Five reasons to develop good health habits

Our lives are what we make of them. And if we want to enjoy long, happy, healthy lives, then we have to put in the effort to start building good health habits now. So how much time and effort do you have to put in before new health habits stop feeling like work?

How long does it take to form a habit?

According to the European Journal of Social Psychology, it can take anything from 18 to 254 days for a new habit to form. This seems like a huge gap, but that’s because the time required will vary depending on the type of habit you’re trying to develop.

However, the study also specified that, on average, a new habit could become automatic in 66 days.

But when it comes to health habits, putting the time and effort in truly is more than worth the initial struggle.

What is the definition of a health habit?

Put simply; a health habit is any regularly occurring behaviour that is advantageous to your mental or physical health. Some examples include:

• Exercising regularly.
• Eating a balanced diet.
• Taking supplements.
• Limiting alcohol consumption.

Why are good health habits important?

It’s important to note that not everybody enjoys a consistent routine, which can impact the ability to form a new habit. Some will find the process harder than others. During those moments where you want to give up and revert to old ways, remind yourself of the following five reasons why good health habits are essential.

1) Habits impact your daily life

Healthy habits are present every single day of your life. When it’s cold outside, and you don’t want to go out for that run, or you’ve had a hard day and would rather grab a takeout than cook a nutritious meal, remember that the effort you’re putting in today will influence your future.

2) The struggle is only temporary

Eventually, you will carry out your health habits without even thinking about them. That means that soon when you’re unable to complete a habit, you’re highly likely to notice the impact. The tables will turn soon; you just have to keep going. You’ve got this!

3) Good health habits can help you reach personal goals

Like all habits, good health habits are tough to break once they become part of your daily life. Perhaps you’ve set yourself a goal like completing a triathlon or marathon; forming solid health habits will play a role in helping you smash the challenges you’ve set for yourself. It’s all connected.

4) Healthy habits will help you get back on track

There will naturally be things that prevent us from carrying out our health habits. For example, it wouldn’t be healthy for you to force yourself to go to the gym when you’re sick. Or perhaps you’re out for a celebration meal of some kind, and there aren’t any options that fit your diet plan. Or maybe you’ve gone away on a trip and forgotten to take your supplements with you.

These things happen, but once good habits are formed, you’re less likely to give up entirely because you’ll have already noticed the benefits.

5) Health habits will make you feel good

Sure, it will likely be a struggle to get into a new routine, but the moment you start to feel the benefits will make all your work and effort pay off. When you smash your first fitness goal or feel the glow of having all the nutrients from your well-balanced diet in your body or see the benefits of fresh, youthful skin from the supplement you’ve been taking, you’ll be so happy that you made a change. So keep thinking of those feelings, especially in those moments when you want to quit.

Take a screenshot of these, or bookmark this page to go back to quickly when you need a little push back in the right direction.

Whatever new health habit you’re trying to form, remember to be kind to yourself and continue thinking about the result rather than the struggle to get there.