Habitual Habits
Whenever we hear the word "habit", most of us think of a more negative connotation. This is because we associate habits with things we consider "bad". Habits are not all bad though, it's simply that we have no problems with the habits we consider good. Like brushing our teeth. That activity is not something we usually think about, it's just something we do. It's our habit to brush before bed and in the morning when we get up. It's a good habit that benefits not only our teeth, but our health and life over all. Let's take a closer look at the anatomy of a habit.
A habit consists of a "craving", a reward ..the thing you are craving, and the means to satisfy the craving, a way to experience the reward. The "way", the action part in the middle is what becomes the physical part of the habit. Smoking is a habit many people have trouble overcoming. People reach for a smoke when they want the relief they experience from the act of smoking a cigarette. Usually they don't say "gee, I am feeling stressed, I think maybe I should reach for a cigarette, light it up and inhale some toxic chemicals, and then maybe I will feel better". Usually, the hand just reaches for the cigarettes and lighter, then the act of smoking occurs and stress is momentarily relieved, all without conscious thought. The actual pathway of those neural signals in the brain has become like an express way with no exits, that gets you where you want to be in the fastest easiest way possible. It is literally ingrained there, physically, according to research.
So we understand that habits cannot be removed. They can, however, be changed. If we want to change a habit, we need to recognize the reward we are craving. In the example of smoking, the reward is stress relief. Though momentary relief, it is significant enough to be used often. When people try to quit smoking without replacing the act of smoking with a more beneficial behavior, they continue to feel all the stress they used to relieve through those cigarettes. Addiction to the drug nicotine is not the only habit here. The active motions of smoking, the taste, the smell and the physical sensations are all part of the association with stress relief. In order to successfully change the habit of smoking, we have to find new actions to bring us the reward of stress relief.
The same cues or triggers telling us to relieve stress will tell us to start our new stress relief activity...exercise, listening to music on head phones, daydreaming about a relaxing vacation, calling a confidant. ..whatever works for you. It should be something simple, and obviously effective. The same cue that had you reaching for a smoke will start the new activity resulting in stress relief and will become a new, healthier habit in a few short weeks. A new neural expressway will be forming quickly. This method of changing habits could be effective for any kind of habit you need to change. Of course the process is a little more than a short article can convey. At Foundational Health and Fitness, we are helping people change eating and activity habits that have kept them in the overweight category for years. Sometimes the habit is a certain way of thinking about yourself . We work with them to identify triggers and rewards and help them discover the new activity patterns to bring better results to their lives.
Call me at 973 875 2992 if you would like to talk about this some more, or join us at Fit University, our education group for weight loss and wellness, Wednesday at 5:30, at Fh fitness in the Wantage Plaza. This group is open to women and men.