How To Break Bad Habits To Feel Healthier & More Confident

Sometimes it can feel like your bad habits are preventing you from being healthy and moving towards your fitness goals. Don’t worry, this can happen to anyone! 

That’s why I’ve put together this quick guide to changing some of the bad habits that my community has asked about. Remember, when it comes to health and fitness, even small changes can lead to big results. 

Bad habits that can derail your fitness goals 

If you feel like you may have some bad habits, you are certainly not alone! Here are some unhealthy habits that I often get asked about: 

• Not getting enough sleep
• Missing your workouts
• Eating while distracted
• Underestimating the importance of a healthy breakfast
• Cycles of binge eating
• Not drinking enough water
• Using your phone late at night

This list may seem daunting, but don’t despair! Bad habits arise for a reason, and when you understand how a bad habit got into your life in the first place, you’ll be surprised how a few small lifestyle changes can help you to change them. 

How to break bad habits

Here are my best tips for breaking bad habits that can get in the way of achieving your goals: 

Know what triggers unhealthy behaviour

Understanding how the bad habit arose in the first place puts you in a much stronger position to change it. For most people, being stressed makes us more vulnerable to giving in to bad habits. 

For example, bad habits like binge eating often arise when you are under stress or feeling emotional. The sugar rush triggers the brain's reward system, giving you an instant euphoric feeling. Understanding your triggers can help you to tackle the habit right at the source by changing your environment or proactively avoiding the situation.

Get support

If there’s a bad habit that you’re struggling with, chances are there are other people with exactly the same problem. By pairing up with a friend you can encourage and motivate each other. 

When you surround yourself with people who share your goals and the lifestyle that you want to live, it’s much easier to make positive changes.

Try mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools that can help to reduce stress and improve your outlook on life. Stress is one of the most common triggers of unhealthy habits, so any way you can reduce it will help! You can create your own meditation space at home, and just 10 minutes a day can make a difference to your state of mind and may even help to clear your mind for better sleep.

Learning to eat mindfully is another way that you can introduce mindfulness into your daily life.

Change your self-talk

I often hear women say “If only I looked like her, I would be happy”. While it’s easy to compare yourself to others, you have to accept that you will never look like anyone but yourself, and you will never have anything that you don’t work for.

When you put all your energy into wanting things you can’t control to be different, you can miss the good things that are happening right in the present moment. The first step to changing bad habits is to accept yourself just as you are right now and work to build a strong and positive mindset. 

You are only ever going to be YOU — so, be the best version of yourself and keep working towards your goals. Focus on your life, your body, changing your mindset and setting goals that you can achieve. Look after yourself and be proud of who you are. 

Switch a bad habit for a better one

Substituting a bad habit for a healthier one can be easier than simply trying to stop the bad habit. This strategy works particularly well for food-related habits. For example, you might switch the soda or energy drink you have at 11 am every day for something that’s better for you like kombucha or mineral water. If eating junk food is one of your unhealthy habits, these simple tips to stop eating junk food can help. 

Another smart habit switch is to go for a short walk when you feel stressed and tired, instead of sitting down with Netflix and a bowl of chips. A walk can improve your mood and gives you space to think and acknowledge how you feel before you take action. 

Exercise regularly

If you don’t exercise, start with a low-intensity exercise that you can enjoy. Or for more of a challenge, try one of my High Intensity with Kayla workouts!

Even a 10-minute walk during your lunch break can help to boost your mood, and when you are in a better mood you are less likely to engage in unhealthy habits. 

Be kind to yourself as you start to change bad habits

One way to help a new healthy habit stick is to plan ahead! For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier foods, making a grocery list can help you to overcome the psychology behind supermarket layouts and resist the urge to buy that chocolate bar you aren’t really hungry for. 

Remember to be kind to yourself — if you fall into the bad habit again, you don’t have to wait until Monday to get back on track! 

The more times you repeat a healthy habit, the easier it will be to make it part of your regular routine.