Learn how to Trick Your Mind Into Loving Wholesome Habits

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="534" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-loving-healthy-habits-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to Stick to Healthy Habits (Using Brain Hacks That Work) | MyFitnessPal" decoding="async" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-loving-healthy-habits-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-loving-healthy-habits-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-loving-healthy-habits-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-loving-healthy-habits.jpg 1349w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> Ever begin the week feeling unstoppable solely to finish up questioning follow wholesome habits?

It begins like this: you’ve crushed your weekend meal prep. That is your week to lastly “get again on monitor.” You’re packing protein into your breakfast oats, setting out your exercise garments to hit that early morning run—every part’s clicking into place.

Then, life occurs. Two weeks in, a curveball hits … the youngsters get sick, daycare closes, or one thing else sudden derails your routine. Earlier than you already know it, outdated habits begin creeping again in.

We’ve all been there. Constructing new habits is hard, and it calls for flexibility. Regardless of how sturdy your willpower is, actual life doesn’t comply with an ideal schedule. Falling off monitor isn’t a failure; it’s simply a part of being human.

Right here’s the excellent news: Your mind is definitely your greatest buddy in forming new habits.

The key is studying to work along with your mind, not towards it. By shifting your mindset, creating the proper setting, and specializing in optimistic reinforcement, you possibly can rewire your mindset to embrace wholesome habits.

On this article, I’ll share methods I’ve used as a dietitian to assist folks go from sofa potatoes to 5K runners, from snacking on potato chips to carrots—all by tapping into the ability of behavior change.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="676" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/using-myfitnesspal-minful-eating-1024x676.jpg" alt="How to Use MyFitnessPal to Cultivate Mindful Eating Habits" class="wp-image-60498 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/using-myfitnesspal-minful-eating-1024x676.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/using-myfitnesspal-minful-eating-300x198.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/using-myfitnesspal-minful-eating-768x507.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/using-myfitnesspal-minful-eating.jpg 1504w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> You may also like

Learn how to Use MyFitnessPal to Domesticate Conscious Consuming Habits

Rewire Your Mindset for Lengthy-Time period Success

Your mind is consistently evolving. This skill for it to alter and constantly adapt is known as neuroplasticity (1). The excellent news is that it’s doable to be taught to like a brand new behavior.

However this gained’t occur in a single day. Regardless of the favored idea {that a} new behavior takes roughly 3 weeks to construct, science exhibits this isn’t the case. On common, it takes 66 days (or just a little over 2 months) for a brand new behavior to really feel just like the norm (2).

Which will really feel daunting. However utilizing these science-backed methods may also help you rewire your mindset and love new wholesome habits.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/building-healthy-habits-1024x683.jpg" alt="How Long Does It Take for a New Habit to Feel Natural? | MyFitnessPal" class="wp-image-62640 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/building-healthy-habits-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/building-healthy-habits-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/building-healthy-habits-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/building-healthy-habits.jpg 1504w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> You may also like

How Lengthy Does It Take for a New Behavior To Really feel Pure?

Trick 1: Turn into the individual you wish to be

Image your self because the individual you wish to be and the habits will assist you to get there. Need to run extra? See your self because the runner you'll grow to be, not the place you are actually.

In relation to diet, if you happen to’re making an attempt to eat much less packaged snacks, see your self as somebody who eats a weight loss plan stuffed with fruits, greens, and entire grains.

Trick 2: Pair a deal with with a activity

Struggling to seek out the time (and vitality) to decide to meal prep? Right here’s a trick it's possible you'll recognize: temptation bundling (3). “Pairing the reward with the duty is a twist on the rewards system. You are taking a not-so-fun exercise and one thing you do take pleasure in and bundle them collectively,” says Katherine Basbaum, a MyFitnessPal dietitian (3).

Right here’s do it: Decide one thing actually enjoyable for you, like a brand new episode of a favourite podcast or TV present, and do it when you meal prep or sweat it out on the treadmill.

In regards to the Consultants

Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT is a diet knowledgeable, four-time cookbook writer and early diet pioneer within the area of fertility diet. She is the president and proprietor of the USA-based diet communications and consulting agency Shaw Easy Swaps.

Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD is Meals Information Curator at MyFitnessPal. She acquired her Masters in Vitamin Communication from the Friedman Faculty of Vitamin Science & Coverage at Tufts College and accomplished her Dietetic Internship at UVA Well being, the place she additionally works as a diet counselor for cardiology sufferers.

Trick 3: Craft an area that fuels your objectives

Use visible cues in your kitchen, workspace, and bed room to set off your required habits. Take into consideration tiny nudges that can assist obtain your objectives.

Making an attempt to eat extra fruit? Place it in a bowl on the heart of your counter, or in a glass container lower up, entrance and heart in your fridge (4). Need to stroll extra? Set out your strolling garments and sneakers the night time earlier than so that you’re able to go very first thing within the morning.

These small shifts may also help obtain your objectives.

Trick 4: Construct your assist community

Analysis exhibits the folks you encompass your self with may also help you follow and attain your objectives (5). Have a buddy who continuously talks you out of the fitness center to go to joyful hour? Rethink who your assist community is. It may be useful to have the assist of people that share your ardour for wholesome habits.

“Share your purpose of creating a brand new wholesome behavior with somebody you belief to assist your purpose,” says Basbaum. “When you end up struggling, their encouragement will maintain you shifting ahead.”

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Trick 5: Rejoice wins, massive and small

Whether or not you met your weekly fiber purpose or went for the aspect salad at lunch, have fun these wins (6). Give your self a pat on the again, mark that as a win in your journal, or just inform a buddy and allow them to high-five you proper again.

Celebrating your wins releases dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter immediately linked to your reward system (7). Dopamine helps reinforce the behavior.

Trick 6: Anchor new habits to present routines

Including new habits onto one you’ve already established may also help make that new behavior stick. In truth, analysis printed within the British Journal of Well being Psychology discovered contributors who hooked up diet behaviors to a longtime each day routine or particular time of day have been extra profitable at making these behaviors stick (8).

So, you’re lastly able to buckle down and log your meals within the MyFitnessPal app? Nice, plan to do it after brushing your enamel at night time.

Trick 7: Construct momentum with micro-moves

You don’t need to overhaul your weight loss plan and way of life in a single day. “Begin with a microhabit you could construct on,” says Basbaum. For instance, if you wish to create the behavior of consuming 5 servings of produce per day, begin with including one serving of fruit or vegetable to breakfast each morning. As soon as that routine is ready, you’re prepared so as to add produce to a different each day meal or snack.

Continuously Requested Questions (FAQs)

How lengthy does it take to construct a brand new behavior? It could possibly take wherever between 18 to 254 days to type a brand new behavior, with the typical being round 66 days (2).

What’s one of the simplest ways to remain motivated to eat wholesome or train? Celebrating wins, massive and small, is an effective begin to staying motivated. For those who wait till you attain that purpose weight, your motivation could fizzle. Rejoice these miles you simply logged or the hour you spent meal prepping.

How do I make wholesome habits really feel simpler or extra automated? Anchor your behavior to one thing you already constantly do. For instance, making an attempt to drink extra water? Then pour your self a glass and drink it earlier than you dive into your espresso (or tea).

What ought to I do once I fall off monitor or break a behavior? Lean into your assist community and bear in mind your “why?” Let these two assist you to get again on monitor. MyFitnessPal is right here to assist, providing not solely meal plan assist however a weekly behavior tracker perform now too.

How do I create a routine that helps wholesome habits stick? Deal with adjustments you possibly can simply add to your day; in the long term this can make it simpler for these wholesome habits to stay. Don’t have time for a full hour exercise? Don’t sweat it. Even 10 minutes counts.

The Backside Line

It’s doable to retrain your thoughts and be taught to like a brand new behavior. Neuroplasticity, or the flexibility of your mind to alter and adapt with time, is an enormous issue on this (1). Planning forward, constructing your assist community, specializing in micro-moves, and easily celebrating your wins, can all assist reinforce wholesome habits in a means your mind responds to. (5, 6, 7, 8).