With persistence and the right attitude, breaking your unhealthy habits can happen with these six steps.
- List unhealthy habits
Once you have completed your habit list, put a line through the middle of each habit as if you were crossing them out. Your list might include: Binge eating; going to bed too late; failing to exercise; negative self-talk etc.
- Find replacement habits
Next to each unhealthy habit, write down your new healthy replacement habit (breaking unhealthy habits is easier when you are replacing them with another habit).
- Identify triggers
On a different piece of paper, identify the triggers that make you act in your unhealthy habits ie. When you're bored, you snack, or when you're watching TV, you drink soft drink.
- Create an actions list
List the actions to take when you're vulnerable to falling back into unhealthy habits and routines. This list will be your tool box to help you overcome any challenges. For example:
- When you are feeling stressed or emotional, instead of turning to food for comfort, call a loved one.
- When finding yourself in unhealthy habit routines, remove yourself from that circumstance and do something completely different.
- If you're feeling bored, find something stimulating to keep you busy - head outside for an adventure.
- If you're feeling anxious, stay focused and keep telling yourself positive things to help get you through.
- If you're feeling depressed, get up, put your runners on and go for a walk or run. This will stimulate the endorphins in your body and make you feel better.
- Create a saviour list
Take your time and really think about the people in your life who inspire you. These are the people who you need to lean on and surround yourself with.
Write down the people who you know will be there for you and lean on them every step of the way, call them, visit them and simply ask them for help.
- Reward yourself
Believe it or not, your life will start to change with every single time you defeat the old unhealthy habit cycle.
You will get stronger and your health with start to change straight away. While it might take two to three weeks to see physical changes, you will see the mental changes every day.
It is important to reward yourself throughout your journey. Reward yourself with items that you have been wishing for and experiences like a facial, not unhealthy treats.
Don’t expect everything to happen in one day. Your unhealthy habits weren’t created in one day, so breaking them in one day or even a week is unrealistic. Stay strong and stay focused.
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