BUILD GREAT HABITS

BUILD HABITS

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine” 

                                                             – john c. maxwell

Let’s take a moment to ponder upon our current habits. What does our daily routine look like? How about our weekly, monthly schedule? Does it include breaks, hobbies and goals?

As a parent and a trainer, my schedule revolves around my children, fitness and my clients. I have many other interests. For example, I like to learn new languages, to hike, to play tennis, to cook and read… Like many of you I don’t have enough time for all of my passions. I haven’t played tennis or practiced my French, Russian or Spanish in years. However, I do set time aside for training, reading, cooking and occasional hikes because I really value these activities.

Choosing a new habit must come from deep within in order for us to adhere to it. It must be a small achievable objective. Our family and friends play a vital role in our success. We want to surround ourselves with people alike, with whom we share similar values. If our partner keeps snacking after dinner, it will be almost impossible for us to eradicate this habit. If our friends always pressure us to have a drink it will only hinder our progress. There are going to be temptations and if we know our triggers having a plan will come in handy. It’s ok if we fall off the wagon, don’t let one bad choice or missed workout hold you back.

 Research shows that it takes anywhere from two to three months up to a year to form and stick to a new habit. (Gardner et al.) James Clear, in his book “Atomic Habits” stresses the importance of frequency, “for a habit to become second nature the repetitions matter even more”. If you are interested in learning more about habits,  Clear beautifully explains the framework of habit formation on his blog. 

Here’s a great habit that we could all benefit from, a 10 min brisk walk before our workouts. If we train three times a week that’s 150 calories burned a week, 600 calories a month, and about 7200 calories over a year (3500 cal equals 1 pound), just from walking 10 minutes a day, three times a week. 

Conversation Starters:

I’m reading: 

• “The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results”,  a book by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan.

• “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know”, a book by Adam Grant

• “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones”, a book by James Clear

I’m listening:

• “How to Build Physical Endurance And Lose Fat” a podcast by Huberman Lab with Andy Galpin, PhD professor of kinesiology.

• “How to Optimize Female Hormone Health for Vitality and Longevity”, a podcast by Huberman Lab with Dr. Sarah Gottfried.

• “How Getting Bad Sleep Is Affecting Your Health”, The School of Greatness, a podcast by Lewis Howes.