How To Start A Healthy Habit: 12 Simple Steps To A Healthy Family

Do you know How To Start A Healthy Habit? 

I’ll give you some great steps to help you create a healthy habit whether you are starting this throughout the year or starting this for the new year.

12 Steps: How to Start a Healthy Habit 

​Step 1:  

• Make a list of things you are unhappy with (unhealthy habits) or things that you want to incorporate into your day: New Habit to Form. 
  • Whether it’s your weight (want to get to a healthy weight) or just need regular physical activity.
  • How you are eating?
  • You want time to read the Bible, educational or inspirational books/material.
  • Sleeping habits – want better sleep?
  • Drinking more water
  • You want some downtime for yourself that you need and won’t feel bad about taking.
  • Or you fill in the blank _________.  Think about your daily life and what you do or don’t do on a daily basis?  What healthy lifestyle habits do you want to have?  

Step 2:  

• Take each item you wrote down and break it down further.
  • Weight/exercise – Do you need/want to lose weight?  If yes, then why do you want to lose weight?  How much do you want to lose?  Did you recently gain a lot and if so, why? Do you exercise?  How much do you exercise?  When do you try to exercise during the day?  Is anything limiting you from exercising?
  • Eating – How are you eating?  Very unhealthy – lots of junk food and eating out a lot? Eating lots of processed foods and not homemade foods?  Eating healthy but want to do a better job of it? Do you eat 3 meals a day?  Do you snack?  And if so, are you snacking on healthy items?
  • Time to read religious, educational, or inspirational material – Why don’t you have time to read?  What is stopping you?
  • Sleeping habits – Do you get enough sleep?
  • Drinking more water – Do you not drink enough water?  How much should you drink a day?
  • Downtime for yourself – What does downtime for yourself look like?  Is it pampering yourself?  Chilling and watching a movie?  What’s stopping you from having that downtime?

Step 3:  

• Figure out why you aren’t doing these things.  What is stopping you?  Do you have some bad habits?
  • Weight/exercise – Look at why you aren’t exercising.
    • Are you just not motivated?  What can you do that will motivate you?
    • Maybe you have a physical issue with working out.  If that is the case talk with a doctor and have them help you figure out what you can do to get exercise.
    • Not enough time in your schedule to work out.  If that is the reason, I’m sure that you could squeeze in at least 30 minutes a day to try and exercise even if just at home.  If you are so strapped for time but can sit and watch TV in the evening, maybe combine the two.  Watch a movie that you want while doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, squats, jogging in place, or whatever you can do.
    • If you work from a desk, try standing and doing squats intermittently.
  • Eating Healthy – What is preventing you from healthy eating habits?
    • Is it because you think it’s more expensive to eat healthy?  Or do you just not worry about what you buy at the store?  
    • Do you make home-cooked meals each night or do you go out to eat all the time because of lack of time to cook a meal?  
    • Or is it because you don’t know how to cook?  
    • What about lunch?  Is it leftovers from a home-cooked meal, a sandwich, or fast food?  What about snacks?  Are they healthy choices?  
    • And how do you start your day off?  Do you eat breakfast?
  • Time to read something religious, inspirational, or educational – Why aren’t you taking time to read?
    • Is it that you don’t feel motivated?
    • Or because it’s not high on your priorities and it gets pushed down till it’s skipped.
    • Maybe it’s something that you feel you need to do but don’t want to do or it’s not fun for you. 
  • Getting enough sleep – Why are you not getting enough sleep?  When do you go to bed?
  • Drinking more water – Always running around and don’t have water nearby?
  • Downtime for yourself – Why are you not allowing yourself to have that time?
    • Is it that you are so busy with work and kids that you just don’t have time for yourself?
    • Do you feel guilty about having some dedicated time for yourself?

Step 4: 

• What are your options?  How can you fit these items into your daily routine?  How can you start good habits?
  • Weight/exercise- look at whether you could financially afford to join a gym or get a health coach. Or can you do your exercises at home?
    • Joining a gym and or getting a fitness or health coach may be very useful for you if they can help you figure out a good workout plan.
    • If you can’t afford a gym membership or health coach look at: Do you have a nice neighborhood where you can walk or run safely, is there a park nearby that you could drive to and walk there?  
    • Do you have a way to exercise at home?  Do you have weights to lift, an elliptical at home, a pool, a jump rope, a bike, or another way to exercise? A way to watch a yoga or exercise class on TV or a phone.
  • Eating Healthy – How can you start eating healthier?  How to start a healthy diet?
    • If your reason for not eating healthy is because it costs more, then really think that through.
      • Shop at stores where you can get veggies, fruit, and other items cheaper.  
      • Grow your veggies if you can or find a neighborhood garden to be a part of so you can get free or cheap veggies that way.  
    • Do you make home-cooked meals each night or do you go out to eat all the time because of lack of time to cook a meal?
      •  If you don’t have time to cook each night, then try prepping on the weekends.  You can make meals for the upcoming week.  Or at least prepare some items ahead of time to make it easier for you.
      • Look into making crock-pot meals so your food can be cooked throughout the day and ready for the evening.  
      • Or look into getting a pressure cooker so you can make your meals fast each evening.
    • Or is it because you don’t know how to cook?
      • If that is the problem then you can take some cooking classes.  Ask a friend to help show you how or watch some cooking shows, or videos, and check out some cooking blogs or YouTube videos that might help you.
  • Time to read – How can you incorporate reading into your day?
    • When do you see an open spot during your day to read?
    • Do you know what you would like to read?
    • Have you purchased the book or Audiobook, or are you checking it out from a library?
  • Sleep – How can you get more sleep?  Can you go to bed earlier or sleep in a little longer?
  • Drinking more water – Carry a big water bottle with you.  Have a water bottle filled and around you whether out doing errands, at work, or home.
  • Downtime for yourself – What do you want to do during your designated time?
    • Do you need to leave and go somewhere for this time?
      • Is it going to a peaceful place, a mall, a beauty salon, or another?
    • Is it going to cost money?
      • If it costs money – can you afford it daily, weekly, or monthly?  If it costs money maybe you do this item monthly and do a no-cost item all the other days of the month.
    • Is it free or low cost because you buy items and do it yourself like painting your fingernails and toenails?
    • Do you want that time after work, after the kids are in bed, or the morning?

At What time frame during the day can you do this new habit?

​Step 5:

• Figure out when during the day you can start that new habit.
  • I highly suggest you try and do that habit at about the same time each day.  That is very important since having a routine is usually doing things around the same time each day.  Things can change and schedules can change but consistency is key.  The time of day can be important for some people to make the daily habits form.

• Try and choose a specific time each day.  Like first thing in the morning.  While you eat lunch.  Or after dinner, before the TV can come on.  Be consistent!  I know if I don’t choose a certain time then I will keep pushing it off throughout the day and before I know it it’s bedtime.  And then I’m like well it’s too late to do it now.  Don’t do that!  Set a specific time and don’t let that time go by without doing it.    

I’ll give you, my example.  

I first started my healthy smoothies each morning for breakfast.  That way when I get up, I know what I will have for breakfast.  Yes of course you can still eat something else with your smoothie as I do since I feel like I need to chew something.  But each morning I know I will have a smoothie.  After I did that for about a few months it turned into a habit.  

Then I started the next item on my list.  My next item was to get back to walking.  Now it’s working out great.  The reason it’s working out great is that I told myself that I walk every morning.  I don’t give myself a choice.  

You need to get in the right mindset to start a new healthy habit.

Step 6:

• Don’t give yourself a choice or a way to back out.

I don’t wake up and ask, am I going to walk today?  Do I feel like walking today?  No!  I wake up and say okay I need to fix my smoothie and go on my walk.  It is almost like I have it written in stone.  I give myself the weekends off.  But during the week I don’t give myself that choice.  I just do it!

When you allow yourself to make that choice, do you want to walk?  Do you want to exercise?  More times than not you will make an excuse, so you don’t have to do it.  You can always have issues like I’m just too tired today.  I didn’t get enough sleep.  Or I have too much to do today.  The excuses can go on, and on believe me, I know.

It’s easy to say oh I want to lose weight or eat healthier or _______.  But in all reality, it is easier said than done.

Getting that motivation to start doing something new or something you should do is hard.

So, figure out what can motivate you and just be positive.  I am walking today!  Smoothie for breakfast for sure!  A home-cooked meal for dinner, I’m excited to try something new!

I suggest to work on one thing and incorporate it into your daily routine.  Once you have a good grasp on that one item and have been doing it consistently for a good period it should become a normal habit.

If you are the type of person who has this burst of motivation, then go for it and do multiple items that you want to make a habit of.  But that isn’t easy and may backfire on you as it did me.

I did that with 2 items, but it’s a lot to work on at once.  So, unfortunately, one item has dropped off my schedule.  

Taking things one at a time can help prioritize, build habits, and add more tasks later.

Mark it on a calendar

​Step 7:

• It’s very important to write the item you want as a habit, on a calendar. 
  • This way you can see it on your daily schedule.  Set a specific time as well.  This can be on a written calendar, a big dry-erase calendar hanging on your wall, or on your phone.  Put it where you will see it as a daily reminder.

If you are working on incorporating a habit of, say reading, set a specific amount of time to read each day.  Pick a time during the day that you can put in your schedule every day.  Maybe just start with 10 minutes a day and slowly build that time as you can.  Once you have that as a habit then maybe you will be lucky enough to have a full hour dedicated to reading. 

The same goes for your kids and studying.  Have them start with a short period; the same time frame each day. As that becomes a habit and in the routine each day add some more time to reading.  If you help your child build this habit it will help them, be successful in studying as they go through their school years and on.

You can do the same by working out.  Start with a certain amount of time and work your way up as you go along.

How to start a healthy habit:  Look at your distractions.

Step 8:

• Look at your distractions.
  • If you are still having a hard time, for example, with reading maybe you need to look into your distractions. 

 Turn off your phone and put it away while reading.  Don’t have the TV on.  Find a good spot where you can relax and enjoy your reading time.  The same goes for kids.  Help them to find a good place to read and eliminate distractions.

If it is with walking or exercise, are you putting it off throughout the day and doing other things?

What about eating healthy?  Are you distracted by tons of junk food in your house?  If so cut down and only have one small space to allow for a junk food item or two and have only on occasion in limited small amounts.

Are you not going to bed on time because you are watching TV, on your phone, or just can’t fall asleep?

Combine some healthy habits or a new habit with something you enjoy.

Step 9:

• Combine a healthy habit with something you already do or enjoy.
  • Still having a hard time incorporating your items into your routine?  Try and combine one or more with other things you need or want to do that day. 

If reading is your issue you might want to listen to a podcast, audiobook, or other audio means. If it’s hard to sit down and read, try listening to it. You can listen to it while working out or doing yoga. 

I love to listen to podcasts while I do my morning walks.  I feel like I can’t just sit down and read so I combine the two.

There is nothing wrong with combining some of your habits.  Maybe it’s drinking your healthy smoothie while walking and listening to your podcast. 

If your time is limited throughout your day figure out how you can combine things.  

When I work on my Aeroski machine at home or on a treadmill at the gym, I like to watch a little bit of a movie.  That is my motivation to do that exercise because I can watch a show or part of a series I like.  That to me also incorporates some me time because I get to watch something I like.  Exercise isn’t something I like to do so incorporating something I do like keeps me going longer on the machine.

Maybe one of your new habits to work on is keeping in touch with your parents or friends.  A good time to incorporate that during your day is while you are exercising.  Not if you are doing some vigorous training or lifting but maybe if you are doing some warm-up stretches or cool-down exercises you can get in that quick phone call.   

Make short-term and long-term goals.

Step 10:

• Make attainable goals.
  • It’s important for you to think about what you want to achieve and make some small goals to conquer along the way to that big goal.  

Each time you hit or surpass a small goal reward yourself or at least acknowledge yourself for what you have accomplished.  Accomplishing goals can be hard work.  Be proud of yourself! 

As you achieve your goals and make new ones, you are constantly growing and achieving more.

Write your short-term goals that are easily attainable along with your long-term goals.  Sometimes writing them down and crossing them off as you attain them helps you see your progress.

Find a partner or someone you can share your goals and progress with

​Step 11:

• Find a workout buddy or friend/family that you can share your goals and progress with.
  • One of my tips on how to start a healthy habit is to find a friend or someone that you can reciprocate cheering on and supporting.

If you have a “partner in crime” as the saying goes you will have more fun in doing that new healthy habit.

It doesn’t mean that you need to physically do these items together but of course that can make it more fun.  You can text once a day and ask did you get a workout today?  

That might help you keep each other accountable.  If that is too much pressure, then maybe talk once a week and talk about how it went for the both of you.  If you are falling back into old habits or not able to keep your new ones talk about it.  Maybe you need to talk it through and find out why you didn’t succeed, congratulate each other, or give each other that needed push.  

Knowing someone else is proud of you can be a great motivator as well.

Once you have all your questions answered, figured out, and your new healthy habit added to your daily schedule you are ready to DO IT!

​Step 12:

• Start the new item you want to become a habit.  
  • Depending on what your item is it might be easier for you to start on a Monday.  That way it’s starting your week out and you continue from there.
  • If you are worried that you will be exhausted from working out, start on a Wednesday so you only have 3 days to do it before your weekend.
  • Plan and be prepared to start when you are ready to dive in.

Your end goal is to incorporate healthy habits into a part of your daily routine.  

When doing that you will have better habits that can truly help your mental well-being along with great health benefits.

Follow those 12 steps on how to start a healthy habit. You can be successful if truly determined.

Whatever season of life you are in right now whether you have little ones at home, school-age kids, or your kids have flown the coop, you need to have a good healthy routine.  

It’s great to model healthy habits for your children.  You want your kids to have positive habits to increase their quality of life.  Regular exercise and eating healthy food is something we all should do.

Maybe you want to incorporate some good healthy habits for your kids too.  If so, the best way is to start with yourself and then add in the kids unless it would be a great motivator to do it together.  Helping your kids make good health habits will be something that can help them with a healthier lifestyle. So, teach your kids how to start a healthy habit and help them be successful through life.

Starting a healthy habit, especially eating healthy, exercising, and some quiet alone time or something you enjoy isn’t always easy.  

Especially when you are busy in your day-to-day life and feel too busy to try anything new or create a new habit that you can fit into your daily routine.

So hopefully these tips will help you allow yourself to add some healthy habits to your already busy schedule.

​And most importantly, as I have said Just Do It!  Don’t let yourself give in to excuses.  You will be happier with yourself when you just do it!  Act like you have no choice and that it is something you must do.

Start with one new habit to work on and get it into your daily routine so it will become a normal habit for you in the long run.

The long-term benefits of having healthier habits will help you have a better life.  It’s great for your mental health, physical health, and your overall health.

Now you know how to start a healthy habit so get started!

Good luck and be persistent!

And don’t hold off from sharing your success of how to start a healthy habit with others. We all learn from each other and hearing other people’s success and the way they accomplished it can help other people.