We get it — the very word “habits” can bring flashbacks to when you felt as if you didn’t have enough willpower. But it’s not about that at all, experts say.
“Habits are simply learned behaviors that repeat when paired with a contextual cue,” explains licensed clinical psychologist Laura Athey-Lloyd, Psy.D., owner of Reflection Psychological Services in New York City. “Some habits, such as buckling our seat belt, are automatic. Others, like journaling, are more complex.”
THE SCIENCE OF HABITS
Like any new skill, realigning your health routines just takes a little practice. Any habit is formed and maintained by a cycle of antecedents (also known as cues or triggers) and positive reinforcements (things that make you feel good at least for a while, like a sense of pride, a physiological response such as a zap of energy or social feedback such as compliments), Athey-Lloyd adds. For instance, maybe your morning coffee reminds you to do some gentle stretching, or on the flip side, maybe you drink a little too much alcohol when you’re with certain friends. You get a reward for both habits, even if one is good for you and the other not so much.
ENTER OUR 8-WEEK PLAN
The GH health and nutrition experts created this program to help you get good habits nailed down. Each bit of advice matches up with the four laws of behavior change mentioned in James Clear’s Atomic Habits—things need to be obvious, attractive, easy, satisfying—that help make things stick. The goal is for these lifestyle tweaks to become an easy and sustainable healthy-living routine you can continue building upon.
Ready to transform your life?!
WEEK 1 Stay Hydrated
Every single cell in your body needs water to function — water helps keep joints lubricated, regulates body temperature, delivers nutrients to your cells, assists in digestion and organ function and supports your sleep, mood, cognition and more. Since a woman’s body is about 55% water, you O do you need to down each day? It varies by person, and you can calculate your estimated quota by dividing your body weight in half—if you weigh 160 pounds, for instance, you’ll need about 80 oz (10 cups).
