4 Tips for Changing Habits

Changing your habits is not easy. I should know. As a nutritionist, my job isn’t simply to provide information about healthy eating habits — it’s also to give you the tools and support you need to make lasting changes in your life.

Over the years, I have learned first-hand about what it really takes to reach your goals. Here are the most important things to keep in mind:

1.      Understand Why You’re Making the Change
If you want to make changes in your life, you have to have a really good motivation about why you’re making the change. If you want to eat healthier, ask yourself why. Do you want to have a longer life so you can enjoy more time with your kids or grandkids? Are you tired of living with symptoms caused by an underlying condition? When you’re clear about what is important to you, you’ll usually be able to stick to your goals.

2.      Start with One Thing at a Time
Often, there are many changes that you could make that would improve your quality of life, but when you try to make too many changes at once, you’re sure to fail. Instead, start with one change at a time so you can feel successful.

3.      Be Accountable
Another key step in changing your habits is to be accountable to someone else about what you’re trying to do. You can either do that with me or with a family member or friend. Just make sure you’re not doing it alone.

4.      Don’t Expect Perfection
Most likely, you’ve been eating a certain way for most of your life, and changing those daily habits is not going to be easy. The important part is that you’re trying. Instead of beating yourself up over each time you fall off the wagon, celebrate every time you do stick your goals. You’re probably making much more progress than you think!