Habits for healthy weight loss—Group Talk—Week Commencing 7th July 2025.
- friendsonajourney2
- Jul 16
- 3 min read
Losing and maintaining weight can feel disheartening; however, success actually comes down to healthy habits practiced routinely without thought, rather than extreme chages/quick fixes.
There is an art to building and breaking habits. Habits are the building blocks of our daily lives, and they hold the keyto achieving our weight loss goals.
Whether we are looking to get rid of unhealthy habits or are looking to build health habits, we need realistic tactics and advice to support us on our way.
Every day without thought we make approximately 35,000 decisions the majority are made unconsciously.
Habits are a natural process that preserve energy as our brain unconsciouly respond as an act of automation.
Since motivation has a limited supply, building habits is important to create healthy routines that no longer rely on effort, due to the fact that they have become automatic habits that you may perform without conscious thought.
These unconscious decisions could include checking the doors are locked before going to bed without thought or small changes like training yourself to drink water more often.
43% approximately of our daily behaviours are acts of habit, and once a habit is reinforced, its often resistant but possible to change, this is due to repeated behavioural patterns ingrained in our brain connections.
The brains ability to reorganise itself and create new connections allows us to modify or replace current habits.
This means that even profoundly ingrained habits can be reshaped with effort and a plan of action to change the habits.
To change or create a habit you need to recognise what makes a habit loop as this is key to our understanding. The three componets of a habit loop are:
Cue - Whats the trigger or signal that initiated the habit.
Routine - This is essentially the habit itself, the action that is triggered by the cue.
Reward - The benefit gained from doing the habit. The reward is the prompt behind deciding if the habit is worth repeating, and reinforcing the loop. (positive)
Research suggests it takes between 18 and 254 days to build or break a habit, however the average is 66 days.
To support myself to build or break a habit I use a habit tracker, that allows me to repeat my actions with a nudge whilst I create the uncoscious thought (habit).
Losing and maintaining a healthy weight is all about making small changes that you can live with forever. As we incorporate these minor adjustments within our lifestyles, they will add up and you will see the results/benefits. Lets question some of our habits and see if we can make changes.
Eat more protein
Increase your Fibre (30g)
Cutback on Processed Foods (Ultra)
Simple Swaps - Sugary Cereal for Wholegrain - Sour Cream for Greek Yogurt
Drink plenty water
Get active (150mins)
Sleep Well
Be more mindful
Be kind to yourself
Be realistic
Keep a food journal
Plan meals (Shopping)
Eat regularly
Portion sizes (weigh food)
By questioning our current habits i.e. portion sizes. Dinner is cooked split 50/50 so you think, get the scales out and weigh the food so you know exactly what you are eating tracking it acurately.
Buy making these tweats to our healthy eating, activity and lifestyle habits we will achieve the life long changes we are in search for, achieving our goals.
Resources:
Comments