February 2023: Three Helpful Strategies to Help You Create New Habits and Reach Your Goals

Last month I shared some ideas for setting goals and strategies for achieving them.  This month I want to talk about committing to healthy living by creating habits that are sustainable in your life.

A habit is simply a routine that you practice consistently to the point that it becomes automatic.  We have so much to think about on a day to day basis, and lots of decisions to make in our lives, so the number of decisions we need to make, and having to think about the actions we need to take in order to reach our goals, can quickly become a barrier.  Creating some strategies that you use consistently will help you make these regular decisions and actions more of a habit with some practice, and you’ll find yourself breaking down those barriers in no time.

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​Even if your goals aren’t nutrition related, nutrition plays an incredibly important role in reaching our goals.  In fact, I’d argue that nutrition plays a role in nearly every health related goal I can think of.

​For Example: 

• If your goal is to get more sleep, avoiding fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol can help you sleep better.  According to the National Sleep Foundation diets low in fiber and high in saturated fat may decrease the amount of deep, restorative sleep you’ll get. Excess sugar can cause you to awaken more frequently throughout the night. 
• If your goal is to increase mental focus, you may find that a deficit in certain nutrients could be a contributor.  Vitamins D & B-12, Iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, and magnesium are all associated with improved cognitive function.
• If your goal is to increase your endurance you’re going to need fuel in the tank to support your body in working harder and having the energy to be successful.
• And of course a weight loss goal is going to be influenced by what you’re eating as well.

​So, with that in mind, let’s talk about three simple strategies to help you build habits that will support your goals, and be sustainable for the long term..

Plan Ahead:  Half the battle is having a plan.  Have you ever heard of decision fatigue?  It’s just what it sounds like - that sense of exhaustion in having to make another darn decision.  I find this happens to me at the end of the day, but for you it could be in the morning when rushing to get out the door, or at another time during the day or week.  Personally, I’ve been making decisions all day long, and if I don’t have a plan for dinner I’m going to really struggle to make a decision about what to eat.  

Take time on the weekends to map out what you are planning to eat each day.  If this feels like a daunting and time consuming task, start with the meal that gives you the most difficulty.  Then, make a list of the ingredients you need to have in the house to make these meals happen.

Taking some time to prep some of the ingredients can help make the task of preparing the meal that much easier.  You don’t need to spend hours preparing for the entire week.  Consider what is the biggest thorn in your side when it comes time to make the meal and try to get it prepped in advance.  It’s just going to make it that much easier when it comes to meal time.

Here are some ideas:

• Bake a chicken and shred it up for easy salad toppings or to add to soups.
• Cube up some sweet potatoes and bake them in advance.  Use them to add to salads or use as a side at dinner time.
• Chop up the veggies that your recipes are going to call for.
• Combine your favorite frozen fruits into individual packs that are smoothie ready.
• Make extra - if you’re already putting in the effort to make it, why not make extra?  Prepare enough to have it another day.  Some dishes can even be frozen so it’s on hand next week or next month when you have an unexpected situation come up that makes it hard to stick to your original plan.
• Cook your grains such as rice, quinoa or farro in advance and add to salads, soups, or use as a side dish.

Make Healthy Swaps:  It’s not unusual to feel like we need to completely overhaul the way that we eat in order to make an impact on our overall health and wellness, but this usually just leaves us feeling deprived and overwhelmed.  Instead of changing everything, consider making some healthy swaps at meal time.

With this in mind, I thought I’d share some foods that can help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol to provide a little extra incentive to swap in some of these beneficial foods.
I often talk to people about their goal to eliminate prescription drugs such as drugs for high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and hope you find this to be a helpful resource.

You can also prep these items ahead of time 😁

10 Foods to Help Lower LDL:

1. Whole grains, especially oats & barley
2. Beans like lentils, black-eyed peas, and black & kidney beans
3. Non-starchy veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc.
4. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale
5. Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds
6. Berries and other fruit
7. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna
8. Olive oil
9. Avocados
10. Tofu and edamame

​Here are some swap out ideas for you to consider:

• ​Instead of bacon and eggs in the morning try savory oats by adding some sauteed veggies and poached eggs.  Check out our Mediterranean Oats recipe in our Healthy Breakfast Guide.​​

Download HERE

• Add beans to your salads, burritos, and soups.  It makes it more filling and more delicious!
• Make sure you have fruits or veggies with every meal.  Adding cruciferous veggies like brussell sprouts, cauliflower or kale will give you the added benefit of lowering your cholesterol.  If you don’t like the idea of savory oats, top your oatmeal with fresh berries and chopped walnuts or almonds, or try both to create variety in your breakfast routine.
• Top your salad with tuna fish, or if you enjoy cheese and crackers, swap out the crackers for some smoked salmon or sardines for the added health benefit.  ​

​       Side Note: Yes, this may be a flavor only some really enjoy, but if it’s been a while since you’ve tried               salmon or sardines challenge yourself to try them again.  Our taste buds change as we age so you               may find foods that you once hated something you now enjoy!

Habit Stack:  Habit stacking is a great strategy for creating new habits.  One of the new challenges of creating a new habit is remembering to do it when we’re first developing it.  Additionally, the key to making a new routine a habit is doing many repetitions of practice to cement the new routine into a habit.  The more frequently and consistently you can practice the faster it becomes a habit.  Habit stacking stacks a new habit on top of an already existing habit, something that you’re already doing on a regular basis.  

Here are a few examples of habit stacking:

Current Habit:  Eating consistently throughout the day.  
New Goal: Drink more water.
Habit Stack:  Have a glass of water with every meal.

Current Habit:  Making a weekly grocery list.
New Goal: Start meal planning.
Habit Stack: Combine the time you take to create              your grocery list with creating a list of recipes you              want to try in the coming week.

Current Habit:  Bringing your lunch to work.
New Goal:  Start walking during your lunch break.
Habit Stack: Change into your sneakers at the
same time that you get your bag from its storage              spot or pull lunch from the fridge.  Wearing your                sneakers will help to remind you that you’re going              for a walk once you’re done eating.
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Current Habit:  Morning coffee or tea                 
New Goal:  Start journaling
Habit Stack:  Take a few minutes to write in your                journal while you’re enjoying your morning                          beverage.

Download here

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​I hope you find these strategies helpful for building new, healthy habits into your life.  Need extra help?  Check out our Powerful Habits for a Powerful Life Resource Guide!
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​References:  
​https://www.thensf.org/the-link-between-nutrition-and-sleep
www.healthline.com/nutrition/can-not-enough-nutrients-cause-brain-fog

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