Healthy habits can be very difficult to form. Especially during a global pandemic where we are forced indoors. It's not out of the question to feel like making "healthier" choices is out of the question.
But it doesn't have to be a complete change in a single day. Sometimes, those small choices we make every day can add up over time.
The New York Times reported:
"Start small."
"B.J. Fogg, a Stanford University researcher and author of the book 'Tiny Habits,' notes that big behavior changes require a high level of motivation that often can't be sustained."
"He suggests starting with tiny habits to make the new habit as easy as possible in the beginning."
Redditors told us what were healthy choices they made that overall improved their health and changed their lifestyles.
Redditor TheMechanic123 asked:
"What are some simple changes you can implement that can drastically promote a healthy lifestyle?"
Let's see what small changes we can all make, starting today!
Consistent movement.
"Get some exercise every single day, even if it's only 5 minutes. Consistency is way more important than how hard the workout is."
"I've seen this mantra about consistency, especially with running."
"Why is consistency so important?"
"A single workout or healthy meal by itself does basically nothing- your body tries its absolute best to adapt to its environment while using the least amount of effort to do so. It will try to store fat for survival."
"So, if you adopt consistent workouts and healthy meals, your body has a new environment to adapt to, and your body/metabolism will adapt to that."
- blind30
"Piggy backing off of this… add extra movement wherever you can. Park far away from the entrance to the store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If a place you're going is within walking distance, walk it. If you live somewhere that is bike-friendly, get a used bike and ride your bike for any errands that are only a few miles away."
"It sounds insignificant but those extra bits of activity really can add up."
"Bingo!"
"I don't have exact numbers, of course, because there are way too many environmental and individually specific factors, but it's something like an extra 500 calorie deficit a day to lose like a pound a week. So let's say you can get yourself 125 extra calories of exercise a day via all those extra steps, cycling, errands, etc., you could "lose" an extra 13 lbs a year that you wouldn't have done so otherwise, without even really trying."
Walking is actually more active than you think.
"Walking and drinking more water."
In fact, running and walking shouldn't even be compared according to Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS, a sports Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
"This is what I came to say. After a diabetes diagnosis these were the amongst the biggest changes I made that led to more changes that last til today. 6 months after diagnosis I was down 100lbs, and now, coming upon 2 years, my blood still has only ever registered as diabetic during that first visit."
"Drink water, go for intentional walks."
"Try harder; do more."
- uncamad
And we cannot forget about water.
"I seriously don't know why I didn't start carrying a water bottle around with me sooner. Now I try to always have one, and it's so nice to feel hydrated all the time."
"I don't know that I want to say it becomes addictive…. But it kinda does. Not having a water bottle on me now gives that same awful I-feel-naked-without-it kind of vibe."
Don't care so much.
"Decrease f*cks given increase f*cks taken."
- Quzzyz
"As far as mentality goes, I have embraced not caring as much this year."
"Agreed. I'm actively trying to not care what people think of me. It's really helping me decrease my anxiety and to try new things."
- 227743
Cooking your own meals.
"Cook your own food."
"I finally started meal prepping after like 5 years of saying I will. LIFE CHANGER!"
"The simplest answer is make extras of what you're cooking. If you make rice, veggies, and tofu, make a ton to save and freeze some. Then go from there!"
Add something healthy to what you're already eating.
"Adding small amounts of fruit or vegetables to one meal a day."
"Buy enough fruit for a few days, put it in a bowl so it looks nice and attractive. Take a piece with you every day when you go out for your walk to the store, that's a start."
"I was going to say something similar, which is to add a leafy green vegetable to your breakfast everyday. Totally changed my life nutritionally."
Bobbinapplestoo
"Vegetables more than fruit. Fruit was artificially selected to have as high a sugar content as possible. The amount of fiber and vitamins you get can easily be gotten from other sources and you can save the insulin spike you get from eating that much sugar."
"An important note though is that the sugar in fruit functions a bit different than sugar in sweets and junk food. It goes into your bloodstream much slower so unless you're eating 10 pounds of cherries in one sitting like my aunt does, you should be fine."
Get some rest.
"Regular sleep."
"Hands down the best tip for regular sleep isn't to go to bed/sleep at a consistent time each night. Rather it is to wake up at the same time each day. Yes, even on the weekends or whatever your day offs are; although sleeping in for 30-60 min isn't likely to throw off your circadian rhythm."
"If you have a very hard time waking up try practicing your wake-up routine. When you are NOT tired set a practice alarm that sounds and reacts like your normal alarm for 5-7 minutes from now. Then get into your bed under the covers with whatever you normally where when you sleep. Now is a good time to do a mindfulness meditation or a body scan. Pretend to be asleep but don't fall asleep. Then when your alarm goes off, get up and do your ideal 'I'm waking up and this is my routine' routine. Repeat this process 3-5 times and you will be amazed at how much easier it is for you to wake up to a single alarm, alert and ready."
- robotnel
Soda and red meat.
"I cut my soda consumption by about 90% and did the same for red meat. I haven't quit either one of them, but only have them once in awhile. I've trimmed down, my blood work has improved, and my digestive system loves me a lot more."
"I've naturally shifted away from red meat over the years in an unintentional way... and about a month ago I decided to splurge while on a 10 day vacation, and get a fancy steak at a high end restaurant. It set me off on a bit of a red meat binge that lasted about two weeks before easing off. My sh*ts have never smelled worse, and my GI tract has been reeling and gurgling. I am now about a week away from my beef bender and I'm starting to get back to feeling normal again. It was a fascinating experience to feel the difference that one diet choice makes. Wow."
It can seem daunting to look at a long list like this, but the testimony from people who have actually done it gives a little bit of hope.
If you want to make your lifestyle healthier, just pick one of these things to start with and see what happens. You may surprise yourself!
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