The Tribune

• Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.

We have to remember that our bodies are a reflection of our lifestyle. That being said, we ought to understand that if we want to change our bodies, we have to change our lifestyle first. This was something that I realised after many failed attempts at weight loss. I had some success, but I could never keep the weight off. It always came back with a vengeance.

I know how hard it may seem to change your lifestyle. After all, you have been living a certain way for a very long time. We know that it’s the unhealthy habits that are among the major contributing factors to an unhealthy lifestyle. Habits that took a lifetime to develop in some cases may seem impossible to break. This is the harsh, and sometimes a very discouraging reality. However, I have some great news. Not only is changing your lifestyle by developing a new healthy mindset possible, but it’s also easier than you may think.

The key is to start off small. Get some quick wins and pick the low hanging fruit. As I tell my clients all the time, “I may be an expert health and lifestyle coach, but you are an expert in your life.” The key to overcoming obstacles to a healthy lifestyle change lies in your own hands.

Here are some keys to cracking the code for creating new healthy habits and overcoming obstacles for lasting behavioural change.

1. Simplicity matters more than motivation

We have the misconception that we have to be highly motivated in order for us to change our behaviours. This is actually not true as long as you keep your goals simple and to easy to accomplish. If something is easy to do, you can actually do it with little to no effort. Therefore, high levels of motivation are not needed.

1. Emotions create habits

The speed of habit formation is directly related to the immediacy and intensity of emotions you feel. Simply put, make a conscious effort to feel good about your new habit and celebrate the small victories. Whenever I am working towards a new goal or working at sustaining a new behaviour, I literally tell myself “good job” throughout the process. The positive self-talk just makes me feel better. And the better you feel, the more likely you are to stick with the new behaviour.

1. Place the new behaviour after an existing routine

This is a great way to start incorporating new habits and behaviours into your daily routine. Some of your daily routines may currently include brushing your teeth or throwing out the trash. You may find that it’s easier to insert the new behaviour within existing habits. An example of this practice that I currently utilise with my existing clients is to do some short breathing and stretching exercises right after you wake up.

1. Success makes tiny habits grow

This is called, ‘success momentum’. The more you perform an action, the easier it becomes. The more success you achieve, the more confidence you build in your ability to be successful. This isn’t just true in health, wellness and fitness, but it’s also true in life.

I encourage you to try these tips and apply them to whatever new habits you are working to develop. Start small, set easy to achieve goals and celebrate each small victory along the way.