Making healthy choices can help us feel better and live longer. Maybe you’ve already tried to eat better, get more exercise or sleep, or reduce stress. It’s not easy, but research shows how you can boost your ability to create and sustain healthy habits.
Start Building Your Healthy Habits
1. Plan
Identify unhealthy patterns and triggers. Set realistic goals. Write down steps to help you achieve them.
2. Change your surroundings
Find ways to make healthier choices easy choices, and try to remove temptations.
3. Ask for support
Find friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, or groups for support or ask people to join you in your journey.
4. Fill your time with healthy activities
Try exercise, a favorite hobby, or spending time with family and friends.
5. Track your progress
Record how things are going to help you stay focused and catch slip-ups, and how to fix them.
6. Imagine your future
 Think about future benefits to stay on track.
7. Reward yourself
 Give yourself a healthy reward when you’ve achieved a small goal or milestone, like a massage or personal time.
8. Be patient
Improvement takes time, and setbacks happen. Focus on progress, not perfection.