How to Break Bad Habits

How to Break Bad Habits

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

TurbulenceTraining.com

We all have bad habits. Mine are checking email too frequently,

being unorganized, and not always eating enough to fuel full

recovery from my workouts.

Your bad habits might include too much snacking and cheating on

your nutrition plan, coming up with excuses to skip exercise, or

watching too much TV.

Bad habits are the reason we need coaches. One of my coaches is Lee

Milteer, who gave me the exercises below, that I want you to go

through to help you break your bad habits.

If you’ve been trying to lose fat and get lean by yourself, but

with no luck, isn’t it time to get professional help & social

support?

It’s hard to change. I know it. I battle against my bad habits all

the time, just like you do everyday. But each day I also make an

effort to overcome the bad habits, just as you should have a plan

in place to overcome your bad weight loss habits.

Don’t let insecurity, fear of failure, or the fear of the unknown

hold you back from making changes. Don’t be a victim. “Give yourself

PERMISSION to change,” Lee says.

So let’s take action. Print this email out. Now write down 3 excuses

you are using to avoid making the changes you need to succeed.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

How have these excuses affected your life? What have the excuses

stopped you from achieving? Write down 3 very important things that

you have missed out on because you’ve allowed yourself to make

excuses.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

Now how do you feel when you fall victim to one of your self-

sabotaging excuses?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

What benefits do you get from the excuse? Is it simply that you get

to remain in your comfort zone? That’s a big one for me. If I can

convince myself that I need to check my email, then I get to remain

in my comfort zone and avoid the hard work and fear of failure that

comes with writing an article. Or is it the fear of the unknown

that is holding you back? Write down 3 ways you benefit from making

excuses.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

So now we both know why we’ve created our excuses – to avoid

something. All we need to do now is find a way to overcome these

bad habits. I want you to write down 3 behaviors you want to stop.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

Now write down why you end up doing it…were you bored, fearful,

lazy, etc.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

Now give yourself the permission to change. “Envision the rewards

you will get when you make the change to your life and habits,” Lee

tells us. Give yourself a powerful list of reasons for fixing the

habit.

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

Working on bad habits everyday will give you an incredible boost

in self-esteem and confidence. With each small successful

improvement you’ll build confidence to take on the bigger, badder

habits that are holding you back.

Remember, everyday we are a work in progress. You might have bad

days, but as long as you make overall improvement each week and

month – that is all that matters.

Lee also recommends charting your progress. I have said many times

before that you need to keep records of your workouts and

nutrition. Only then will you know what works and how much

improvement you have made.

And finally, get social support. Don’t expect to do this alone.

One research study from Stanford University concluded social

support was the #1 factor for success in an exercise program.

Get in shape for summer fast with Turbulence Training,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Author, Turbulence Training

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