We asked Family First readers for their best tips to develop healthy habits

Drink Corner

I set a timer on my phone that goes off every hour to remind me to drink.

In order to make sure that I drink enough water, I use plastic disposable bottles and number them 1-8. This has me motivated to keep going. At the end of the day, I refill them for tomorrow.

I cut out soda completely years ago. Now, I don’t even crave it — it tastes artificial and wrong to me.

I bought a cheap juicer. Now, I don’t buy any juices, with all their added sugar. It’s easy to use and much more nutritious.

Exercise Smart

I ruled out any kind of exercise that felt unsustainable — so an early-morning gym class was out of the question, but so was going to the gym at night, when I’m tired and don’t want to leave the house. Instead, I bought a weights bench for strength training and found 30-minute dance workouts — exercise that I can do in my bedroom.

It helps to take on very small goals and be accountable to someone. I joined Marla Rottenstreich’s workout WhatsApp accountability group, where you send a daily thumbs-up if you worked out. It gave me a goal, even something small like going for a walk or 50 jumping jacks, and kept me motivated.

I bought a ring that counts my steps (39$ on Amazon) and realized how little I walk and move. It made me get up from my desk and take walking meetings outdoors on my cell phone. I also started walking with my husband most nights. It’s a great time for us to catch up and I get my steps in.

Spend money! I am a hundred times likelier to exercise when I’ve paid for a fun class with a motivating teacher than I am to do it on my own.

I bought a Fitbit and set a goal: 25 minutes a day where my heart rate goes up to exercise level. It has a setting for five-minute HIIT workouts, and I space them out over the day. I can do really simple things, like running in place or squats or high-knees, and I get the exercise payoff.

Food Friendly

I use applesauce instead of oil in many recipes. It works well, and there’s often a better flavor to the food because of it.

I always keep a plate of cut-up fruit or veggies on the kitchen table with some toothpicks. It’s a quick, fun snack when you’re wandering in and out of the kitchen, bored and looking for something to munch on.

A change of mindset can make all the difference. For health reasons, I have a lot of food restrictions. Instead of being resentful at everything I can’t have, I let myself be delighted that my pain is mostly gone. And instead of trying to come up with alternatives for all the desserts and junk that I’m missing out on, I ask myself, “How do I want to nourish my body today?”

A couple of friends and I text each other every night to check in on how we did that day with our health (and weight loss) goals. Even if all of our goals are not the same, it’s still so helpful to cheer each other on, hear what helps others when we’re struggling, and have someone to be accountable to.

I incorporated many of Rorie Weisberg’s tips throughout the last few years — things like making dressings in advance and swapping ingredients — but mostly, I try to stay realistic and have made these changes slowly.

General Tips

I keep my phone in my room, which is a three-flight trek up. It means that I’m on it much less than I used to be.

Start slow and stay consistent! Don’t jump into a new routine; work on making it a habit with small changes that slowly become second nature. Once you’re there, you can add something new.

Keep the same schedule every day. I wake up, get dressed, get the kids out of the house, daven, and then work out. After that, I get ready for work. Setting a schedule for yourself makes it automatic, and you can slip important things into your routine that might otherwise get overlooked or dismissed for lack of time.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 961)