16 Healthy Habits to Follow For Life

Those habitual things we repeat day in and day out — such as brushing our teeth or making a morning cup of coffee — matter more than you think. In fact, having healthy daily habits can help us overcome obstacles, inspire new motivation, and push us to reach our goals. While these behaviors may seem small, over time, they can have a major impact! Think about your morning routine — what habits do you find yourself following? Do you wake up and journal, meditate, or sweat it out? Or, do you find yourself in the habit of immediately reaching for your phone, checking your email, and scrolling through social media? If you said the latter, you’re not alone! But, what if you had healthy habits to follow that set you up for success and supported your goals?

Ahead, we’re sharing the healthiest habits to incorporate into your daily routine.

How Healthy Habits Can Transform Your Life

First and foremost — what are healthy habits, and why are they important?

Think of healthy habits as the secret to success. While motivation gets you started, healthy habits keep you going. Motivation dwindles, and that’s totally normal. You’re not always going to jump out of bed every morning motivated to press play on a workout, meal prep after a long day at the office, or meditate when your mind feels like it can’t slow down.

When motivation is fleeting, life is stressful, and schedules are busy, healthy habits help us stay on track.

Our healthy daily habits even support specific health and wellness goals, too. Think about weight loss, for example. Rather than obsessing over calories or a specific workout plan, developing small daily habits (such as walking a mile per day or drinking a morning glass of water) can help you chip away at your goals without even realizing it. It’s all about finding sustainable lifestyle habits that work for you and staying consistent.

How Long Does it Take To Form a Healthy Habit?

While most believe 21 days to be the gold standard for developing healthy habits, in actuality, there is no one-size-fits-all period of time! Research shows it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a habit — it all depends on the person, situation, and goal!

Our advice? Try not to spend too much time focusing on a number or period of time. Instead, define your goals, find sustainable habits that will help you achieve them, and stay consistent! The results will happen over time. Before you know it, you’ll have developed a range of healthy habits to follow for life.

16 Healthy Habits For a Healthy Life

#1 Fuel Your Day With a Protein-Rich Breakfast

We get it — mornings are busy. It can be easy to fly out the door with a piece of fruit or cup of coffee and consider it breakfast. Or, maybe you skip your morning meal altogether. But, starting your morning with a protein-rich breakfast is a healthy habit you’ll want to get behind! A breakfast rich in protein supports satiety, decreasing the urge to snack.

To avoid missing your morning meal, a little prep work goes a long way. Here are some meal prep ideas to make mornings that much easier:

Make a chia seed pudding
Pre-prep a protein smoothie by portioning out your ingredients in a freezer-safe bag
Prep a batch of overnight oats

#2 Drink a Glass of Water Immediately Upon Waking

Did you know your body wakes up in a mild state of dehydration after a long night of sleep? Starting your morning with a hydrating glass of water not only replenishes your fluid stores but it also helps to flush out toxins, promote healthy lymphatic flow, kickstart your metabolism, boost your energy, and even support a glowing complexion.

With benefits like these, be sure to mix up your daily routine with a tall glass of water and soak up this healthy habit!

#3 Eat For Nourishment Not Restriction

Did you know severe dieting and restriction is a predictor of weight gain? Even if dieting is initially effective, studies show dieters are likely to gain back more weight than they started with. The fact of the matter is, yo-yo dieting doesn’t work. So, why punish yourself when you could nourish yourself?

Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, focus on filling your plate with a variety of colors, wholesome ingredients, and balanced proportions. Goodbye restriction — we’re welcoming the healthy habit of nourishment!

#4 Double or Triple Your Meal Prep Recipes

Making a yummy dinner or trying a new recipe? Plan ahead for busy days by making extra servings of whatever dish you’re preparing! Even if you have a lunch option prepped and ready to go, making extra portions of any meal is a good healthy habit to start adopting.

Portion out any leftovers and store them in the freezer for those busy days. Without worrying about cooking or cleaning, you’ll be more efficient with your time and less likely to snack or make unhealthy food choices.

Here are some great options that are great to prepare in bulk:

Lean proteins like chicken breast or turkey
Spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles
Overnight oats
Chia pudding
Chili or soup
Starchy carbs or grains like rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes

#5 Meal Prep Your Snacks

Speaking of meal prep, having healthy snacks on hand is a healthy habit that is equally as important. When hanger strikes, patience, and willpower seem to disappear. So, instead of fighting not-so-healthy food cravings, be prepared with nutrient-dense meal prepped snacks! Plus, having healthy snacks to munch on can help increase satiety and prevent splurging on excess calories.

Here are some ideas:

DIY trail mix made with a mix of nuts, seeds, and freeze-dried fruit
Chopped veggie sticks with a side of hummus or avocado
Snack-sized yogurts (we love unsweetened greek, coconut, or almond yogurt) with a side of pre-portioned granola
Portable fruits like bananas, oranges, and apples

#6 Avoid Sneaky Sugars & Make Healthier Swaps

One of the best healthy habits to follow? Read ingredient labels! Sneaky sugars come in many forms and can easily make their way onto your plate. Linked to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and inflammation, be mindful of what foods you’re consuming and the amount of sugar they contain. Avoiding processed ingredients and artificial sugars is one of the best ways to stay on track with your goals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite foods.

When cravings strike, swap unhealthy options for healthier alternatives. Satisfy all your needs with these simple swaps!

#7 Prioritize Daily Movement

You don’t have to do a heart-pumping HIIT workout or even break a sweat. Prioritizing daily movement is as simple as it sounds — moving your body daily! If you’re stuck at the office all day with no time to work out, there are still ways to move your body. Prioritize movement by taking 10-minute walk breaks, or scheduling your meeting while you’re on the go.

Daily movement could include your workout, but it could also mean getting out for a long walk with your dog, taking the stairs over the elevator, or even parking further away from your final destination to get in more steps.

#8 Establish an Evening Routine to Support Better Sleep

Whether you’re looking to lose weight, optimize your performance and recovery, or boost your mood and cognitive function, the answer is simple — sleep! For a deeper beauty rest, get in the healthy habit of adopting an evening routine to support your sleep cycle and wake up feeling more rested.

Some of our favorites:

A FitOn sleep meditation to help calm the mind and body
Soaking in a soothing Epsom salt bath
Sipping on an herbal cup of tea and cozying up with a book
Unwinding with a calming yoga flow

#9 Find Time to Destress Daily

When it comes to your health, being busy is no excuse! Set aside daily time to destress — this can be as little as five minutes per day. Research shows even five minutes of meditation can reduce cortisol levels and regulate stress. The most important thing is consistency, not duration.

Need some stress-relieving ideas? Meditate with a calming FitOn meditation, roll out your mat, or go for an (uninterrupted) walk.

#10 Do More of What You Love

This could be making more time for hobbies, spending more time with your kids (or fur babies), or even changing your career. Doing more of what you love increases gratitude, lowers stress, and simply makes you happier.

#11 Find Time for Connection

Connection is important, now more than ever. Not only is it the key to health, longevity, and happiness, but connection is imperative for our mental health, too. In addition to strengthening our relationships, connections with friends, family, or community can provide support during times of stress and simply make us feel like we’re not alone.

Craving more connection? Join our FitOn community, volunteer, join a club, or reach out to family or friends. We’re all in this together — it’s more than ok to ask for support! And if you’re just not feeling like yourself, speak with a therapist or doctor.

#12 Set Healthy Boundaries

Before you can fill anyone else’s cup, you have to fill your own. And, sometimes investing in yourself and your wellbeing means learning how to say no. So, before you take on another job commitment, accept an invitation to a night out, or agree to lend a helping hand, check-in with yourself. Do you have the time and the energy? Or, more importantly, do you want to say yes?

Adopting healthy habits can be as simple as adopting healthy boundaries. Sometimes saying no to others is saying yes to yourself.

#13 Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is a simple yet powerful habit that can transform your mindset and improve your overall well-being. Research shows that practicing gratitude daily can boost your mood, enhance resilience, and even improve physical health. Start or end your day by writing down three things you’re grateful for — big or small. Over time, this practice can help you cultivate a more positive outlook on life.

#14 Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Excessive screen time, especially in the evening, can disrupt your circadian rhythm, impacting both sleep quality and quantity. This is because the blue light emitted from screens can suppress melatonin production, increasing feelings of alertness and making it harder to fall asleep. Make it a habit to unplug at least an hour (or more) before bed. Instead, swap screen time for calming evening activities like reading a book, meditating, or journaling.

#15 Spend Time Outdoors Daily

There’s a reason that connecting with nature feels so refreshing — it’s been shown to benefit both your mental and physical health. According to research, spending even 15 minutes outside can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost vitamin D levels. And, by spending time in nature, you’re more likely to engage in other healthier habits. Whether it’s a morning walk, exercising outside, gardening, or simply sitting in the sun, make outdoor time a daily priority.

#16 Practice Mindful Breathing

Incorporating mindful breathing into your daily routine is a simple yet effective way to manage stress and stay grounded. Though seemingly simple, research shows this practice can calm your nervous system, boost your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve focus. Take a few minutes each day to focus on deep, slow breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

Healthy Habits For a Healthier & Happier You

As you can see, small daily habits make for big changes! Try incorporating these twelve habits into your daily wellness routine. Start by mastering one habit, and then add in another. Before you know it, these simple healthy habits will become a part of your daily ritual for life!