7 Ways to Make
Healthy Habits Stick
Creating healthy habits is hard, but it's worth it! Being healthy requires both short-term and long-term changes in your lifestyle. Here are seven tips to make those changes last:
- Set realistic goals. Trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight is bound to set you up for failure. Choose one or two areas that you want to focus on, and set small goals that you can realistically achieve. For example, if you want to eat healthier, your goal could be to eat one extra serving of vegetables per day.
- Find a buddy. Research shows that we're more likely to stick to our goals when we have accountability partners. Ask a friend or family member to join you on your journey to better health!
- 3. Make it fun. If healthier habits feel like a chore, you're not going to want to do them for very long. Find ways to make taking care of yourself enjoyable, whether that means listening to music while you cook dinner or going for walks with your dog.
- 4. Be prepared. It's easier to make healthy choices when you have healthy options readily available. Stock your fridge with fruits and vegetables, and keep a stash of healthy snacks at work or in your purse for when hunger strikes.
- 5. Track your progress. Seeing the numbers go up is motivating! Keep a journal or download a health app to track how well you're doing with meeting your goals.
- 6. Reward yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back—literally! A large body of research has shown that self-compassion is key to making lasting behavior changes. Pamper yourself with a massage, take yourself out for coffee, or buy yourself a new workout outfit once you've hit a major milestone.
- 7. Don't beat yourself up if you slip up; just start again tomorrow! We all make mistakes—the important thing is that we get back on track as soon as possible.