Ask any modern lifestyle physician, and they’ll tell you that most of the health issues that people experience in the modern world are a direct consequence of how they live their lives.
When you think about it, this is a dramatic about-turn from the situation that prevailed for thousands of years. For most of human history, the world did damage to us. It bombarded us with storms, famines, plagues, and violence. The Earth was a dangerous place to live, and the average person was lucky to make it to their thirtieth birthday.
Today, though, the lion's share of harm is self-inflicted. It lies in our habits: what we eat, drink, take, and do.
Overcoming so-called “bad habits,” therefore, is a health panacea, allowing us to avoid many of the common diseases that afflict many people today.
But how do you overcome a bad habit, exactly? What do you need to do? Take a look at some of these ideas.
Always Take Baby Steps
Habits are ingrained: that’s what makes them so powerful. We get used to living our lives in a particular way and are always tempted to return to type. That’s what’s easy; that’s what we know!
Worse still, making significant changes is often too much for any of us to cope with. It takes time and effort to overhaul your lifestyle - it’s not something that we can do in an afternoon.
There’s a psychological problem here too. Telling yourself that you have to do a considerable amount to change actually makes it less likely that you’ll start doing the things you need to do. Very few people give up processed food and sugar overnight. It takes time.
Take baby steps and don't punish yourself for backsliding. It’s a normal part of the process.
Be Clear On Your Triggers
Our environment is stuffed full of things that trigger us to engage in unhealthy behaviors. It’s a big problem. For instance, one of the first things that addiction therapy programs will do is remove people from their triggers. Sometimes this can mean confining them to a room where they’re free from anything that could encourage further abuse.
You need to be clear on your triggers. If TV advertising affects you in the evening, watch YouTube instead. If you find yourself raiding the fridge, go for a walk. Do something that lets you avoid triggers and mold your environment to be more health-promoting.
Try It For Three Weeks Only
Making lifestyle changes, like cutting unhealthy foods out of your diet, is a challenge, especially when you think that you have to maintain changes forever.
The trick is to avoid having this conversation with yourself. Just tell yourself that you’re going to try eating well and exercising for three weeks - a short amount of time, but long enough to start experiencing the benefits. Often people who try a new diet or lifestyle for a short period feel so much better that they’re unwilling to go back to their old ways, making the new approach sustainable.
