How to Make and Keep Healthy Habits

Beginning the journey towards improving your lifestyle is both important and challenging. Whether you aim to eat better, increase your physical activity, manage stress, or adopt a more balanced approach to living, this is designed to help you navigate the process. By focusing on realistic and manageable actions, it aims to make the pursuit of a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle accessible and less intimidating for everyone involved.

The bedrock of lasting change lies in comprehending how habits are constructed through a cyclical process of cues, routines, and rewards. The initial step towards transformation involves looking at these components within your existing habits. Starting with small, incremental adjustments reduces the sense of overwhelm and boosts the probability of sustained success. Regularity is the key to solidifying new habits; aim for consistency daily rather than striving for flawlessness in every attempt.

Here are some foundational habits to focus on:

• Nutritional Habits: Revamping your diet doesn't have to mean radical overhauls; instead, focus on cultivating awareness around your eating habits. Learn to tune into your body's signals of hunger and satiety. Embrace diversity in your meals to ensure a comprehensive intake of essential nutrients, visualizing a 'rainbow' of colors on your plate to guide your choices. An often neglected aspect of nutrition is hydration; aim to consume at least eight glasses of water daily.
• Physical Activity: Selecting activities that resonate with your interests is crucial for long-term adherence. The objective is to find joy in movement, whether it's choosing the stairs over the elevator, enjoying a leisurely walk on your lunch break, or integrating stretching exercises into your TV time. Begin with modest goals, progressively elevating your activity level as your fitness improves.
• Mental Well-Being: Allocating time for mindfulness practices can significantly diminish stress levels and enhance mental clarity. Sleep is another pillar of mental health; strive for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night and cultivate a pre-sleep routine to wind down effectively. Maintaining connected, supportive relationships also plays a critical role in emotional wellness.

It's important to remember that changing deeply ingrained habits doesn't happen overnight. These behaviors have likely been part of your routine for years and will require time and consistent effort to adjust. Viewing this process as a marathon, not a sprint, helps set realistic expectations and fosters a mindset of patience and perseverance. Small, incremental changes can lead to significant transformations, making patience a key component of successful habit change.

Embrace each small victory and learn from setbacks without being too hard on yourself. This journey is as much about developing resilience and a positive attitude toward change as it is about the end goal. By approaching habit change with a patient, thoughtful mindset, you're more likely to achieve lasting success and improve your overall well-being.

Content Copyright © 2024, MBK Cultivate Skin & Nutrition Wellness  

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may use any items from this article in your print, blog, magazine, or electronic newsletter. But in order to do so, you must include the following paragraph, including a link to www.mebykatie.com.  

"Information courtesy of www.mebykatie.com, Katie Marshall is a certified Medical Esthetician, Acne Specialist, Functional Nutrition Counsellor, Holistic Chef, and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Specializing in skin health, gut health, hormone health, and the whole body. The basic premise is that functional nutrition gets to the root of the problem and resolves the actual problem. This is different from conventional medicine which is about prescribing multiple meds to deal with symptoms, with little regard for resolving the root cause of the symptoms. Functional nutrition is more personalized, customized, and holistic. My job is to work in tandem with your medical team and be an advocate for you if necessary."  

Health/Medical Disclaimer:  

The content of MBK Cultivate Skin & Nutrition Wellness, either through these social media pages, websites, or any other materials distributed by MBK Cultivate Skin & Nutrition Wellness, is intended to provide helpful and informative material. Please keep in mind that all personal and professional opinions expressed on these social media pages and websites are solely my own. This site offers skin, diet, fitness, health, and nutritional information and is designed in good faith for educational purposes only. Care has been taken to confirm the accuracy of the information presented and to describe generally accepted practices. However, the authors, editors, and publishers are not responsible for errors or omissions or for any consequences from the application of the information in these publications and make no warranty, expressed, or implied with respect to the currency, completeness, or accuracy of the contents of the publication. You should not rely on this information as a substitute, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

I, Katie Marshall, am not a doctor or medical provider and do not provide medical advice. Readers are advised to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with their healthcare provider.  

If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition(s), or are taking any medication(s), please consult with your family physician.  

Always seek the advice of your family physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you read on my social media pages or websites.  

If you think you have a medical emergency, call your family physician, go to the nearest emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Reliance on any information provided by MBK Cultivate Skin & Nutrition Wellness or Katie Marshall presenting content for publication to these social media pages or websites is solely at your own risk. Administrators and Moderators are not liable for your actions.  

Health Canada & FDA Disclaimer:  

The advice and statements on this page have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the Food and Drug Administration.