Building Sustainable, Healthy Habits
By Margot Rutigliano, CPT, Certified Health Coach
Are you tired of trying new habits that just don’t stick? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by taking on too many changes at once, only to end up feeling like you’ve failed? You’re not alone. Many of us struggle with building sustainable habits, but it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right tools and approach, you can create lasting changes that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle. That’s why we created the Healthy Habits Builder and Workbook.
The Problem: Why Habits Don’t Stick
The primary reason many of us fail to build lasting habits is that we often try to do too much at once or choose habits that don’t align with our lifestyle. This leads to repeated failures, which can erode our self-trust and motivation. But there's a better way. Here are some of the issues with our current system of habit building:
We need to focus on what we CAN do - not we think we SHOULD do.
We focus too much on the end goal but not the steps to get there.
Obstacles throw us off track.
One “mess up” becomes the end of the journey.
We don’t believe in ourselves.
We don’t trust ourselves.
We have a fear of failure or a fear of success.
We don’t know how to build a system to get us to our ultimate goals.
We don’t have the skills and tools necessary to get us there.
We rely too heavily on motivation.
LEARN HOW TO BUILD HABITS THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE
Building sustainable habits that truly work for you and your lifestyle requires a personalized approach that considers four key criteria: physiology, psychology, practical circumstances, and personal preferences.
Physiology: Understanding what works best for your body is crucial. This involves recognizing the types of exercise and nutrition that allow you to feel and function at your best. Everyone’s body is unique, and finding what aligns with your physiological needs can lead to more effective and enjoyable habits.
Psychology: Our mental approach to change and stress significantly impacts how we adopt new habits. It's essential to acknowledge how new actions affect your stress levels, whether it’s positive (eustress) or negative (distress). Developing strategies that help you manage change and stress will make it easier to stick with new habits.
Practical Circumstances: Your lifestyle commitments—such as your schedule, family, friends, and career—play a significant role in what habits you can realistically maintain. Focus on what you can do within your current parameters rather than what you think you should do. This practical approach ensures that new habits are sustainable and fit seamlessly into your life.
Personal Preferences: Your likes and dislikes matter when building new habits. While sometimes you might need to make decisions that go against your preferences, it's important to consider them to maintain a balanced approach. Habits that align with your preferences are more likely to stick and bring long-term satisfaction.
By focusing on these four criteria, you can create habits that are not only sustainable but also enriching and aligned with your unique lifestyle.
Additional criteria To Consider when building healthy habits:
Realistic goal setting.
Action based steps.
Give yourself grace.
Build up your habits slowly - no need to tackle everything at one time.
Track progress so you gain awareness around what’s working and what isn’t.
Reflect weekly - what were your wins and/or challenges?
Hold yourself accountable.
So, What’s the solution?
It’s much easier to build healthy habits when you have a clear blueprint to follow. Let’s take the guesswork out of building habits that can actually get you to your goals.
We’ve got a workbook that is designed to help you build these sustainable habits - the kind that will last. It focuses on the 4 pillars of health: nutrition, fitness, sleep, and stress management. Here's how it can transform your approach to habit building:
Sustainable Habit Building Education: Learn the science behind effective habit formation. Understand how to create habits that stick by making them easy, attractive, and rewarding.
5-Step Habit and Lifestyle Evaluation: Learn useful tools that lead to the foundation of healthy habits.
4 Pillars of Health Evaluation: Assess your current health across nutrition, fitness, sleep, and stress management.
Current Habit Identifier: Identify existing habits that support or hinder your goals.
Wheel of Life: Evaluate which areas of life you feel are satisfying and which areas you would like to focus on building or cultivating.
SMART Goals Framework: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals to ensure success.
Outcome vs Behavior Goals Education: Understand the critical difference between outcome goals (the results you want) and behavior goals (the actions you take). This distinction helps you focus on the actionable steps that lead to your desired outcomes.
5-Step Process for Implementing New Habits: Follow a structured approach to integrate new habits into your routine:
Identify the specific action step you want to prioritize.
Experiment with this habit for 1-2 weeks to assess its effectiveness.
Select a suitable tool or strategy, such as habit stacking or journaling, to support your habit.
Evaluate your progress weekly: Did the habit yield positive results? Adjust or refine as needed.
Implement your next action step, layering habits over time for continuous improvement.
28 Days of Daily Habit Tracker/Journal: Stay accountable and track your progress with our fillable PDF, designed for seamless digital interaction or easy printing.
4 Weekly Reflections: Engage in guided self-reflection to evaluate your journey, celebrate successes, and identify areas for growth.
Habit Ideas for Each Pillar: Access 25 actionable habit ideas for nutrition, fitness, sleep, and stress management, curated to inspire and support your wellness goals.
Digital and Print-Ready: Our fillable PDF format ensures a flexible user experience. Download instantly for digital use or print for tangible reference and convenience.
BUILD YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TODAY WITH OUR HEALTHY HABITS CHALLENGE
Building sustainable habits is the key to reaching your health, wellness, and weight loss goals. By focusing on the right steps and making gradual changes that fit into your lifestyle, you can create lasting improvements in your life. The Healthy Habits Challenge and Workbook is your guide to this transformative process.
Get Started Today
Don’t let the cycle of trying and failing hold you back any longer.
Get this guided 8 week challenge to start developing long-lasting change for good.
GET IT NOW: THE HEALTHY HABITS 8 WEEK CHALLENGE