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Healthy Living

How to Develop a New Healthy Habit

So you’ve tried to change your ways, you’ve tried all the different diets, eating healthier, working out, but nothing changes. You try and try and then give up, defaulting to your old ways, which then takes you right back to where you started. I get it, I’ve been there, and I know it is NOT FUN. 

What if I told you there was a better way?! 

What if I told you that you could live a balanced life where you ate smaller portions, enjoyed the foods you loved to eat with some health-conscious changes, and moved your body to your limits daily. This can be anything from a simple walk to dancing at home, naked in front of the mirror. Whatever made you happy and got you up and about. 

This, my friend, is how to start a healthy living journey. I call it a journey because it’s a real lifestyle change, and it’s through the small changes you make every day (the mundane modifications) that you will see long-lasting transformations. 

So, where do you even start? 

Well, for one, you start by simply starting! If you listen to my podcast Inspired by Luwame, you will hear me saying that a great deal. I keep coming back to that statement because it really is that simple. YOU START BY SIMPLY STARTING. What this means is that you do the following:

Work with what you have!

Do not overthink the process. If you want to start running, start slowly by jogging or speed walking. This is you starting with what you have. If you try to rush the process and start running 5-minute miles, you will not only hurt yourself, but you will feel discouraged and give up. However, if you start slow, give yourself time to add speed, and simply enjoy the space you are in, you will notice changes over time. 

Consistency is KEY! 

Let’s stick with the running example. The more consistently you work on your skills, the better you become.  Walking will turn to jogging which will then become running, and the more you do it consistently, the faster you will become. 

Build routines around your new habit! 

Without having a built-in routine, you will never stay focused because every time Life throws a curveball your way, your new habit will become less critical. When you have routines in place, you already know what your day will look like, where you will focus on, and there will be time set aside for that new habit. I urge you to continue to do this until the routine itself becomes a habit meaning that you have done it so often that now it can be done unconsciously. 

Have your ‘Why’ written where you can see it everyday.

This will help you stick to your goals when you remember why you even started to begin with and be excited to continue. I’ll leave you with this quote I read:

“He who has a why can endure any how”

Frederick Nietzsche

I hope this blog helps you or someone you know. As always, I’d love to hear from you. How are you building good habits? What processes are you following to ensure your routines turn into habits?

Yours, 

Luwame