Healthy habits are the key to living a healthy lifestyle.
I’m a big fan of James Clear. Have you heard of him?
He’s the author of Atomic Habits and perhaps the leading authority on forming habits.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from his book Atomic Habits.
“Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to become.”
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
“Your habits shape your identity, and your identity shapes your habits.”
“With the same habits, you’ll end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible.”
“Too often, we convince ourselves that massive results require massive action.”
“We often seem to dismiss small changes because they don’t seem to matter very much in the moment.”
“A slight change in your daily habits can guide your life to a different destination.”
So what do habits have to do with getting in shape or improving your health?
A lot, it turns out.
What Are Healthy Habits?
Healthy habits are small actions taken consistently that improve our health and well-being.
Over time, these habits have a compound effect and can lead to real and noticeable improvements in our overall health and level of fitness.
Some examples of good habits include:
- Eating breakfast
- Working out
- Getting enough sleep
- Stretching
- Taking cold showers
- Limiting alcohol
- Drinking water
While these habits may seem minor or insignificant on their own, when practiced over a long time, stacked with other habits, and combined with a nutrition and fitness plan, they can significantly benefit your health and overall fitness level.
Choosing Healthy Habits To Create A Healthy Lifestyle
Your lifestyle, level of fitness, and even your longevity are ultimately the result of your habits.
As F. M. Alexander wrote, “People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures.”
I like to think about building good habits from a financial perspective.
If we develop the habit of saving money while we’re young, over time, we have a savings account that affords us more opportunities in the future.
Likewise, when we incorporate healthy habits into our daily routines, over time, we reap the rewards of our previous actions.
Final Thoughts
This article scratches the surface of why it’s important to develop healthy habits and how they can help us to create a healthy lifestyle.
What healthy habits would you like to build into your daily routine?
Conversely, what unhealthy habits can you replace or substitute with healthier habits?
As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I encourage my clients to build good habits using my Daily Wellness Habit Tracker.
Contact me to learn more about how you can build healthier habits and create a healthy lifestyle that supports your dreams and goals.