The Power of Habits: One Percent Better Every Day

Habits are a powerful force in our lives. They can help us achieve our goals, but they can also hold us back from achieving them. In this article, I will discuss how to use habits for your advantage when it comes to health, fitness and nutrition. When you focus on the process instead of the specific goal, you have a better chance at success because taking small steps is much easier than trying to go big right away. Shoot for being 1% better every day and watch as your life improves!

Habits are behaviors that we perform automatically – like brushing our teeth, for example. Once we establish a habit, it’s something we no longer have to think about because it becomes second nature. It’s important to nurture and maintain good habits and break bad ones because they can affect your mental and physical health in a major way.

How to use habits for your advantage when it comes to your health, fitness, and nutrition

The best way to form long-lasting habits is by focusing on one habit at a time for 30 days straight – track your progress daily.

Start Small

Small changes over time can lead to big results. In the beginning, it’s more important that a habit is started than how well it’s done. There are many examples of people who have made huge transformations in their lives by focusing on small daily changes and building them up over time. Think one peercent better every day.

• Start with something you know you can do every day, like brushing your teeth. Once it becomes a habit, try adding another thing to the list and so on until eventually all of those things become habits as well!
• If you think you can exercise for 30 minutes a day, choose 10 minutes — this will make it so easy to do. After 10 minutes, you’ll be given the option of stopping or continuing, but by choosing to exercise for 10 minutes, you leave the decision up to yourself.
• If you think you can eat 1 healthy meal today, choose 2 small ones – the first & last one should be vegetables.
  If you think you can eat one healthy meal today, choose two small ones. Your first and last meals should always be vegetables because they give your body the nutrients it needs.

That’s a great start! It doesn’t matter if you can exercise for 30 minutes or 10, just do what your body and mind allow. And remember: it takes about 18 to 20 weeks of doing something every day before the behavior becomes second nature (which is when we call that habit).

Make it measurable.

• Keeping track of your progress is important, so make it measurable. Make it simple and easy to say whether or not you were successful today — Did you do the thing? Yes/No.
• For exercise, set a number of minutes or something similar (20 minutes of exercise daily, for example). Whatever your goal, have a measurement.
• Use a habit tracking Journal or notepad. When you can see how far you’ve come and where to go next, it’s easier to stay on the right path.

Maintain a positive mindset!

• Expect setbacks, it’s all part of being human. Just note them and move on.
• Change takes patience. Don’t panic if you take two steps back for every three you go forward. Slow and steady wins the race.
• Setbacks happen. When they do, don’t beat yourself up. Baby steps are all you need to get back on track. The key is to keep moving forward.
• The most important part is staying consistent with small changes over time, building them into habits that last a lifetime. Start now by taking baby steps towards creating healthy new behaviors day after day until they become automatic. Then once you get the hang of them, you can use that momentum to tackle bigger challenges.
• Focus on the process, not the specific goals. The main goal will be working out for 30 minutes every day (or whatever you are forming). Don’t focus too much on exactly HOW you’re going to do it; just make sure that at the end of each day, you’ve done something good.
• Teach your brain to focus on the process. Don’t think about final outcome, but rather concentrate on taking better steps each and every day you go for a run or workout at the gym! Remember that Rome wasn’t built in one day. You’ll enjoy the process much more and see results sooner.

You can do it! Improve your life by using the power of habit. Just remember: one percent better every day!

We Can Help!

If you or a loved one, friend or coworker needs help in achieving a sustainable, healthier active lifestyle, please reach out to us the simplest way you can or pass this on to anyone who may need and be looking for help.

We at Individual Fitness are always here to help you when you need a strategy to help you take your next step to keep moving forward toward living a sustainable, active, healthy lifestyle. Afterall, our Vision at Individual Fitness, is to provide a private personal training experience where YOU MATTER!