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 reaching for your phone, immediately checking your notifications, and maybe even 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. And if you’re wondering what are healthy habits, anyways? We’re breaking down all you need to know.
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. Let’s face it, you’re only human. Motivation dwindles and that’s totally normal. You’re not 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 (and if you are, spill your secrets!)
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 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?
Speaking of consistency, how long does it take to form a healthy habit?
According to popular belief, 21 days is the gold standard for developing healthy habits. But, in actuality, there is no one-size-fits-all period of time! Studies show 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!
12 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 has been shown to boost metabolism, satiety, and muscle mass, while decreasing the urge to snack! Maybe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.
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!
RELATED: Honoring Your Body Through Nourishment Not Restriction
#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. Be mindful of what foods you’re consuming and the amount of sugar they contain. Avoiding processed ingredients and artificial sugars is the best way 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.
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!
