06/24/2022
Summer Glow Up
If you are someone who wants to lose weight remember that the current lifestyle you have has brought you to this point. You can break this by repeating this mantra “I am a healthy person”. Say it first thing in the morning when you look into the mirror and randomly in your head throughout the day. Say it when you are about to do something healthy such as before or while working out, or when grabbing produce from the grocery section of the store. Say it even when you’re struggling to make better choices as well such as choosing to make something homemade than grabbing takeout.
The psychology behind this is that when you change the way you identify or label yourself, you will gradually shift your behaviour that will fit into that identity. The more you reinforce this thought with actions, such as deciding to walk instead of drive somewhere, or when you go out of your way to cook than get takeout, the more natural it will be to make these choices.
Now your identity is reinforced by your habits. One doesn’t come before the other, you use both to strengthen each other. You identify yourself as a healthy person which motivates you to make a healthier action. When you complete a healthier action, you reaffirm that you are a healthy person through that action. Now habits can be very tricky to manage, but one effective way to make it easier to create good habits and diminish bad ones is to change your routine and environment. For example, let’s say you usually stop to grab a sugary coffee drink at Starbucks that is on your route to work. Now it would be harder to eliminate the habit of grabbing your morning coffee if you are constantly reminded of it. So a good solution would be to change your route to how you get to work. If you walk up one street, go out of your way to avoid the block that has that Starbucks — that way you’re getting in extra steps as well. Or even try replacing the Starbucks with another coffee shop and start making cold brews, iced americanos, or light lattes your new work drink.
Draw up a list of unhealthy habits in detail, if it’s usually buying snacks at a specific grocery store write down the location and the usual time you find yourself performing this behaviour and then find ways to avoid it. If you usually buy pringles and other junk food at a grocery story you frequent, change the grocery store you go to. When you're in the new grocery store, it will be easier to break your habit/form a new one because you’re in a completely new environment where there are no cues/triggers that will lead you to bring yourself to look at the chips aisle.
