Breaking Bad… Habits
Authored by Kyle Golden (July 25, 2022)
Old, “bad” habits can be hard to break and developing new, healthy habits can be just as hard to make and keep. For most of us this is case and the longer a bad habit stays with us the harder it is to break it. There is a common, repeated statistic that forming a new habit, or breaking an old one, should happen in about 21 days. This is simply not the case, far from it.
While each one of us is different and will break or form habits sooner or later than others, 21 days is a very unrealistic figure for most people. This number was actually misinterpreted from a study by Maxwell Maltz in the 1960s and has stuck around ever since. New studies have shown that habits can be broken/formed in a very wide range from 18 days to over a year. It is now generally agreed that, on average, it takes a minimum of 66 days for a new habit to develop and “set in.” It heavily depends on the individual and the habit the person is trying to make or break.
Setting realistic, attainable goals is important for long-term success. It’s also important to continually reinforce and encourage your healthy lifestyle habits for years to come. Looking to start making some healthy, new habits and break some old ones? A study published in the British Journal of General Practice describes how making small changes to your routine with consistency can help make and keep those “good” habits while eliminating the “bad” ones.
Hi, I’m Kyle Golden,
Founder and Coach at Vireo Fitness. For over 16 years I have helped hundreds of clients just like you find their path to better health. Get in touch today and find out how I can help you embrace a better lifestyle and realize your full potential!