
Breaking bad habits
By Move Well Physiotherapist,
Kim Johnson.
Have you been meaning to find more time for you? Perhaps some mindfulness or maybe yoga but you just haven’t found the time for it?
We all know that “wellbeing warrior” friend, the one you stare enviously at, wondering how they make everything look so easy. The one that regardless of how much work is thrown at them, takes it in their stride. The one that brings their own lunch, pre-prepared, that looks like it belongs on a restaurant plate alongside a water bottle stuffed full of freshly cut lemons or limes. The one that leaves the office at the end of the day in the latest Lululemon activewear, en route to a fitness session. That warrior. Yes. (Eye roll emoji, we know).
You, on the other hand, perhaps struggle not to put your head into your hands when your to-do list gets even bigger. You skip breakfast. You find you enjoy a quick coffee and maybe a croissant for lunch or eat on the go whilst sat at your desk. You overeat or drink in the evening when you finally slow down and your body cries “nourish me!” (Then skip breakfast the following day due to the over consumption the night before!) Then it starts all over again.
Sound familiar? Well: good news! You too, can be that wellbeing warrior. With a few small changes you can be well on your way to a happier and healthier you.
You need three key things:
- Commitment
- Knowledge and Education
- Preparation
Commitment is a relatively easy one to explain, you can’t expect to change a lifetime-long habit if you are only half committed. Throw yourself into it fully, ask friends or family to help you, get them to join you. Sit down and put a plan together to meet your goals. This will help to get yourself into the best possible position to succeed!
Knowledge is power. You need to educate yourself. The better your knowledge on certain habits/subjects, the more successful you are likely to be. Nutrition for example: you need to understand what types of food you require for your specific goal and more importantly WHY! If you understand why, you will be able to apply it to your individual lifestyle rather than adopting a generic cookie cutter approach or plan which is not sustainable for your day-to-day life.
Do some research, pay for someones professional help, and use SMART goals. Be Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time conscious. Something all of our wellness consultants pride themselves on is their ability to educate clients on the best way to maintain a habit change in addition to setting SMART goals.
Being prepared is essential, this is the final key to a successful habit change. Simple preparations like setting aside 15 minutes to sit down and plan your meals for the next 3 days so that you know exactly what to buy when you do your shopping. Or it could be leaving a spare set of clean gym kit under your desk at work, ready for when you forget to bring yours in the chaos of your morning.
There are numerous benefits for developing health habits, including controlling your weight, improving mood, tackling illness and boosting energy (editorial, 2013)
There you have it, your 360 approach to tackling habit change. Why not reach out to us on Instagram – tell us how you’re changing your habits!
MOVE. LIFT. SWEAT.
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