5 Strategic Steps to Effective Habit Making!

Updated: Apr 28, 2020

For the most part, many of us are following “safer at home” guidelines during Covid-19 to “SLOW the SPREAD”. A question I am consistently receiving from folks is how to make use of this time positively so they have healthier habits in place when they go back to their normal social lives. They share that they have this thought: “I have a plan in my mind and know what I want to accomplish. Then worry pops in! I wonder if I will fail like I have with previous wellness attempts after a few weeks?”

If you are finding yourself in this mindset, there are strategic steps that work to make effective healthy habits stick! Today, I am going to share with you 5 straightforward, detailed steps that can make healthy habits remain for a lifetime! It is not rocket science, but it is tested and true behavioral science. The statistics don’t lie. People who commit to this path over time succeed and keep the new habits they make!

Are you ready? I am, so let’s go on this path together!

1. Create a vision of what you want to do in order to reach a healthy you. Write it down or create a vision board that you can revisit on days you are struggling.

Why? Think about it. Have you ever wanted to decorate a room? Have you ever done so without looking online, in magazines, watched HGTV shows or visited friends’ homes to create a vision of what you wanted to do? Having an idea of what color schemes and design style to use made you feel comfortable, right? If you did not have a decorating vision in your mind, how on earth would you effectively make your house a home? Think of the outcome of a visionless decorated room or home. It would be a hot mess of colors, textures, themes, fabrics and you may never be truly relaxed in your own home. Well, the same goes with becoming healthier. You need to have a vision of what your health would look like if you took a different path and made new effective habits. Again, you need to write down that vision of yourself healthy or create a vison board of what the outcome looks like and how you would feel if you made habit changes.

2. Identify habits you wish to change.

Do you have a routine that creates an unhealthy path? Is there something that happens that if you could change would allow you to feel better about your lifestyle? Write these habits down. Leave plenty of space below and next to each habit. Why you ask…keep reading.

At the core of every habit (good and bad) is a loop. Each habit loop you have keeps things going indefinitely. You, your brain and body become conditioned to follow the loops without even batting an eye sometimes. And sometimes you may even consciously know that you are making an unhealthy choice, but still feel the need to continue on the same path.

The loop steps are:

1. What is making you start on the path: THE CUE

2. What is the path you take:

THE ROUTINE

3. What motivates you to complete the path: THE REWARD

Identify and write down 1-3 habit loops you wish to change over the next 6 months!

At the end of this article, I will share an example of an

effective habit loop change. Step by Step!

3. Figure out what really motivates you. What rewards make you want to succeed?

In the end, it all comes down to the reward. Many times, the reward supersedes the vision you have in your head. Rewards are very strong, and they influence how powerful a habit loop can become. A reward is really like a craving that is satisfied when the routine is completed and provides a certain feeling you are seeking. Therefore, it is important to be honest and to be open to experimentation when you are changing habits to find the TRUE reward that motivates you. One week try one reward and the next week another and then perhaps one more reward for good measure. Track how you feel when adjusting your habit. Figure out which reward seems to replace the unwanted reward habit and truly feels like a good thing to do. In this process you are determining patterns in how you are feeling and reacting to the habit loop you are changing.

Write down the first reflective thoughts after each reward experiment.

4. What are the cues in your habit loops? What triggers you to follow a specific habit loop?

This is a really challenging part of the process. You might think it would be easy. Unfortunately, we have so much peripheral “noise” around us that make it difficult to really see what is triggering us to follow our ingrained habits. Luckily, scientists have identified five categories of cues:

Location,
Time,
Emotional State,
Other People,
Immediately preceding action.

So, in this step what needs to be done is to analyze the habit you want to improve. Follow the habit without any change and identify each category of your loop for a few days. Take note of any any patterns. Where you find consistencies, is where the REAL cue lies! Once you identify the real cue, you can begin to create a plan to change the habit loop for long term success.

5. Write out a plan that will help you shift your behavior. Be sure to include back-up plans when you run into an obstacle.

A habit is a choice. However, at some point, our brain decides it is simpler to rewire the choice path into auto-pilot to improve efficiency. This is great when we have positive habits and not so good when we have poor habits that hurt us in the long run. In order to re-engineer the habit you want to change or improve, you must shake up the formula and re-learn the choice making for this habit. The best way to succeed is for you to create a plan. This plan shows your brain that you have what psychologists call “implementation intention”.

Depending on the habit you are addressing, this may not be easy. It may take time for your brain to rewire. Be prepared that you may need to make back-up plans so you can adapt for success. Also, include in the plan to revisit your habits to make sure you are making improvements. If you find you are getting bored, adjust it to make it more challenging or flex-it to prevent boredom. It usually takes 6 months to a year to make a new habit loop that will stick, so create plan A, B, C & D with your obstacles to give you the time you need to make it stick.

The goal is for your Effective Habit Plan to be realistic with consistency and patience. Realize your habits are a reflection of your willpower, which is a muscle that must be built with simple, daily commitment. Set yourself up for success by starting off with these 5 basic steps. With each success your overall vision for effective habit change will lead to a healthier you!

If you find you would like supportive coaching on this path, please know that this

dietitian is available and ready to help! Remember, Cost Effective R.D., the real deal in all things nutrition and wellness!

Alicia’s Vision and Habit Loop EXAMPLE

Start August 2018; Realized October 2019 and beyond!

Step 1 - Vision: To get in shape so I can enjoy each step when I hike Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon. (and not become part of the next edition of Over the Edge: Death in the

Grand Canyon. Real book!!)

Step 2 – Create a new habit loop:

Current habit: Working out 1-2 times per week. New improved habit: To work out at least 4-5 times per week.

Step 3 - Reward

Experiments for working out 4-5 times per week. (reward in parentheses)

A. Set the alarm at the time; put it in my daily planner. (I like to track my progress)

B. Pay for a group workout class you like to do and sign up. (I don’t want to waste money)

C. Connect with a friend that wants to work out as well. Decide on a place and time to meet. (Enjoy socializing; Make a commitment with a reliable person)

Result: Turns out Reward B was truly my motivator. I don’t like to waste money and I felt this was an opportunity to invest in myself. I made sure I went to Orange Theory 2-3 times per week. Reward C was how I reached my 4th & 5th work outs: Biked with husband and played pickleball with neighbors. I enjoy being out of the house and being social since I work remotely in my home.

Step 4 – Cues

I needed to figure out when it was my best time to work out regularly. I found that working out in the morning works better than at lunch break or in the evening for me. I adjusted my schedule to find personal sweet spot; I found that my day felt more positive and productive if I started my day with my workout. I recognized it was the good feeling I was seeking.

Step 5 – Plan

a. Signed up at the beginning of the month for my Orange Theory classes. I used my membership even while traveling all over the country during the year. Did not cancel before midnight unless I was sick (happened twice). I also found that the Orange Theory app tracked my progress daily, weekly, monthly, annually as well as tracked my personal bests for benchmark workouts.

b. Created 1 weekly bike ride with my husband. On the weekends, we biked 15-20 miles. We always picked a fun reward destination (beach or restaurant for recovery meal); During the week it was a quick 6-8 miles before or after work hours.

c. Included 2+mile beach walks and 1.5 hours of pickleball as options in my 4-5 workouts. Originally not included in my loop as a workout, but both did get my heart rate up and could happen around work hours easily. (back-up plan to remove obstacle)