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Healthy Habits That Actually Stick in Real Life
Starting a new healthy habit is usually the easy bit.
It's Monday morning. Motivation has arrived. This is it. We're drinking the water, eating the salads, getting the steps in, exercising, sleeping eight hours and generally becoming an entirely new human being by Friday. And then real life walks in like, “Absolutely not” 😂
The problem usually isn't that we don't know what a healthy lifestyle looks like. Most of us have a pretty good idea. The harder part is finding ways to make those healthier choices when we're busy, tired, working, going out, looking after other people or simply can't be bothered.
That's why I'm far more interested in habits that fit into real life than routines that look impressive for a week.
Here are some of the things I've found genuinely useful.
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Choose what actually matters to you
One of the quickest ways to make healthy living feel overwhelming is trying to improve everything at once. More steps. More water. More protein. Better sleep. Fewer calories. Five workouts. Meal prep. Meditation. Eight portions of vegetables before breakfast...
It's a lot.
Instead, decide what would actually make the biggest difference to you right now.
Maybe that's getting outside every day. Maybe it's eating three proper meals instead of grabbing whatever's nearest. Maybe you're working towards a protein target, keeping an eye on your calories or trying to drink more throughout the day.
Pick a couple of things and concentrate on those first. You can always add more later.
I've written more about what I'm personally focusing on these days in What Looking After Myself Looks Like Now.
Like physically ticking things off?
I actually quite like having something visual when I'm trying to build a new habit. If you're the same, a simple habit tracker can be really useful for seeing your consistency without trying to keep everything in your head.
Make the healthier choice the easier choice
We talk a lot about willpower, but our surroundings make an enormous difference to the choices we make.
If I'm hungry and there's something quick and easy available, there's a fairly good chance that's what I'm eating.
So rather than expecting Future Me to suddenly develop incredible levels of discipline, I'd rather make things a little easier for her.
That might mean having fruit where I can see it, keeping easy protein options in, planning a few dinners before I shop or making sure I've actually got something sensible available for lunch. Nothing groundbreaking. But that's rather the point. A habit doesn't have to be clever to be useful.
A couple of things that make this easier for me
Planning meals in advance is one of those really simple things that can save a surprising amount of “What on earth am I eating tonight?” decision-making.
I've used this meal-planning pad and really like it:
I've also recently ordered this book because I fancied trying something different:
And if you're someone who likes getting a bit of food prep done in advance, these are the meal-prep containers I use:
Find your defaults
This has been a big one for me.
You don't need endless variety for every meal, workout or routine. Having a few default options removes a surprising amount of decision-making.
A couple of breakfasts you know work for you.
An easy lunch you can throw together without thinking.
A short walk you can do when you haven't got time for anything bigger.
A handful of dinners you know you like.
Your default doesn't have to be the best possible option. It just needs to be a decent option that's easy enough to repeat.
Make drinking easier
Yes, “drink more water” sounds ridiculously simple. But sometimes the tiny practical things really do matter.
Keep a drink within reach while you're working. Take one in the car. Use a bottle you actually like. Add sugar-free cordial or choose flavoured water if plain water isn't your thing. You don't get bonus wellness points for forcing yourself to drink something you don't enjoy. The goal is finding something that helps you stay hydrated consistently.
And, ridiculous as it might sound, I've definitely found that having a water bottle I
actually like makes me much more likely to use it. One of my favourite sets comes with two different-sized bottles and cleaning brushes too: VIEW THE WATER BOTTLE SET
Make movement convenient
Movement doesn't only count when you've changed into gym clothes and completed an official workout.
A walk counts.
Ten minutes counts.
Taking the stairs counts.
Stretching while you're watching television counts.
A quick bit of movement between jobs counts.
And sometimes making movement easier means removing the barriers around it.
Leave the trainers somewhere visible.
Have a short walking route you know you can fit in.
Keep whatever equipment you use somewhere you can actually get to it.
The easier something is to start, the more likely we are to do it.
Have a smaller version of the habit
This might be my favourite tip.
We often decide that if we can't do the full version of something, there's no point doing it at all.
Can't manage the planned 30-minute walk? Do ten.
Don't have time to cook the meal you'd planned? Choose the best easy option available.
Can't face a full workout? Do a few stretches or go for a short walk.
A smaller version isn't failure. Sometimes it's exactly what keeps the habit going.
Stop expecting every day to look the same
This is probably where “consistency” gets misunderstood. Being consistent doesn't mean doing exactly the same thing every single day.
Some days I've got more time and energy than others. Some days I'm at home. Some I'm working elsewhere. Some involve meals out, plans changing or life generally doing what life does.
Your habits need enough flexibility to survive those days too. Otherwise you've created a routine that only works when life behaves itself. And I'm still waiting for that week to arrive 😂
Don't let one choice become a whole story
Had the takeaway? Fine.
Missed the workout? Fine.
Didn't hit your protein target? Also fine.
One choice doesn't undo everything else you've been doing.
The danger is usually the story we attach to it: “I've messed it up now, so I may as well start again Monday.”
You don't need to start again. You just make the next choice.
Small steps really do add up
Healthy living doesn't need to mean being strict, getting everything right or constantly trying to improve yourself. It's about building enough supportive habits into your normal life that looking after yourself becomes something you usually do, rather than another project you repeatedly start.
Some weeks will be better than others.
Some habits will stick. Others won't.
And as your life changes, what works for you will probably change too.
That's okay.
You don't need the perfect routine. You need a handful of things that make you feel better and are realistic enough to keep doing.
Small steps. Better habits.
That's #HealthyVibes.
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