Creating Habits
What definition is this: “an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary”
Habit
T/F: Stretching is a type of exercise
True! Stretching involves moving the body and is a great way to start your day. Starting the day with a healthy habit helps influence healthy decision making the rest of your day
What is something you should consume everyday?
Fruits, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and about 2 liters of water. By making a habit of consuming these, your body will remain fueled and hydrated.
DAILY DOUBLE!!! 200 POINTS
Name one way to know if a habit is helpful or harmful.
It may be helpful if you are:
- Feeling confident sharing it with friends, family, and peers
- Helping you stay on track with other helpful habits
- Contributing to your overall physical and mental health in a positive way
It may be harmful if you are:
- Feeling stressed or overwhelmed keeping it up
- Feeling like you need to hide it from friends and family
- It is making you feel stressed or overwhelmed
How long should you wash your hands to clean them efficiently?
To avoid getting sick, wash your hands properly for at least 20 seconds.
Name a step to achieve a healthy habit
Set a goal
Choose a simple action
Plan when and where
Write it down: Put it in your calendar
Don’t give up!
T/F: We must exercise everyday
False, while it is always good to move your body and build helpful habits around this, some days it may be best to take it easy or take a day off. Remember habits are only helpful if they are not causing you additional hardship!
T/F: healthy meal prep is too time consuming
False! There are so many ways to make easy, healthy meals. Technology allows most of us to have some of these options right at our fingertips. Habits like weekly meal prep can help us stay on track throughout the week, and take less energy than cooking every night.
T/F: Taking multiple naps throughout the day is a good habit that benefits sleep hygiene.
False
What is an example of a good personal hygiene habit?
cleaning your body every day
washing your hands with soap after going to the toilet
brushing your teeth twice a day
covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing
washing your hands after handling pets and other animals
DAILY DOUBLE!!! 600 POINTS
How many days in a row do you need to do a task to make it a habit?
10 weeks- If you stick to forming a new habit for 10 weeks research shows it should start becoming automatic.
John has trouble sticking to an exercise routine because he feels like he runs out of time in his day. What is one tool John can implement to help him stay on track with his exercise goals?
Using a planner to block out his days, setting the same time to work out everyday.
Name one unhealthy habit with eating
Eating too much sugar
Eating too little calories
Eating too many calories
Eating when stressed or anxious
All of these habits can lead to a not so healthy relationship with food, which is unhelpful to us and our overall healthAlan wanted to make a healthy habit of eating a home cooked meal 5 nights a week, but he is really struggling cooking every night. Should Alan give up on this habit because he is having trouble, or is there things Alan can do to make this habit more attainable and stress-free?
Alan could try meal prepping
He could also start off slower by meal prepping one meal a week and slowly adding more in, so it is not so overwhelming.
What is one positive self-care habit that could help you decompress after a long day?
Bath
Listen to music you enjoy
Watch a movie
Get extra sleep
Read a book
Exercise
What is the goal of the health belief model?
Understand what influences the likelihood of engaging in health promoting behaviors
What are some unconventional ways to get in exercise that can be made into habits?
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Dancing while listening to music
- Parking farther away in a grocery store parking lot
- Walking to and from local facilities if it is safe to do so
Where can you find fresh fruits and vegetables that’s not a grocery store?
Community gardens and Farmer’s markets are both options to have access to fresh produce. Making a habit of trying to balance meals with fresh fruits and vegetables will be a great source of vitamins and minerals
T/F: everyone’s helpful habits should look the same.
False! Different things work for different people, and that is okay.
Jordan has trouble falling asleep at night when he gets in bed even though he reports it being very comfortable. He said he does not have trouble during the day when he takes naps in his bed, so at night he plays on his phone until he falls asleep. What may be the problem?
Taking too many naps during the day or using technology in bed
True or false: Everyone has the same perceived barriers and perceived benefits
False- everyone's view of themselves is different and depends on multiple factors. How we perceive barriers in our lives can help us overcome an unhelpful habit
If an individual wants to work on an exercise habit/goal, how many minutes is recommended per week? Does this need to be done all at once?
150 minutes and no. This is spread out throughout the week
Emily meal prepped spaghetti and meat balls for the week. What is one healthy food choice that she could add to make this meal more balanced?
Emily could add a side salad or a vegetable to make her meal more balanced. We can do make this a habit by making sure we always have some type of vegetable with our meals.
Sandy wanted to start a helpful habit of waking up at 6 a.m. every day, but she is not falling asleep until after midnight every night. Her first week doing this, it went well, and she felt like she was getting a lot done. Now, Sandy is on her second week and is not feeling well-rested. Is this a helpful habit for Sandy? What is one helpful habit she should maybe try before trying to wake up early everyday?
- This habit may not be helpful for Sandy right now because she is not getting enough sleep at night
- One recommendation would be to work on a habit surrounding the time she goes to bed before waking up early to ensure she is getting enough sleep and staying happy and healthy.
James had a very long and stressful day at work. He found himself getting distracted easily, and he was unable to finish his important task. Lately, this has been happening to James very often. In the evenings when he comes home all he can think about is work until he goes to bed. What are some positive self-care habits that James may be able to implement into his daily routine to help with his stress?
Go on a walk after work or develop an exercise routine
Find a hobby he enjoys in the evenings
Take time to step away from work daily
Make sure he is eating well balanced meals