Pair Your Health Habits
Most people fail at adopting new health habits in the new year and that’s because creating new health habits that last can be extremely challenging. The good news is that pairing new habits with habits you’ve already mastered can make the process easier and more sustainable. This technique, often called “habit stacking,” works by leveraging existing routines as anchors for new behaviors. By associating the new habit with something familiar, it becomes easier to integrate into your daily life.
Our brains are wired to follow established routines, making it easier to build on habits that are already second nature. When you couple a new behavior with an existing habit, the latter serves as a cue, reminding you to take action. Over time, the two habits become linked, reinforcing each other and making the new behavior feel automatic.
12 Ways to Pair a New Health Habit with an Existing One
1 – While brushing your teeth:
Stand on 1 leg for 30 seconds and then the other for 30 seconds to improve your balance.
2 – While brewing your morning coffee:
Drink a glass of water to start your day hydrated.
3 – While checking your emails in the morning:
Use a massage gun on your tight muscles.
4 – After you finish lunch:
Go for a 10-minute walk to aid digestion and boost energy.
5 – When you watch TV:
Do a few stretches to improve flexibility and reduce tension.
6 – As you prepare dinner:
Listen to a health-focused podcast to learn more about nutrition or fitness.
7 – While watching TV:
Do 10 squats and 10 tricep dips during the commercial break to increase muscle.
8 – Before you shower while waiting for the water to warm:
Take five deep breaths to calm your body and mind and reduce stress.
9 – After putting on your pajamas:
Set out your workout clothes for the next day to prepare mentally for exercise.
10 – When you check your phone in the morning:
Review a positive affirmation to start your day with a positive mindset.
11 – As you wash dishes:
Do calf raises to strengthen your lower legs.
12 – Before you log off work:
Write down three things you’re grateful for to cultivate a sense of gratitude.
Pairing habits is a simple but powerful way to establish new health behaviors. By linking the new habit to something you already do, you reduce the mental effort required to remember and follow through. Couple habits that fit naturally into your routine and align with your health goals. Over time, these small changes can lead to significant improvements in your overall health and fitness.
Heathy Habits Free Community Workshop: Are you ready to transform your health goals from mere dreams into lasting habits that become part of who you are? Join Trainer Carson Aquino as he shares effective strategies for cultivating a healthier lifestyle in 2025. With credentials as a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and EMT, Carson brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. This is a discussion you won’t want to miss!
Date: Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
Time: 6:45pm – 7:45pm
Location: NWPT – 1011 Broadway Street
Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.