Creating Lifestyle Change: Habits lead to Goals
By Nick Bechtold, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, CF-L1
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" -Aristotle.
The beginning of a new year can be an exciting and motivating time to create lasting lifestyle change and become a better version of yourself. However, research shows that over 90% of New Year’s resolutions ultimately fail. Why is this? There are many factors but one of the most common reasons is that people set lofty goals but fail to create the habits and steps needed to get them there. If you want to set yourself apart from the majority and actually reach your goal, then follow these tips:
Small Actions Lead to Big Actions “The Snowball Effect”
The most important part of creating a lifestyle change is the implementation of small, actionable habits that move you closer to your goal. These small actions, over time, have a compounding effect and will ultimately snowball into larger and larger actions. Choose 1-2 habits that you can implement immediately and that tie in with your big picture goal. For example, you want to lose 30 pounds (I chose this example because we all know weight loss is a common goal). From the outset, this goal can seem daunting. However, starting with simple goals such as a daily 30 minute walk and prioritizing protein at each meal will get the snowball rolling. Maybe after a month of just these two habits you find yourself a few pounds down, ready to join an exercise class and eager to learn more about nutrition. Keep this trend going and the snowball continues to grow.
Create SMART Goals
SMART is an acronym for the following:
Specific: Define your goal in detail and be specific as possible.
Measurable: You must be able to measure or quantify if you are reaching your goal.
Actionable: It must be a goal that you can realistically accomplish in the desired time-frame.
Relevant: The goal should align with your long-term objective.
Time-based: Create a specific time-frame or end-date.
By setting objective, SMART goals you not only create an outline of steps towards accomplishing your goal but you have specific variable to measure whether you are on the path to achieving your goals or you need to modify the plan.
Surround Yourself with Positive Influences
One of my favorite quotes goes something like this, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This is powerful when it comes to creating lasting habit change. Are those five people complaining about their circumstances, drinking everyday, and scoffing at the idea of exercise or are those five people pushing to achieve career goals, working out regularly, and eating healthy.
I’m not saying you have to bail on your friends and family, but if you are serious about creating healthy changes then you must seriously consider whether your social circle is a help or a hinderance towards accomplishing your goal. If it’s a hinderance, then consider joining a community of like-minded individuals who can push you closer to reaching your goal instead of further away from it.
Be Consistent
Most research will point to 21 days as the time needed to create a new habit. In reality, it is probably much longer than this. However, it still shows that lasting change takes time and consistency, even when the initial motivation falters. Knowing this, set aside time for your new habit. Do you want to get in better shape? Plan a time to work out. Whether it’s 30 minutes or an hour, stick to this time and don’t give yourself an excuse to miss it. It doesn’t matter if your motivated, tired, or sore, just get it done. A good metaphor to reinforce consistent action is a piggy bank. Everyday you follow your habit you put a penny in the piggy bank (maybe $1 adjusted for inflation) and over time you accumulate a sizable savings. The same thing goes for accomplishing a big goal. Consistent actions done repeatedly accumulate into sizable change.
Eliminate Barriers
To further improve your chances of maintaining consistency, deliberately eliminate any barriers that challenge your ability to accomplish your new habits. Do you have to drive 15 minutes out of your way to get to the gym? Find a gym that is on your way to/from work or find a home workout plan to get started. Do you feel too tired to cook when you get home from work? Plan 1-2 hours on the weekend to meal prep for the week. Are you unsure of what workouts to do? Hire a coach to design a custom plan that fits your goals and lifestyle.
Creating lifestyle change is hard but with these tips, patience, and consistent action, you can create habits that allow you to reach any goal you set out to accomplish. If you don’t know where to start, have an injury holding you back, or need help creating a plan to tackle your health and fitness goals heading into the new year, then let’s work together to get it done.
