  First – fill out our assessment!