Make Good Habits Like Brushing Your Teeth

I recently heard a great analogy about changing behavior by a Canadian Nutrition Coach and gym owner - 'make habits like brushing your teeth'

Eh? So we tend to brush our teeth twice a day without even thinking about it right? Even if we're desperately busy, late, or rushed you brush your teeth before heading out for the day............but if we did 'forget' one time we wouldn't say "I fell off the toothpaste wagon I'll start again in 6 months".

Yet I'm not convinced that we 'forget' to buy decent food in the weekly shop so end up with a Greggs Meal Deal. We just need to create a habit and avoid the 'good me v bad me' mentality with food, training, work...... in the end our habits can help us live longer, happier lives or potentially shorten them - significantly.

I was chatting to a gym member yesterday who didn't want to join our next nutrition and healthy habits program because he was going to a wedding in JUNE!! The last time I looked at a wedding was 1 day.....1 meal and some booze......yet he was willing to not focus on his health because a 24-hour event was in the summer.

In a recent program we introduced 7 simple habits, from eating home-cooked food to being nice to people, reducing our screen time, booking their gym classes, and getting out of bed a bit earlier than they usually do.

Note: I didn't have them cooking chicken and broccoli all Sunday, drinking 14 litres of water, getting up at 4.30 am, training twice a day, making them walk in the rain instead of working, and going on 3 date nights each week......(whilst meditating, journaling, having a cold shower and studying stoicism)

Yet out of these simple challenges, 2 lads quit boozing and lost 4kg each, 1 have stayed completely alcohol-free for 6 months now. A married couple lost 15kg between them and love going to the gym and cooking together.

So here are some more daily habits I've just started

• 10 before 10 - engaging with people about my business
• 10 mins in my book - I've said for years I need to read more
• No sugar - something I've replaced beer with and needs to control/reduce or maybe omit totally

On Wednesday 19th April I'll be sharing the 7 healthy habits with an audience of small business owners at The Craven Coffee Shop, Rochdale 8.30am-10am.

If you want to nip along I can arrange a hot breakfast butty and a great networking opportunity for just ￡10 (for Springhill Hospice Business Buddies)