By zp7op | Contributor
Beginning to adopt healthy habits can often be simpler than sustaining them over time. This year, you can sidestep a significant obstacle in your quest for healthier resolutions and cultivate lasting habits by incorporating small, positive actions into your daily routine.
In fact, imbuing your lifestyle with healthy habits is recommended as the initial intervention for individuals whose blood pressure and cholesterol levels are becoming elevated, as noted in a statement from the American Heart Association.
“The existing standards for addressing high blood pressure and cholesterol suggest that otherwise healthy individuals facing mild to moderate increases in these cardiovascular risk factors should actively seek to diminish these risks, and enhancing physical activity is a great starting point,” stated Bethany Barone Gibbs, Ph.D., who led the statement writing team and serves as chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the West Virginia University School of Public Health.
Here are six strategies from the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good Habit Coach that can assist you.
Debunking Common Myths About Habit Formation
You might be surprised by some truths related to establishing and maintaining healthy habits. One prevalent myth is that becoming healthy requires engaging in activities you dislike. Studies indicate that positive feelings are essential for habit formation, so focus on activities you find enjoyable. Another false belief is that significant results necessitate drastic changes, which can lead to setting unrealistic habits. In reality, a simpler routine increases the likelihood of it becoming a sustained habit.
Utilize Your “Brain Loops”
Your brain forms “loops” that create habits, consisting of three elements: a cue, a routine, and a reward. Each repetition of the loop strengthens its routine nature and can lead to automaticity. Understanding this allows you to develop cues to encourage new, healthy habits, such as placing your walking shoes next to your bed to prompt a walking routine. The action is putting on the shoes and walking, with the reward being the pleasurable feelings and improved mood from a morning stroll.
Design Cues That Suit You
Most effective health habits start with a cue. This cue can either be something in your environment or come from your mindset. The more consistent the cue is, the more likely it will trigger the habit. By optimizing your brain’s reminder system, you can enhance recall of the cue. A few examples of visual cues include putting a sticky note where you can frequently see it, keeping a water bottle on your desk, or placing fresh vegetables in the refrigerator at eye level.
Establish a Routine That Aligns With Your Goals
Consistent, positive habits are crucial for reaching your personal objectives. Small habits practiced regularly can lead to significant outcomes. To build a new healthy habit, consider the steps that lead to your desired goal. Ask yourself if you genuinely want to do it, whether it’s easy to implement, and if it’s impactful. It’s important to select habits that make a difference and help move you toward your goals.
For instance, if one of your objectives is to enhance your heart health, a beneficial habit could be to increase your physical activity. Improving your activity levels can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, along with offering various other health benefits, Gibbs noted.
“Any amount of increased activity is beneficial, ” she emphasized. “Even small increments of 5-10 minutes per day can provide health advantages.”
Incorporate Rewards to Ensure Habits Persist
Start by selecting a habit you find enjoyable and that is inherently rewarding. If you prefer dancing over running, consider boosting your physical activity through a lively dance class. Alternatively, seek out more enjoyable methods to adopt new habits, like increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables by enjoying a tasty smoothie.
Acknowledge That Setbacks Are Part of the Journey
New habits are experiments, and if they don’t take root, it’s not a failure. Instead, it’s a lesson in what doesn’t work, which is valuable. Engage your curiosity and ask yourself which aspect of the habit was ineffective. Perhaps the cue wasn’t effective, or the routine was too ambitious, necessitating a breakdown into smaller, more manageable steps. If you discover you don’t find the habit enjoyable, stop and try something different.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
