The interplay of your healthy habits is the key to a healthy lifestyle.
Do you know it too? The intention to really do everything healthier and better from now on - but then to fall back into old habits after a short time due to a lack of motivation and high expectations? How do I really form new healthy habits without that happening?
Forming long-term healthy habits is indeed no child's play, but it is doable once you understand how! Are you ready for the path to a healthy lifestyle? Let's go!
What are habits actually?
Habits are behaviors that are completely automated through constant repetition over a long period of time: in certain situations that are always the same, you automatically perform a particular action - this can be positive or negative. Anything that you do regularly in recurring situations without thinking about it is a habit.
What are habits good for?
Something you do routinely because it is part of your everyday life saves energy and time - so habits make your life much easier. The catch is that the brain doesn't differentiate between good and bad habits.
But whether you reach for a pizza or a Buddha Bowl out of habit simply depends on what your brain has neurologically stored as "good". However, your conscious mind can make a different assessment.
Healthy habits make you happier and more satisfied in the long term because, by definition, they are in line with your personality and self-image and you behave in accordance with your values. This creates an inner balance.
Bad habits have the opposite effect by creating an inner contradiction that you have to struggle with.
What healthy habits can I adopt?
1) Walk 7,000 - 13,000 steps every day
...including sport. Exercise in everyday life keeps you healthy and helps you switch off in between - find out what works for you. Pedometer apps, smartwatches and fitness trackers can help you with tracking.
2) Do sports 3 times a week
With three training sessions, you can work on your sporting plans and see progress while still having enough recovery time.
3) Make healthy eating the standard
...and forget about fast food. You'll be surprised: sugar cravings and food cravings disappear over time!
4) Drink enough water
Easier said than done, but we should drink 2-3 liters of water a day - excluding soft drinks.
5) Gut health is important
70-80% of your immune system is in your Gut! A healthy intestinal flora is not only reflected in a strong immune system, but also in good digestion, clear skin and increased well-being. Take your probiotics every morning (e.g. Inner Beauty) every morning to sustainably strengthen your intestinal flora with natural lactic acid bacteria.
6) Treat yourself to some time out
Small time-outs in everyday life can be: a few conscious breaths, 20 minutes of exercise or a short power napping session. This makes it easier to deal with high demands and reduces symptoms of stress.
7) Find your sleep routine
Restful sleep is fundamental for your health. Not everyone needs to sleep 8 hours, but ideally you should get 4-6 90-minute sleep cycles per night.
8) Meditate regularly
Use the positive effects of meditation to focus better on your goals, find a productive way of dealing with stress, work on your beliefs and go through life more calmly. A meditation app or guided meditations are helpful for beginners.
9) Establish a morning routine
Your morning determines how the rest of your day goes, which is why it is particularly important to do something in the morning that helps you feel good throughout the day and master the tasks of everyday life.
10) Reduce screen time and treat yourself to analog hours
Time without a digital screen brings you back into the moment and gives you the opportunity to be present. Take some time for yourself every day, switch everything off and do something for yourself - perhaps in the morning when you get up or in the evening before you go to bed.
11) Stay positive
Try to accept failures, they are part of life. Be grateful for the little good things in life and focus on the beautiful aspects of everyday life. How about writing down three things every day for three months that you are grateful for today or that were particularly nice.
Tips for forming habits:
1) One thing at a time
Don't try to change everything overnight, but focus for three months on one or two healthy habits that you would like to form.
2) All or nothing
How you formulate something is therefore of crucial importance. You're not trying to eat healthier from now on. You are trying to eat healthier. Language shapes thinking and perception - trying to do something and doing something are different things! By the way: this also includes formulating your habits in a positive way. Don't say what you no longer want to do, but clearly formulate what you want to do.
3) Links in everyday life
Link habits to certain situations. Want to drink more water? Make a resolution to drink a glass of water every time you get your coffee. Put on the same playlist every time you want to work with focus or get ready for training.
4) Step by step
Take on something that you can implement and achieve immediately and break big goals into several small ones. Several small moments of success are more motivating than working forever towards a distant goal. Define exactly what you want to achieve and how - the more detailed the plan, the easier it is to achieve.
5) Reward yourself
Habits are formed through the interaction of situation, action and reward. If you want to form a healthy habit, you must also reward yourself for the action that is to become a habit. To set the reprogramming process in motion, the reward must be direct. Sometimes the good feeling after the action is enough as a reward, but you can also devise your own reward system.
For example: you can tick off the action each time and reward yourself with something after 10 times. Documenting your actions, for example in apps or habit trackers, can also be a good reward and motivation.
6) Stay tuned
A British study showed that it takes a while for an activity to become routine and therefore habitual - up to more than 60 days. Some people perceive actions as habits much earlier, while others need much longer.
7) Don't be too hard on yourself
Don't throw the whole plan overboard just because you fail. Yes, you have to be disciplined and carry out your future healthy habit as well as you can so that it becomes ingrained in your brain, and that's not easy. Keep at it, you can do it!
8) Share your journey
Tell those around you what you are up to. Share experiences, find like-minded people, inspire others and be inspired. A healthy amount of social pressure never hurts: if you say out loud what you're up to, you might be more motivated to go through with it!
Changing bad habits - but how?
It's easier to change a bad habit by replacing it with a good habit. These steps can help you do this:
1) Understand the bad habit you want to change. Where does it come from and why are you pursuing it? What is the reward? What would your life be like if you didn't have this bad habit?
2) Identify the situation in which the bad habit breaks and link it to a new action.
3) Decide if you can change the habit on your own or if you need help. Addiction and habit are different things and should be treated differently - both mentally and physically. If you feel you can't deal with a bad habit on your own, seek professional help.
Habits make up 30-50% of our daily actions, thus structuring our everyday lives and providing security. They always arise in connection with situations and rewards and you need discipline to really change something. Healthy habits that are in line with your values and self-image will make you happier in the long term.
You can start integrating a new healthy habit into your everyday life today - good luck, you can do it!