John Dryden famously said, “We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.”
Confucius said, “Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.”
And Aristotle noticed that, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”
It’s pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are.
What are your habits?
Do you eat the same thing for lunch, go through the same exercise routine, and fall into bed at the same time each night? Or maybe you’ve made a habit out of eating something sweet before bed, avoiding the gym, and staying up as late as possible.
When it comes to your fitness, the two habits that define you are your eating and exercise habits. In fact, everyone that you know who is in great shape and feel healthy has dialed in these two important habits.
If you aren’t happy with your body and the way you feel, then simply adjust your eating and exercise habits.
Here’s how to adopt a habit:
Decide on the ONE habit that you would like to develop. It’s tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits but choosing just one new habit is realistic and doable.
Here are some healthy habit ideas:
1) Do not eat after 7pm each night. Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food. Exercise 4 times a week before or after work for at least 45 minutes. We can help you with that - try our 3 Day FREE Fitness Pass (click here).
2) Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack.
2) Write your new habit down on paper. Also include your 3 main motivators for developing this new habit, the obstacles you’ll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles.
Here’s an example: My new habit is to eat healthier meals and stay away from processed foods.
My 3 main motivators are:
1) to feel confident in my bathing suit this summer
2) to have more energy
3) to fit into my favorite clothes
The obstacles I will face are:
1) not having the energy to cook at home
2) not having enough money to pay for healthier food
3) not having my spouse’s and or family's support
I will overcome these obstacles by:
1) meal prep more food during the weekend so it is ready during the week
2) cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it
3) asking my spouse and family to join me so we can get in shape and eat healthy together
Commit fully to your new habit, in a public way. This could mean posting it on social media, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you’ll be embarrassed to give up on your new habit (this one always works for me).
Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or simply make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit.
Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit by going through the same steps.