2865: How To Start and Keep Healthy Habits by Anthony Ongaro of Break The Twitch

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[00:00:54] So, press play on good sleep tonight, because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Health Daily, how to start and keep healthy habits, by Anthony Ungaro of BreakTheTwitch.com, and I'm Dr. Neil.

[00:01:18] Hey there, happy Tuesday and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, where I simply read to you from the best health and fitness blogs for free. I cover fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management, and lots more, just like an audiobook, but from a bunch of different authors, and always with permission from the sites. And on Fridays, I do something a little different. I answer your questions.

[00:01:41] You can send me a question at oldpodcast.com slash ask, or email it in to health at oldpodcast.com. Now, before I get to today's post, just a quick heads up that the author, Anthony, will discuss going to the gym. Now, I understand that you may not have access to a gym right now, so please don't let this stop you. Remember, there are lots of ways to get in a good workout within the comfort of your home.

[00:02:09] You can even work out in front of the TV. This is something I have discussed many times on this show before. So remember, anytime Anthony mentions the gym, just think, oh, I could substitute my home and bodyweight exercises for the gym. And with that, let's hear today's article and continue optimizing your life.

[00:02:34] How to Start and Keep Healthy Habits, by Anthony Ungaro of BreakTheTwitch.com. I'd like to add a caveat. Everything I share is purely based on anecdotal experience. I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or medical professional. Before starting any diet, supplement, or exercise program, consult your doctor or an appropriate professional. With that, here's what I've learned about how to start and keep healthy habits.

[00:03:03] 1. Start smaller and easier than you think. Building a habit is more about repetition, being able to show up and do the work over and over again, than it is about getting results as quickly as possible. There are tons of products and companies out there promising big results in a short amount of time. But with health and fitness especially, it's about continuously doing the small actions, or else the results simply don't stay.

[00:03:30] If it's fast, it's probably not going to last. When you start small, it reduces the resistance you feel towards doing it consistently, which leads to a higher likelihood of lasting change. 2. Change Your Mentality and Language One thing I've found to be helpful is simply changing how I view and talk about working out or eating better. Instead of saying, Ugh, I have to go to the gym today. Realize it's not true.

[00:03:58] It's a choice you're making, and one that not all people get to make. So, try saying, I get to go to the gym today. Or, I'm making a choice to go to the gym today. I found that after a couple of months of working out regularly and talking more positively about it, I started to crave going to the gym. Working out became something I looked forward to every single time. 3. No Complaining Allowed

[00:04:25] One rule my wife Amy and I made really helped in building a fitness habit. If one person was more motivated to go to the gym, the other person wasn't allowed to complain or drag the motivated person down. That way, it'd be the more motivated person that got the less motivated person up and going. Because, more than likely, once you're there at the gym, you're going to do something that's beneficial for you. And, you'll also feel better and happy that you went.

[00:04:54] 4. Work On Your Goal Setting What I found worked best for me was setting a goal to hit a certain number of days at the gym each week. It can be 1, 2, or 3, whatever feels small and easy, as I mentioned earlier, based on your situation. So, just set the goal to show up. And, once you're there, you've already won. If you miss one or more days, it's not a big deal. After all, it's the long run that truly matters. Just get back to it as soon as you're able.

[00:05:25] As long as you're starting small enough, it should be easy to start back up and keep the habit going. 5. Be Kind To Yourself This one sounds simple, but it's one of the most important and harder things to do. It's easy to get into a shame spiral when you're not kind to yourself during times when you don't eat well for a couple of days or when you get injured. When you beat yourself up, you're more likely to give up. Or, say things like, Why bother anyway?

[00:05:53] And, you're less likely to get back on track. Being kind to yourself during challenging times will help you move forward and remain more consistent. Loving yourself as you are is the best way to start in all instances. 6. Connect With Others As an extrovert, finding small ways to connect with others has been particularly helpful for me. When I go to the gym and see someone I've seen before, I'll smile, wave, then go about my business.

[00:06:21] Over time, there will be some kind of connection, and there may be opportunities to strike up a conversation. It doesn't need to be a friendship or anything more than just a friendly hello. Some people also don't like being bothered if they're intensely working out. But, if the situation is right, connecting with others working on similar goals can further enhance your healthy habits. So, in summary, these are six things that I found really helpful in starting and keeping healthy habits.

[00:06:49] While I still have a long way to go, I'm feeling and looking better than I ever have before. Best of all, these healthy habits have become part of my lifestyle. You just listened to the post titled, How to Start and Keep Healthy Habits, by Anthony Ongaro of BreakTheTwitch.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Have you ever wondered if your calendar age truly reflects your body's health? I'm passionate about taking control of my well-being,

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[00:07:49] and I think you will too. It measures how your major body systems and organs are aging. And the best part? With lifestyle changes, we could potentially reverse this number. You'll also work with clinicians who have specialized genetic training to create a tailored preventive health plan that fits your unique needs. It's like having a roadmap for your health journey. Advocate for your health today. Go to 23andMe.com slash OHD for 10% off.

[00:08:18] That's 23andMe.com slash OHD. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. I'm going to have to borrow Anthony's line. If it's fast, it's probably not going to last. Genius. Now, I want to share something with you, something you may not have realized yet. By listening to this podcast, you are learning from those that have tried, failed, and tried again, and ultimately were successful.

[00:08:45] You're hearing from those that have years of knowledge and experience. You also hear about what's been found to work based on research. And you get to hear the overlap between all of that knowledge and experience and the research. So this is a very roundabout way of me saying that you are being given a gift. The gift of time. Instead of wasting time aimlessly trying to figure out how to be successful with your health and wellness goals, you're hearing from those that have already done the work.

[00:09:15] You're hearing from those that are successful. You're learning about their process. And often, again, the research behind why their process works. This saves you time. Again, these authors have already done the work. You just need to keep an open mind and try them. All right, that's enough out of me. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening every day. I hope you're having a wonderful week so far. And I'll see you back here tomorrow. Where your optimal life awaits.