Bye-Bye, Bad Habits!

We’re all just trying to do our best, right?

Between doing all the kids’ stuff, work stuff, home stuff, and trying to squeeze in whatever self-care we can in between the cracks (all I ever want is to take a bath! Why can I literally never just take a bath??)…

… our comfortable, familiar routines can get pretty hard-wired. 

But there’s that little nagging voice that keeps popping up to say “Come on, you really gotta stop having wine with dinner every night” or “maybe if you stop scrolling instagram from 11p-12a, you wouldn’t be so tired every day.”

And maybe you’ve tried to cut it out, but it’s just so freaking hard!

You’ve been doing it for so long, it feels good, it brings you comfort, and goddamn it you deserve to enjoy something once in a while!

Well, I have good news for you. 
You don’t have to stop. 

Just tweak things a little. 

Psychologists have understood for decades that the human brain resists stopping a behavior – research shows it’s much easier to swap out the unhelpful habit for a helpful one. 

They call it Behavioral Substitution: Keep the routine, change the details.

Here are some examples I share with my clients – practical ways to put this into play so you can keep your routines you’ve come to enjoy, while moving closer to your goals instead of farther away. 

• That mid-afternoon sugary snack?
  Swap it with one with protein + fiber like Greek yogurt with berries and honey.
• Love watching TV with your partner once the kids are in bed? 
  Keep watching, but walk in place or get a walking pad or sit on the floor and stretch.
• Rushed weekday mornings?
  Ditch the Starbucks calorie-bomb and stock your fridge with ready-to-grab protein shakes (tip: get the ones with caffeine OR just add a scoop of instant coffee!)
• Winding down with a glass of wine?
  Try some fun herbal tea flavors, sparkling cider, a mocktail, kombucha, or kava (not cava).
• Can’t help but snack while making dinner?
  Anticipate and prepare with a bowl of raw veggies, edamame, string cheese, or turkey roll-ups. 
• Are you a car snacker?
  Keep a bag of high-protein and/or high-fiber snacks handy in your purse, glovebox, or even a lunchbox with ice. If it’s gonna happen, at least have it be good stuff.
• Scrolling in bed to wind down?
  So bad. This is me. Swap with stretching, yoga, meditation, listening to calming music, or just hanging out and chatting with your partner.
• Late-night sweet tooth?
  So many options! Protein (esp from dairy) at night is super helpful for muscle-building, esp when in a calorie deficit. Try vanilla Greek yogurt with berries or dark chocolate chips, hot chocolate with protein powder, high-protein ice cream, protein cookie, protein mug cake.

BUT THINGS DON’T CHANGE FROM JUST READING AN EMAIL!

Your homework: Take 60 seconds right now to think of a behavior that you know is working against you, and decide how you’re going to swap it for something more helpful.