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By Everything Lifestyle Staff

Habits

How to Successfully Break Bad Habits

Nov 26, 2024 | 5:12 PM

Want to develop healthier habits this year? Here are some tips to help you make it happen.

We don’t need a doctor to tell us that certain lifestyle habits can keep us healthier, now and in the future. Habits like eating healthy foods, losing weight, exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting how much alcohol we drink, getting enough sleep and reducing stress are the gold standard of healthy living. And when a new year begins, many of us are more motivated than ever to adopt some of these habits.

But even when we’re motivated to change our habits, sticking with the changes over the long run is hard to do. That’s why it’s probably not surprising that only about 8% of Americans stick with New Year’s resolutions by year-end and around 80% of people give up by February.

If you are determined to break your bad habits for good, here are some tips that may help:

• Set attainable and specific goals. Don’t be unrealistic about the goals you set. When you set out to change things a little at a time, you’re more likely to do what’s needed to be successful. For example, instead of saying you’ll work out every day, commit to walking 20 minutes, 3 days a week. Once that becomes a habit, add more time or days to your exercise routine.
• Make a plan. If you want to sustain your habit changes, lay out the specifics of how you’ll achieve your goals. For example, if you want to eat healthier at work, plan to shop for groceries and meal-prep healthy lunches on Sunday so they’re ready to grab on your way out the door.
• Identify triggers. Understand what situations, people or emotions spur your bad habits and try to avoid those triggers, especially when you begin to change your habits. Find alternatives to bad habits in those situations. For example, if you always drink when socializing with certain friends, plan a different kind of outing where alcohol isn’t the main focus.
• Ask for help. It’s often easier to change your habits when you are doing it alongside another person or at least have the support of others. Ask someone to commit to changing the same habit as you, let others know what your intentions are or ask for help when you need it.
• Give yourself grace. The road to new habits is not usually a straight line. Plan for slip-ups, be patient and remind yourself that every step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction – and that detours are okay as long as you find your way back on track.
• Reward yourself. Changing habits over the long term is hard work. As you make changes or meet short-term goals, recognize how far you’ve come and reward yourself for the work you’ve done. For example, after you lose those first 10 pounds, buy yourself a new workout outfit to celebrate the achievement. As an added bonus, it may just inspire you to keep moving forward!

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_{Date Last Reviewed: November 18, 2024}

_{Medical Review: Perry Pitkow, MD}