Six Steps for Getting Rid of Bad Habits and Leading a Healthy Life

Whether we are talking about sugar cravings, leading a sedentary life,, smoking, drinking or worrying too much, bad habits have a way of clinging to our lives and making it close to impossible to enjoy our bodies and minds at the best of our capacities.

The most concerning thing about bad habits and the way their influence or lives it that it is never just the impact they have on a certain part of our body, on a certain part of our lives or on a certain moment in time. Bad habits influence the entire functioning of our bodies and influence our decisions in way that you couldn’t even imagine.

If you are planning on making changes in your life, especially changes that revolve around weight loss and healthy living, you should know that every little bad habit you have can slow down your success and urge you to give up so why not try to fix them once and for all?

We’ve put together a list of steps for you to take in order to turn your bad habits into positive ones and restructure your life. That way, you will be able to achieve anything you set your mind on. Let’s see what they are:

Identify the Triggering Factor of All Your Bad Habits

The first thing you need to do foe getting rid of vices and bad habits is to find the things that enable you to turn them. Is your morning coffee making you want to enjoy a cigarette? Are stressful days making you turn to alcohol? Is your demanding work schedule making you want to spend your free time on the couch? Do your best and identify all these triggering factors so that you can have better control over them and start working on a plan that will help you separate them from your vices.

For Each Triggering Factor, Find a Positive Habit

What will you do first thing in the morning instead of smoking? How about when you feel stressed or overwhelmed by daily struggles? Turn to positive habits such as exercising, meditation, profound breathing exercises, organizing, motivational classes, or anything that you think might have a positive impact on your life. Focus your attention on replacing the bad habits with positive ones for the duration of a month and you will see that, the longer you can go, the easier it will be to take that good habit and turn it into a regular activity.

Avoid Triggering Situations for a Period of Time

Since there is no magic wand that can get rid of all your bad habits without some efforts, the best thing to do is to avoid triggering situations until you have fully mastered the art of replacing your vices with positive habits. If going out for lunch always makes you buy foods that are damaging to your diet, try to eat something you made yourself, at least for a small accommodation period. It doesn’t mean that you should eliminate from your life all those situations in which you are tempted by sweets, alcohol or other bad habits, but that you should try to control yourself the best you can. Don’t avoid triggering situations forever, as this is by no means an answer to your problems, it is of utmost importance to learn how to confront them and turn them into positive aspects of your life.

In the case of food and weight loss related issues, the best tip is this: don’t eliminate from your diets all the things you love; instead try to find healthy alternatives. It will help you stay on track for longer, plus you can still get to enjoy your favorite meals, but this time guilt-free.

Learn How to Demolish the Power of Your Addictions

Addictions have the ability of giving the illusion of permanent need but the more you try to control them and learn how to restrain yourself when craving something that is bad for you, the more you will be able to see the bigger picture. The power of your addiction is not as big as you thought and they will disappear, it is only a matter of giving yourself the proper time for this to happen.

Don’t Deny Outside Help and Always Keep a Positive Mind

Not all addictions are as severe as you might think. It is extremely important to seek specialized help and to talk about your problems with your loved ones. Once you are aware that you have a problem, regardless of the nature of your bad habit, it is wise to turn to professional help and to always express your thoughts, needs and cravings.

The most important thing to always remember is that there will certainly be times when things will not go as planned. Don’t sanction yourself when you do something wrong as punishments are never a good way to keep you on the right track. Give yourself credit for your mistakes and most importantly, give yourself credit for having the power to move on and stay on track.