Maintaining Healthy Habits-In Five Simple Steps

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide

Updated September 28, 2012

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

As you go, pay special attention to how you feel. Does your new practice seem to fit with your lifestyle? Is it easy to maintain your new habit, or do you think you may need to try something new? If you find that you haven’t kept up with your new plans as you’ve hoped, rather than beating yourself up over it, congratulate yourself for noticing that you need a change of plans—it’s the first step in building a new plan that will better serve you! And, if you’re trudging along with it, but have decided that you really may need to try something else instead, at least you know what doesn’t work for you as well, and now you can try something else that you may end up loving. All in all, it’s best to learn several new stress relievers and stress management techniques anyway, to have a few options available for reducing stress in your body and mind. (For ideas on what to try, visit this article on how to choose a stress management habit you can stick with.) Good luck, and have fun!

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• Step One: Choose Wisely
• Step Two: Build The New Habit into Your Schedule
• Step Three: Enlist Support
• Step Four: Use Goals and Rewards
• Step Five: Check In With Yourself to Be Sure You're On The Right Track

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