It’s so easy to be unhealthy in the world around us. We are often surrounded by temptation and distractions, but a big part of living a healthy life is making sure that we incorporate healthy habits into our daily routine. Everybody has bad habits that they want to control or break, whether they are thought patterns or lifestyle choices, but oftentimes we don’t know where to start. Here are 4 methods to help you cut back on unhealthy habits!
Make Small Changes
Creating new habits is easy, but breaking old ones is more difficult. We want to get rid of a bad habit instantly, but this can cause problems, especially when trying to give up something like smoking. Rather than trying to make massive changes all at once, be gentle with yourself and start small. In terms of smoking, you can have nicotine without all of the chemicals that come with cigarettes. For example, a C Cell vape can still give you that nicotine hit. This is more likely to instill a positive change, rather than falling back into those negative bad habits.
Understanding What Triggers Unhealthy Habits
Learning to listen to our bodies is the best way to bring about change. When we identify key triggers that make us behave in a certain way, we can find the key to breaking them. We can repeat unhealthy habits without knowing why we are doing them in the first place. For example, if you have a problem with sugar, if you notice the times you want sugary foods, such as a dessert after a meal, you can reduce your sugar intake at that time, or make a healthier swap that still gives you that same sugar hit. For example, honey on toast is marginally healthier than having a chocolate bar loaded with sugar.
Tracking Your Progress
When we are trying to give up unhealthy habits, perspective is the biggest ally. Making notes of your progress with your new healthy habits can help you see where you are faltering, but also help you celebrate your achievements. When you become more aware of the things you change in life, you need to give yourself a pat on the back, which is an incredible way to keep on motivating yourself.
Punish Yourself for Unhealthy Habits
The age-old example of the swear jar is an excellent way to get out of bad habits. If you find yourself slipping up, put some money into a “fine jar” as a punishment. Also, don’t forget to reward yourself for good behaviors by sticking to healthy habits. However, the reward needs to be in keeping with what you are trying to achieve. For example, a complete blowout of unhealthy foods might set you back if you’ve got a very bad problem with sugar.
Breaking unhealthy habits is harder than starting up a healthy one. Take each day as it comes, and make sure you are making steps in the right direction. As long as you start slow, and realize that there will be some obstacles along the way, be confident that you’ve started on the journey to a healthier you.
