Skip to main content
MCHS_Logo_2024_BLACK
  • Patient Portal
  • Pay Bill Online
  • Request an Appointment
    • Services

      Featured Services

      • Cardiology (Heart)
      • Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Care)
      • Neurosurgery
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN)
      • Oncology (Cancer)
      • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery (Bones)
      • Primary Care
      • Spine Care
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urology

      View all services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Lake City
      • Lake Crystal
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Rochester
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      Iowa

      • Decorah

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    Posted By
    Lisa Hardesty, Ph.D., L.P.

    Lisa Hardesty, Ph.D., L.P.

    Psychiatry & Psychology

    Recent Posts

    • Group of teens
      Speaking of Health
      5 ways to help teens overcome suicidal thoughts
      August 31, 2023
    • Florist working with plant
      Speaking of Health
      Tips to keep stress from hurting your heart
      February 06, 2023
    • Adding ribbon to present wrapping
      Speaking of Health
      Resilience: Prepping for a busy holiday season
      December 01, 2022
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Thursday, February 1, 2024

    Establishing healthy behaviors that stick

    Topics in this Post
    • Behavioral Health
    • Balance Your Mental and Emotional Health
    vacuum sealed veggies

    Many people make healthy resolutions or set goals with the best intentions, only to see them fall short or break down completely over time. It's common to read about research and medical studies that promote a healthy lifestyle's psychological and physical benefits. So why do you still fall short of your intentions to make healthy diet and lifestyle changes?

    A few common reasons people tend to give up on changes to behaviors include:

    • Perceived dislike of exercise
      Studies show that people overestimate how difficult it is to exercise. As a result, you may tend to give up before you even begin a new exercise program or training regimen.
    • Toxic eating environment
      Quick, cheap and tempting food options are a constant pressure from a multibillion-dollar marketing industry. These highly targeted psychological messages may leave you wondering if you're in charge of your eating behaviors or, instead, are being conditioned to choose convenience over more nutritious options.
    • Setting too many goals or creating an all-or-nothing plan
      People tend to change too many behaviors or routines at a time. Creating restrictive changes that lead to feelings of deprivation or lower mood can result in an "on or off" or "all or nothing" plan that can't be maintained.
    • Consistency is complicated
      Whether you choose a lifelong goal or a temporary objective, staying motivated requires complex planning and follow-through. Establishing healthy behaviors that stick requires a different mindset and recognition that putting effort toward something important contributes to the promotion of an improved mood and well-being.

    Tips to stay motivated

    If you want to make your habits permanent, you need to:

    • Alter your mindset and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs.
    • Anticipate lapses and recover quickly.
    • Remind yourself that you deserve to feel good and that your plan will get you there.
    • Start with one small change, celebrate success and add more changes over time.
    • Use positive self-talk such as "I'm an exerciser" and "I'm someone who eats healthy options," to embed identity shifts into your plan.

    Your thoughts determine how you feel about yourself, which affects your behavior, mood, interactions with others and progress toward your goals. When you identify positive thoughts, make sure to practice them.

    Consider using this path to help spur on your healthy behaviors:

    • Getting started:
      • Develop positive and realistic goals for yourself.
      • Find multiple ways to remind yourself of your goal.
      • Identify why you want to meet this goal.
      • List the behaviors you feel are unhealthy.
      • Select one of the identified behaviors that you would like to change.
    • Creating your plan of action:
      • Brainstorm ways to change this behavior and start small.
      • Devise a plan to promote this strategy.
      • Identify potential obstacles that could interfere with your goal.
      • Identify your options for support.
      • Set a date for when you want to achieve your goal.
    • Reaching your goal:
      • Counter destructive thoughts with more constructive ones.
      • Consider what you must do to maintain change when you complete your goal.
      • Don't expect perfection; anticipate imperfection.
      • Evaluate your successes when you reach your goal.
      • Note how you feel now that you have worked to meet your goal.
      • Select another goal and restart the process when you're ready.

    Don't let a lapse keep you from your goal

    A lapse is a slight error, slip or pause in progress most people face at some point during the journey. Relapse occurs when lapses string together and a person returns to their former behavior. Remember that a lapse is normal and doesn't always lead to a relapse. Anticipate that a setback can and will occur. Then, figure out which triggers led to the lapse.

    Common triggers include:

    • A certain time of day.
    • A challenging life event.
    • Negative emotions, boredom or a shift from your initial intentions.
    • Particular foods and visual cues.
    • People who have an influence on your life.
    • Social events, celebrations or your customs.

    Remember, the danger is not the slip but how you react to that lapse.

    Lisa Hardesty, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in Psychiatry & Psychology in Mankato, Minnesota.

    Topics in this Post
    • Behavioral Health
    • Balance Your Mental and Emotional Health

    Related Posts

    Young woman thinking and writing Resiliency in modern times
    Practicing mindfulness meditation How mindfulness meditation improves mental health
    Cooking together and laughing Recharge with a planned mental health day

    Stay Connected

    • Contact Us
    • Notice of Nondiscrimination
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • For Patients & Visitors
    • Financial Assistance
    • Price Transparency
    • Community Resources
    • Mayo Clinic Connect
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Press Room
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Manage Cookie
    © 2018 - 2025 Mayo Clinic Health System