4 Ways to Build Habits for Life

When it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals, habits are going to be your secret weapon. While it’s okay to rely on motivation in the beginning, this will not last, which is why it’s so important to become disciplined and build healthy habits that you can stick to even when motivation is low. 

One of my fave authors James Clear says, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems”. While it’s all well and good to have goals, you need to ensure you are actually focusing on the behaviours needed to achieve them. 

For example it can be all well and good to have a goal of building a fat dumpy, you might be hitting your protein and going to the gym... but what happens when you don't feel motivated? Or if you go away on holiday? Or if you're derailed by temptations?

That’s why habits and discipline are far more important than motivation. It’s so important to create healthy habits early on to ensure the success of your plan and the longevity of your results.

So, how can you make healthy habits an automatic part of your life? Here are my top habit-forming tips! 

1. Habit stacking. Think of the habits you already include in your day. It could be making your bed, brushing your teeth, or making breakfast. Then, think of the habit you want to start including, such as daily steps, 5 minutes of meditation, or journaling. Then, attach the new habit to the old habit. Journal after you’ve brushed your teeth, or get your morning steps in as soon as you’ve eaten breakfast. The habits will go hand in hand quickly and you won’t be able to do one without the other! 
2. Make it enjoyable. Don’t like meal prepping? Think about what you can do to make the experience more enjoyable. Put on a podcast or your fave music. The more enjoyable you make the experience, the more likely it will become a habit. 
3. Plan ahead. Be organised, and plan ahead to set future-you up for success. This might mean laying out your gym clothes the night before, or meal prepping your lunches for the week on a Sunday. 
4. Forget the all or nothing approach. You don’t have to be perfect! Just focus on one small behaviour you can introduce that will contribute to the success of your day. Once you’ve nailed this one thing, then you can slowly introduce more things until they all come naturally! Progress over perfection, always.

Don't worry if you don't hit them 100% of the time or have set backs, this is all part of finding what works for you - experimentation and failure is better than being stuck in the same position year after year. 

I believe in you bestie!

Soph xx