HELPFUL HABITS?
Whether you are just starting out on your fitness journey, or you are a seasoned gym-goer, I want you to think about to what extent do you consider and give attention to your habits.
Habit change is the underlying theme of my Breakthrough Challenge group. I gave my participants a killer workout program, nutritional guidance and support, and daily education within our private FB group. However, I did not stop there. I included something I see so many coaches, programs, guides and challenges neglect - and that is our behavior and habits.
I emphasized the importance of our daily actions and choices when it comes to successfully reaching and maintaining results.
By working with hundreds of clients, I’ve seen that our daily actions and choices, or our habits, are often overlooked when considering how we will reach our goals.
We’ve all been there. We stick to a workout program that kicks our butt or we find some random diet that points out everything we can not eat. We follow it for a few weeks and wonder why the results aren’t coming!!
Well have you considered that you are chronically dehydrated or sleep deprived? That yeah you workout for an hour each day, but the other 23 hours you spend sitting staring at a monitor. Or are you one of those people who the minute the TV turns on, you bust out a bag of Doritos and stuff your face until you realized the entire bag is gone?
A habit is defined as “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”
Our brains put habits, both good and bad, into the “automatic” category. These are the things that we do on a repeated basis without much, if any, thought.
So, too many bad, or what I refer to as “unhelpful” habits, can really stall progress.
Okay, so I just called you out for neglecting your habits and not looking at the bigger picture when trying to reach your fitness goals - and now you’re wondering what the heck to do.
HABIT CHANGE
Step 1: Complete the habit assessment attached below. Copy the template below onto a sheet of paper or into a journal. Set 3 SMART goals and then fill out the tables. Challenge yourself to think of 3 things for every single box.
Step 2: Select one of the goals and choose one habit from the third column. This will be the helpful habit that you add in over the next 7-14 days.
We start with adding in a helpful habit because it has been shown that we are more successful with adding in the good, rather than subtracting the bad.
Once you successfully integrate this new habit into your routine or lifestyle, and you’re feeling confident and ready, you can tackle the middle column.
Step 3: Once again, select just one of your goals. Then select one unhelpful habit from the table. Spend the next 7-14 days rewiring this habit.
Notice my vocabulary. I said rewiring, not erasing or completely eliminating. For example, if you have a big sweet tooth like me, you do not need to completely cut out dessert forever and drive yourself insane. Instead, maybe one night you incorporate a protein pancake with chocolate chips, or a greek yogurt topped with shredded coconut and berry granola. The idea is to rewire this unhelpful habit so it will be working with you, not against you.
AN ONGOING PROCESS
This is a continual process, that can be repeated until you have build up your ideal routine and are demonstrating actions that will lead you to your goals. I believe that this is a never ending process. It is one that you must give attention to every single day, and some days will be easier than others. Once you establish new helpful habits, and rewire the unhelpful ones, you will focus on maintaining and strengthening these habits. Take it one day, and one habit at a time, and you will be setting yourself up for success!
