The biggest reason people have a hard time maintaining what they’ve worked so hard for is because what they’ve worked so hard for is built on a temporary foundation.

Making a change in your life when you just got done reading an inspirational book or attending a motivational conference is easy. You’re on fire. You’re a freight train that cannot be stopped. But what happens when you run out of fuel?

The difference between those that truly succeed in health and fitness and those that don’t is the ability to commit to behaviors and turning them into habits over time. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Motivation and inspiration only gets you so far. Habits last.

Here are 5 tips to help you establish long-lasting, healthy habits.

TIP #1 - DO WHAT YOU ENJOY

The thought of exercising the tiniest bit makes a lot of people scoff, roll their eyes, or maybe even want to vomit. You may be one of those people, and that’s ok.

I can’t tell you how many times people give up on taking care of themselves because they never enjoyed anything when they did try to take care of themselves. It happens so often. Sure, you may want to do that buff guy’s training program on instagram because he has the body you want to have, but what if you absolutely hate it? How in the world is that going to last?

You absolutely need to start exercising and taking better care of your health by doing something that you enjoy. If the thought of lifting a weight or going on a jog makes you want to die, but you enjoy going on a walk, then go on a walk. Do what you enjoy. If you love yoga but you hate any other form of exercise, then do yoga. And do it some more. If you love cardio but hate lifting, then run all you want. Find something you enjoy first, and make that a habit and a regular part of your weekly routine.

“But Adam, I thought weight lifting is best for long term fat loss. That’s what you say, isn’t it? So shouldn’t I lift weights even if I hate it?”

There will be a time where you need to do what’s best for you and your goals, and there is a way you can learn to enjoy it even if you start out hating it.

But what’s the point of doing something you hate because you heard it’s best when you aren’t doing anything at all in the first place? It’s far better to appreciate better health, fitness, and wellness by starting with the form of activity you enjoy the most.

TIP #2 - START SMALL

All behaviors and habits start somewhere, no matter how big or small. When it comes to establishing healthier habits, it’s best to start small.

This goes for nutrition, training, stretching, sleep, everything. Start small.

Nearly every time I begin working with a new client, their first nutritional goal is to have a big ‘ol serving of greens every. Once that turns into a habit they don’t even think about, we move on to the next thing. You’d be shocked how much change you can see in your health and fitness when you simply add more greens to your diet each day.

One of my favorite quotes is “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” - Arthur Ashe.

This quote couldn’t apply more to anyone wanting to make real and lasting change in their lives, especially if they need to do something they don’t want to do. Whenever I get a client that can’t stand the thought of lifting weights, we start small. And we start small multiple different ways.

If it’s the time commitment to the gym that scares you, then just go for 15 minutes. Then, when you don’t mind it so much, go for 20 minutes. And so on. If it’s the thought of doing exercises you don’t like that kills you, then do the exercises you do like. If you enjoyed squats when you used to exercise, then go to the gym for 15 minutes and work on your squats. Once you’re ready to add another exercise, go for it. Heck, maybe you don’t want to do any formal exercise at all. Fine! Find your average step count per day, and set a goal of getting 1k more next week. Then once that’s a habit, add another 1k!

Let’s say you can’t stand the thought of green vegetables and you most certainly don’t want to eat them plain. That’s ok! Put them in a smoothie with some of your favorite healthy ingredients. Once you’re ready, put them in your eggs, or sautee your veggies and put them over a great steak.

You get the point. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

TIP #3 - PAIR A NEW BEHAVIOR WITH AN OLD HABIT

Habits don’t just come out of nowhere. They are behaviors before they become habits. The only issue with a new behavior is that it’s not automatic. But that’s ok, you can change that.

One of the best ways to develop a new habit is to pair the new behavior up with the old habit. The morning is my absolute favorite time of day. I have a routine that I follow nearly every morning. After waking, brushing my teeth, and doing other typical wake-up stuff, I head downstairs. I turn on my mug warmer, place my mug on there, and get the coffee going. After that I have my quiet time where I pray and read scripture. Then I’ll dive into the book I’m reading, and then I’ll end with some time on Duolingo to make sure I don’t lose my Spanish skills.

Practicing my Spanish more diligently and reading regularly wasn’t a part of my routine each morning until recently. But they were both things that needed to be addressed as they were a part of my 2020 goals. It was an absolute habit to head downstairs, make some coffee, and begin diving into God’s Word. I tried practicing my Spanish when it came to mind, and getting some reading in at some point in the day, but that didn’t last and it was inconsistent. So I decided to place those new behaviors in my morning routine. Now I hardly miss a day, and they are considered habits of mine.

You need to do the same. Do you regularly eat eggs in the morning but you hardly ever eat vegetables? Cook some spinach in your eggs. Are you stiff as a brick? Try stretching as you’re settling down for the night while watching your favorite show. Pair your habit with a new behavior. It works.

TIP #4 - TAKE YOUR FOCUS ELSEWHERE

I didn’t know to word this tip without using a long title. What I mean by this is that in order to make change that lasts, you need to understand and appreciate the benefits of that change other than what it will make you look like.

Another reason people give up is because they put the work in and don’t see the exact change they expected. So they say screw it and give up. Turns out they usually give up right before they were going to see the change they wanted. Bummer.

It’s ok to want to look leaner to impress someone you’re into. It’s ok to want to lose fat, build muscle, and think on what you want your body to look like. But just like motivation, bodies are temporary. No matter what we do, they will dwindle at some point.

I’m sorry but you’re just not going to look 40 when you’re 90. Ain’t happening.

It’s important to set your eyes on other things. They way you move, the way you feel, and the way you sleep. Do you want to be able to go the whole day without those nagging low-level aches? Do you want to be able to play with your kids and grandkids and be able to keep up? Imagine if you got 8 hours of solid sleep on a consistent basis. Don’t those things sound wonderful?! THEY ARE! So pursue them.

TIP #5 - FOCUS ON THE INPUTS

This last tip ties in with number four, and is another line I give to my clients often. When you focus on the inputs, the outcomes take care of themselves.

As I mentioned before, we spend too much time focusing on the outcomes, the very end of our goals. But we don’t spend enough time focusing on the inputs, the things that bring us to our goals. Instead of setting a goal like “I want to lose 30 pounds this year”, we should set goals like “I am going to lift three days per week for one year in order to lose thirty pounds”. The difference in the second goal is that the inputs are the main subject rather than the outcome.

Outcomes are completely out of our control, but inputs aren’t. So why not focus on the things you can control?

Write down all of your health and fitness goals, then rewrite them with the inputs in mind. Tell yourself what you need to do and how often in order to arrive at your goal. This will allow you to focus on the controllable as well as build habits that can last forever.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Do what you enjoy. When you’re first starting out, find something that is good for your health that you enjoy doing, and then venture out as you get more comfortable.
Start small. There is no sense in doing everything all at once. So chip away. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
Pair your new behavior with an old habit. Stretch while you watch TV. Throw some greens in that smoothie.
Shift your focus. Fitness isn’t all about butts and six packs. It’s about quality of life. Focus on what really matters and allow that to shape why and how you take care of yourself.
Focus on inputs. You can’t control outcomes, so make goals that center around executing inputs (behaviors) on a consistent basis.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life.

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