There's no way around it: our bodies change as we get older. Unfortunately, some health conditions—such as joint pain, heart disease, mental health issues, and diabetes—can become more likely with age, making it harder to enjoy your day-to-day activities. That being said, prioritizing your health can work wonders to improve your quality of life, prevent disease, and help you continue feeling your best. Here, we'll explore some healthy habits that you can develop to support your well-being as you grow older, as well as how Evidation can help you stay on track and motivated toward living your best life.

Common “older age” diseases and their impact

Getting older can be exciting, but it can also feel nerve-wracking. Venturing into each new decade can bring unknown questions and physical/mental health changes that might make you feel like you need to get to know yourself all over again. Thankfully, there are many steps you can take to support your physical and mental health over time.

Some common diseases related to age include:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Coronary heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Chronic kidney disease
• Heart failure
• Alzheimer's disease and dementia
• Depression

Working toward healthy aging can take some education and effort, and Evidation is here to support you every step of the way. Let's take a look at some of the healthy habits you can implement to help support your wellness over the years.

The role of diet and nutrition in disease prevention

There are many age-related conditions that can be related to dietary choices, including bone health problems, cognitive changes, and cardiovascular issues. 

One in three American adults has heart disease—a potentially deadly condition largely related to nutritional choices—according to the American Heart Association. The nutrition choices you make on a day-to-day basis play a major role in supporting your overall health. Whether you've been diagnosed with a health condition or you're interested in preventative care to support your cardiovascular health, enjoying foods that support a healthy aging process can help your heart stay strong for decades to come.

Foods that can support healthy aging include:

• Blueberries
• Leafy green vegetables
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Avocado
• Honey
• Yogurt
• Nuts and seeds
• Black rice
• Green tea
• Salmon
• Olive oil

Including these foods in your nutrition plan can help you feel your best. If you need some additional support with your nutrition, reaching out to your primary care doctor for a referral to a dietitian can provide you with the guidance you need to thrive.

Importance of regular physical activity

The importance of physical activity increases with age. Staying active as you get older can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. Getting regular exercise can also help to lower your blood pressure, improve your mood, lessen symptoms of depression, and improve your cognitive abilities.

An important note: If you have high blood pressure or another cardiovascular condition, it's smart to check with your doctor before beginning an exercise routine.

Maintaining mental health and cognitive function

Changes in brain health are often gradual, making cognitive issues tougher to detect than health problems you can see on a blood test.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, certain healthy behaviors can help to support your mental health and cognitive function as you get older, including:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Making long-term changes to your habits to support a healthy weight can support your mental health as well as your physical health. If you aren't sure where to start, talking to your physician can help you develop behaviors that put you on the right track.
• Stay engaged with your community. Regular interaction with others can help you gain social support, reduce feelings of loneliness, and develop a support network. Participating in book clubs, volunteer activities, or educational programs can support your mental health as you see the positive impact that you're making on the people around you. Reach out to your local library, senior center, or religious organization to learn more about opportunities that allow you to give back.
• Be proactive about stress management. Stress has a greater effect on older adults than younger adults, according to the American Institute of Stress. Stress causes inflammation in the body, which can increase the risk of developing cancer, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis. Stress doesn't just increase your likelihood for the development of these conditions—it actually accelerates the aging process as well. Eating well, drinking plenty of water, keeping up with medical appointments, connecting with friends and family, getting regular exercise, and getting plenty of sleep can help you keep stress levels low.
• Reach out for help when you need it. There's nothing wrong with reaching out for the help of a trained therapist if you're struggling with your mental health. Ask for a referral from your doctor or your local senior center to learn more about how you can get started.

How the Evidation app can support healthy habits

At Evidation, our app is here to support you through every stage of life. With your permission, our app uses the health data you're already tracking (such as data from a fitness app like Apple Health, data from a nutrition app like My Fitness Pal, and data from workout-specific apps like Runkeeper) to find trends and areas where you have opportunities to boost your wellness. Evidation uses this information to create personalized content-based insights that provide you with the tips and tricks you need to feel your best, no matter what your age.

Whether you're curious about how to prevent older age diseases, are working toward a specific health goal, or simply want to get more information on how to improve your health habits, our app has you covered! Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and download the app today!

As we get older, our relationships deepen, our actions more easily align with our priorities, and it becomes a little bit easier to stop worrying about what other people think. While there are many benefits that come with additional candles on your birthday cake, getting older can also bring certain health challenges. There's no way that we can stop Father Time, but we can develop healthy habits that allow us to feel our best as we age.

Here, we'll explore eight habits you can set to feel your best throughout the years to come.

1. Prioritize regular physical activity

There's no doubt about it—regular exercise supports a healthy aging process. According to Harvard Medical School, the aging process can begin to affect your fitness as early as your 30s. Fatigue becomes more common, it's easier to become out of breath, and your heart can’t beat quite as quickly during exercise as it did in your younger years. This can make exercising feel more difficult, and can contribute to the average of three to four pounds that most Americans put on each year.

Thankfully, exercise can help to slow many of the physical and mental changes associated with the aging process. According to Dr. Linda Fried, dean of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, "Exercise is the closest thing we've found to a magic pill for combating the effects of aging. That's because it works on every physiological system and keeps your entire body fine-tuned. It even stimulates your brain and helps to prevent cognitive decline."

If it's been awhile since you've last exercised, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor before you get started with a new routine. Start slowly, build up your endurance bit by bit, and pay attention to the changes in your mental and physical health as you begin to experience the benefits of regular physical activity. To keep your motivation up, be sure to keep track of your exercise with an app or device (like Apple Health or FitBit) so that you can see your improvements happening in real-time.

2. Eat a balanced and nutritious diet

You know that enjoying a healthy diet can help you feel and look younger, but it can be tough to sift through all of the misinformation that's available online to figure out what you're actually supposed to eat to feel your best.

According to the experts at Johns Hopkins, it's important to remember that nutrition is highly personal, and what works well for you might not work well for someone else.

Here's what the pros at Johns Hopkins recommend for nutrition that supports healthy aging:

• Pay attention to activities that help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and eat accordingly. If you're over the age of 50, your priority isn't likely to be building muscle mass. This means that you might want to consider replacing your post-workout protein bar with a balanced meal or snack that's heavy on the veggies and lighter on the grains and protein.
• As long as dairy doesn’t bother your stomach, include it in your diet. While some people may struggle to digest dairy products, not everyone needs to cut out their favorite milk-based foods. If you're not having any digestive issues after eating dairy products, there's no need to start cutting out cheese, milk, or once-in-awhile ice cream.
• Enjoy healthy fats. While fat shouldn't make up the majority of your diet, some fat is necessary to help you feel satiated and help your body metabolize certain vitamins. Focusing on the polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats found in nuts and fatty fish can be a good place to start.

3. Stay mentally active and engaged in your community

Staying engaged in your community can help to support a healthy aging process, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Being involved with others, trying new things, and learning new skills can all help to support your physical and mental health. Bonus: when you learn a new activity, such as a new sport, game, or skill, research shows that you get some mental protection against memory loss.

Try these ideas to get involved with your community:

• Volunteer. Giving back to others is a great way to support your community and get to know others in your area with similar values. Reaching out to your church, temple, other religious organization, local community center, or local animal shelter can all be good places to start learning more about how you can help those in need in your area.
• Get outdoors. Check online or at your local library for information on outdoor interest groups in your area. Joining a walking, hiking, or bird watching group can all help you learn and provide connections with people in your community.
• Get creative. Whether you've been artistically inclined all your life or you're more left-brained, taking up a creative pursuit can be a fun way to learn something new and get to know others who have similar interests. Signing up for music lessons, an art class, or a writing workshop can all help to support your mental health and help you engage with others.

4. Get adequate and quality sleep

It's often easier said than done, but getting high-quality sleep is one of the best ways to slow the negative effects of aging. According to researchers at Colorado State University, insufficient sleep increases your risk for cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, depression, dementia, and car accidents.

Try these tips from the National Institute on Aging to improve your sleep:

• Avoid eating large meals at night. When you eat right before you go to sleep, you may experience digestive issues as well as have a hard time winding down.
• Cut caffeine in the afternoon. Save your coffee and tea for the morning hours, as having caffeine too late in the day can make it hard to fall asleep.
• Cut out evening screens. An hour or so before you go to bed, make a point to get away from electronic devices as you begin to relax.

5. Manage stress effectively

Stress doesn't just take a toll on your mental health—it can also affect your physical health. Inflammation and stress are closely linked, according to the American Institute of Stress. Unchecked inflammation can contribute to health issues including cancer, dementia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and more. In addition to creating these problems, chronic stress accelerates the aging process.

Stress management strategies can help to keep your stress levels in check as you get older. When it's possible, removing the source of stress can provide immediate relief. For example, if you're struggling to make it to the grocery store, asking for help from your church or local senior center may eliminate the problem. If you're having a hard time getting to doctor's appointments, asking a friend or family member for their help may help to reduce your stress levels.

Eating well, staying hydrated, getting plenty of high-quality sleep, and utilizing stress management strategies like meditation and visualization can all help you lower your stress levels and reduce your risk of developing stress-related health problems.

6. Regular health check-ups and screenings

It can be tempting to skip regular health check-ups and screenings when you're feeling healthy, but doing so can have deadly consequences. Attending regular check-ups and health screenings provides your doctor with the chance to notice asymptomatic health issues, as well as provide you with advice and tips necessary to continue living your best life for years to come. If you haven't seen your doctor for a checkup in the past year, reach out today to get an appointment on your calendar.

7. Stay hydrated

Whether you're enjoying the outdoors in warm temperatures or you live in a colder climate, staying hydrated is important to support a healthy aging process. According to a study from UCLA's School of Nursing, up to 40% of older adults may be chronically underhydrated.

While it's a good idea to talk with your doctor about your personal hydration needs, the National Academy of Medicine recommends that men aged 51 and older aim to drink at least 13 cups of fluid per day and women aged 51 and older drink at least 9 cups of fluid each day. An important note: water, food, and other beverages all count toward hitting your daily goal.

Evidation: Here to support your health journey no matter what your age

From managing stress effectively to staying hydrated to staying engaged with your community, aging well can feel like a full-time job. No matter your age, it's never too late to start taking steps toward becoming the healthiest version of yourself. Whether you're beginning an exercise program, cleaning up your nutrition, or working to improve your sleep so that you can get the rest you need to thrive, healthy habits add up over time.

Thankfully, you don't have to try to figure it out alone. At Evidation, we get it, and we're here to help. Our app works to use the health data you choose to share with us to create personalized, content-based insights that will help to keep you on the path of moving you where you need to go. Learn more about how our app works here and download Evidation today to get started.

When it comes to finding the right amount of water to drink each day, it can be tough to sift through the contradictory information you'll find on the internet. Some websites will tell you that you only need to drink water when you're thirsty, while others will tell you that you need to swig at least half of your body weight in ounces for optimal hydration. There's no doubt that hydration matters for your overall health and well-being, but it's important to understand how to figure out the amount of water that's right for you.

Here, we'll take a look at the general guidelines for ensuring that you're getting enough water, different factors that can influence the amount of water that you need in a day, signs that you aren't getting enough water (and what to do about it), and some practical tips that can help you include more water in your daily routine. Fill up your water bottle, get comfy, and let's get started.

The general guideline: eight glasses a day

Many health and wellness experts agree that aiming to drink eight glasses of water a day is a good goal for most people. Recent research from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine showed that about 15.5 cups of fluids per day are necessary for men, and 11.5 cups per day are necessary for women. While this may seem far higher than the eight glasses recommendation, it's actually not that different, as the higher recommendations include fluids from all drinks and food ingested throughout the day.

Factors influencing individual water needs

While it can be helpful to have a goal in mind when it comes to your hydration needs, listening to your body and understanding the unique factors that can require more or less water is key to feeling your best.

Factors that can influence how much water you'll need throughout your day include:

• Environment: If it's especially hot or humid outside, you'll need to work overtime to make sure that your body is getting the water that it needs. Take plenty of breaks to go inside and sip a glass of cool water.
• Exercise: If you're working out and getting sweaty, you're going to need more water. Drinking before, during, and after exercise can help you to keep dehydration at bay.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: You're not just eating for two—you're also drinking for two. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, it's likely that you'll need to drink additional water to ensure that both you and your growing baby are getting all of the water necessary to feel your best.
• Illness: If you're going through an illness that's causing vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, it's important that you replace lost fluids. Your doctor may recommend that you use an electrolyte solution to help maintain your body's natural balance.
• Health conditions: Some health conditions, like kidney disease, heart disease, and certain liver problems can impact the amount of water that you need each day.

Signs of dehydration and how to avoid it

Whether you're training for a marathon or simply spending time gardening outdoors, it's important to be on the lookout for signs of dehydration. Many people don't realize that they're dehydrated until their condition becomes severe. Recognizing signs of dehydration early can help you get the care you need.

Common signs of dehydration in adults include:

• Extreme thirst
• Confusion and dizziness
• Dark-colored urine
• Fatigue
• Infrequent urination

Sometimes, dehydration can be resolved with at-home treatment, including drinking plenty of fluids and getting rest. It's important to seek medical care if you’ve had diarrhea for more than 24 hours, have black or bloody stools, can't drink fluids without vomiting, or if you or your loved one are irritable, extremely fatigued, or disoriented.

Benefits of staying properly hydrated

Water is vital to maintaining your body's normal functioning. Understanding why it's so important to stay hydrated may help you remember to fill up your bottle before you leave the house in the morning.

Benefits of staying hydrated include:

• Cellular function: Water is necessary for many biochemical reactions in the body, including those that generate energy and build new tissue. When you give your body the right amount of water, you're providing the tools necessary for optimal functioning.
• Removal of waste: Waste removal is an essential facet of your well-being, and your body needs plenty of water to release waste through urine. If you're not getting enough water, it's likely that your body is holding onto waste that it doesn't need, potentially causing health problems down the road.
• Digestive health: Water helps the digestive process by dissolving nutrients so they can be absorbed by the intestines. Drinking plenty of water can also help with constipation and other digestive issues.

How to incorporate more water into your daily routine

You know why it's so important to drink the water you need, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Follow the tips below to get yourself in the habit of downing the H2O your body craves.

• Pick out a water bottle you love. We get it—it seems a little silly, but it really can help. Choosing a water bottle that makes you smile can put a little extra pep in your step every time you head back to the water cooler to fill up.
• Use an app. There are plenty of apps that can help you track your water consumption—the key is finding one that works well for you. Don't forget to connect your water app to Evidation so we can start rewarding you for staying hydrated!
• Jazz it up. Tossing a few slices of lemon or lime into your water bottle can give you the hint of flavor you need to enjoy each glass.

Evidation: Here to support your health

At Evidation, we don't just cheer you on when it comes to tracking your health data—we also provide the rewards you need to stay motivated! When you connect and use apps that track your water consumption, don't forget to share their data with Evidation so that we can give you the virtual high-fives you need to keep going. Learn more about the app here, and if you haven't downloaded Evidation already, do so today!

Stepping on the scale while trying to lose weight can be a source of anxiety for many. While the number on the scale is influenced by many factors, it's hard not to see it as a report card, letting you know if you've worked hard enough to get your desired result.

If you feel anxiety when it's time to step on the scale during your weight loss journey, you're not alone. Here, we'll take a look at why weight loss can trigger anxiety, why it's important to use the scale as a single tool in your toolbox of measurements for tracking your progress, and how you can reduce your anxiety as you work toward your goals.

Why weight loss can trigger anxiety

There's no way around it: losing weight is hard work. From increasing your movement to changing long-standing eating habits, changing the number you see on the scale is no small feat. Much like sitting down at a performance review or waiting to see your score on a test, it can be tough to get numerical feedback on your performance.

In addition to scale-related anxiety, giving up comfort behaviors (like eating food with low nutritional value as a means of coping with stress) can also ramp up anxiety. The idea of giving up these behaviors can be anxiety-producing, but it's important to discover new methods of self-care that also support your long-term goals.

While ups and downs are a normal part of every weight loss journey, taking steps to reduce anxiety can help you feel your best, stay focused, and can even help you continue to make forward progress. Let's take a look at why it's important to consider factors outside of the scale.

The risks of focusing solely on the scale

There are many factors that can influence the day-to-day numbers you see on the scale. Hormonal issues, new stressors, water retention due to sodium consumption and/or sore muscles, sleep, and even your body's rate of digestion can all cause normal fluctuations in weight.

When you only focus on what you see on the scale, you may be more inclined to self-sabotage your own hard work if your weight doesn't reflect your efforts. Seeing normal fluctuations can also cause some people to increase the intensity of their new habits, creating unsustainable routines. This can result in an endless cycle of ups and downs on the scale that can make it tough to stay motivated.

Tips for dealing with anxiety and weight loss

Thankfully, reducing anxiety and working toward healthy stress management doesn't just make it easier to stay on track. Over time, steps that you take to reduce your stress and anxiety levels can actually contribute to your progress.

Some ways that you can reduce anxiety while you're working to lose weight include:

• Develop new comfort behaviors. Instead of turning to food or binge-watching TV for comfort, try reading a new book by a favorite author, listening to your favorite music, taking a walk, or engaging in a workout to lower stress and anxiety levels.
• Remind yourself that change is uncomfortable. If it were easy to lose weight, you would have done it already. Reminding yourself that any type of life change is uncomfortable can help you remember that when things get tough, it's a sign you're doing the right thing.
• Talk to loved ones. If you typically bond with your partner or other family members over food, talk to them about how you're working to get healthy, and work together to develop new routines to enjoy each other's company.
• Prioritize self-care outside of the gym and the kitchen. Getting healthy isn't just about what you eat and how much you move. A solid self-care routine also means scheduling regular check-ups with your primary care provider, going to the dentist on at least a yearly basis, and learning to set boundaries at home and at work.

How to set realistic weight-loss goals

Talking with your doctor, certified personal trainer, or registered dietitian can be helpful in setting your weight loss goals. If the ever-rising costs of healthcare are stopping you from being able to chat with a healthcare provider or fitness professional, calculating your ideal body mass index can give you a general guideline to a healthy weight range for your body.

Losing one pound per week is a fantastic way to sustainably work toward your goals. It's important to remember that not every week will result in a lower number on the scale. Look for an overall downward trend over a couple of months, rather than focusing on your numbers from one week to the next.

Creating a supportive environment for weight loss

When you're working to lose weight and are living with anxiety, it's important that you prioritize your mental health. Creating a supportive environment is key to developing the behaviors that will keep you moving toward your goal weight.

Try these tips to begin the process of creating the supportive environment you need to stay on track throughout your weight loss process:

• Consider exercising first thing in the morning. While you may need to wake up a bit earlier, getting healthy movement in before the day begins can help to ensure that nothing gets in your way when it comes to exercise.
• Get your family on board. Letting others in your household know that you want to become healthier can help you get the support you need in the tough moments of your journey.
• Try new healthy recipes (and keep your kitchen stocked with food that supports your goals). Eating well doesn't have to be bland (unless that's your thing), and trying new recipes can help you to get excited about discovering new foods that will become a part of your ongoing routine.

Health, powered by you

Developing an anxiety management plan while working toward sustainable weight loss requires a balanced approach. While the scale is a tool that can help you keep an eye on your progress, it's important to focus on the broader benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Focusing on how great you feel as you implement healthier habits can help you to stay on track, even during the weeks (or months!) when the scale isn't showing you the numbers you want to see.

At Evidation, we're here to provide you with the supportive, informative, results-driven content you need to make the most of your health journey. We're excited to help you make the most of your health data as you work to achieve the weight that makes you feel your best. Learn more about how Evidation works and get started today.

Anxiety can have a distinct impact on weight. Anxiety affects everyone differently, and the way that you handle anxiety and stress can determine whether it causes you to gain or lose weight.

If you're embarking on a weight loss journey, it's important to understand how your mental health can impact the time it takes for you to hit your goals. Here, we'll explore how anxiety can affect your weight loss, and what you can do to manage your anxiety in a way that supports your journey toward health.

Understanding the link between anxiety and weight loss

Physical and mental health are intertwined in myriad ways. For some people, anxiety and other mental health issues can manifest physically in the form of digestive issues, autoimmune conditions, changes in appetite, and more. For others, anxiety can cause a temporary decrease in appetite, only for the appetite to resurge as soon as the stressor is removed.

Regardless of whether anxiety causes your appetite to increase or decrease, many people living with anxiety find that it's tough to maintain a healthy weight. Anxiety can cause changes in the body's endocrine (hormone) system, which can make it even harder to change long-standing patterns that are stopping you from being your healthiest self.

Common anxiety-related barriers to weight loss

While combating anxiety can be a key component of successful, sustainable weight loss, understanding the barriers that anxiety and stress create is key to developing a plan that works for you.

Some of the issues related to anxiety that can make it harder to lose weight include:

Emotional eating habits

If you've ever found yourself mindlessly working your way through a family-size bag of chips after a stressful event, or you've absent-mindedly hit up the fast food drive-thru after a tough day at work, you're not alone. Emotional eating refers to using food to soothe stress, anxiety, or other negative emotions. For many, overcoming emotional eating is the first step toward lasting weight loss.

Hormonal issues

Hormones facilitate most processes in our bodies, including those related to appetite and metabolism. For women, life changes like perimenopause and menopause, bring hormonal changes that can affect body weight and body fat. For many people (men and women alike), hormonal issues are correlated with anxiety. Problems with gut health and anxiety are also commonly correlated, as the gut is responsible for the production of many different hormones.

Sleep problems

Getting enough sleep is vital for regulating the hormones that control hunger and appetite. Failing to get enough sleep can slow your metabolism, making it tougher to lose weight.

Skipping meals

We get it—it may feel tempting to skip a meal if you're not super-hungry, feel like you ate more than you needed earlier in the day, or if you're simply feeling a high level of anxiety. It's counterintuitive, but skipping meals can actually make it harder for you to lose weight.

When you don't get the calories and nutrients that you need to support your body, it's likely that you'll develop cravings for high-calorie, hyper-palatable foods. Eating balanced, nutrient-dense foods throughout the day is the best way to combat the binge-restrict cycle often experienced by people with anxiety who are trying to lose weight.

Strategies to manage anxiety while pursuing weight loss

Thankfully, there are plenty of techniques you can use to reduce anxiety while you're working toward your weight loss goals, including:

• Exercise: Exercise isn't just great for your body—it's also hugely beneficial to your mind. Aerobic exercises (such as walking at a brisk pace or taking a dance class) have proven to be especially beneficial for anxiety management.
• Meditation: Practicing meditation can help you get and stay in tune with your body. A 2017 research review showed that people who engaged in weight loss programs that included mindfulness practices like meditation were more easily able to lose weight and keep it off than those who used diet and exercise alone.
• Journaling: Take a few minutes to journal your thoughts when you feel the urge to engage in emotional eating. Doing so may provide you with the anxiety relief you need without sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
• Therapy: Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If your anxiety is interfering with your goals to get healthy and strong, talking to a professional can provide you with the personalized strategies you need to move forward.

The importance of mental health in weight loss

When it comes to losing weight, managing stress and anxiety is key. When mental health issues and anxiety are not addressed, emotional eating, sleep problems, and other factors can make it harder to move toward your goal. Working with a mental health professional can provide you with ongoing support to ensure that you're able to continue engaging in behaviors that contribute to you becoming your healthiest self.

How to build a supportive environment for anxiety management

It's important to create an environment that helps you keep the potential for anxiety low as you lose weight.

Some tips for creating a supportive environment for anxiety management include:

• Keep your home clutter-free. Taking a few minutes each day to clear clutter can help you feel more relaxed at the end of each day.
• Get social support. Joining a walking or jogging club, taking a workout class with friends, or even meeting up with others for a book club can all help reduce anxiety through strengthening social connections.
• Be open about your goals. For some reason, it can be tough to tell others when we're working to lose weight. Being open and honest (instead of saying you already ate, you're not hungry, or you don't feel well) when offered foods that trigger your anxiety or don't align with your goals can help those around you offer the support you need.

Using technology to support a balanced, healthy approach to weight loss

Stress is a fact of life, and using technology can help you to manage your stress and anxiety levels when it comes to weight loss. Apps that track your activity levels, nutrition, and mood can all play a valuable role in helping you understand what's working for you in your weight loss journey (and where you can make adjustments to support your progress). When you use a variety of apps to support weight loss, you're better able to see the big picture, including changes in your mood, anxiety levels, and energy, than if you only relied on the number on the scale to determine whether you're moving toward your goals.

At Evidation, we're here to help you manage anxiety through the weight loss process by supporting a holistic approach to health and wellness. When you use apps to track your health data (such as physical activity, nutrition, sleep, hydration, etc.), and share that data with Evidation, we provide you with insights and articles that give you the information you need to stay motivated. Download the app today and get started—we can't wait to see what you accomplish!

Perhaps you have a big event coming up in a few weeks, or you're excited for a first date that you finally feel good about. Maybe you're prepping for a job interview, or you're getting ready for a vacation. There are many reasons why people search for terms like "how to lose weight fast" and "quick weight loss diet," but sadly, quick-fix weight loss often does more harm than good.

We get it—the promise of quick results can make rapid weight reduction strategies tempting. When you've decided that you're ready to start feeling better in your own skin, you want to get to your goal as soon as possible.

At Evidation, it's our goal to help you feel great, look great, and achieve optimal health. Here, we'll explore why rapid weight loss can be counterproductive to maintaining a healthy weight long-term, the physical and mental health risks that come with rapid weight loss, and how you can create a sustainable weight loss plan that will leave you feeling energized and motivated—not exhausted and insatiably hungry.

The impact of rapid weight loss on metabolism

Rapid weight loss doesn't just leave you ravenous in the short-term—it can also lead to metabolic changes that complicate long-term weight management.

When weight is lost quickly through significant calorie restriction, the body's basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the amount of calories the body burns in order to maintain basic physiological functions while at rest—decreases. From an evolutionary standpoint, this makes sense, as the brain and body receive the message that food is scarce.

By decreasing the number of calories your body burns at rest (a process known as metabolic adaptation or adaptive thermogenesis), your metabolism increases the likelihood that you'll make it out on the other side of a famine or other disaster. When your BMR drops, it makes weight loss more difficult, and can make it easier to regain the weight you've lost.

Loss of muscle mass is another factor that can cause the body's BMR to drop. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, meaning it uses more calories when the body is at rest than other types of tissue. When we lose weight rapidly, we often lose muscle along with fat and water. This means that while the scale may be showing weight loss, the weight that's being lost may negatively affect weight loss and maintenance efforts in the future.

Your endocrine (hormone) system can also be disrupted when you lose weight too quickly. Hormones that can be affected by rapid weight loss include:

• Leptin: Produced by fat cells, this hormone works to regulate the body's energy balance by suppressing hunger. When you lose weight quickly, your body's leptin levels decrease, leading to increased appetite and a decreased BMR.
• Ghrelin: Known as the hunger hormone, ghrelin stimulates appetite. When we lose weight too quickly, ghrelin levels tend to increase—perhaps as an evolutionary last-ditch effort to encourage our ancestors to procure and eat a healthy amount of calories.
• Thyroid hormones: Your thyroid works to regulate your metabolism. Losing weight quickly can reduce the amount of thyroid hormones your body produces, which can lead to lower energy expenditures and slower metabolic processes.
• Insulin: While weight loss is typically positive for people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic, rapid weight reduction can cause dangerous blood sugar and insulin fluctuations that can cause metabolic disturbances.

If you've used rapid weight loss strategies before and fear that you may have negatively affected your metabolism, it may be more difficult—but not impossible—for you to lose weight in the future. If you have a history of yo-yo dieting or rapid weight loss, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor about what type of nutrition and exercise plan will best support your weight loss efforts.

Health effects of losing weight too quickly

Your metabolism isn't the only bodily system that can be negatively affected by losing weight too quickly. Some of the additional health effects of rapid weight loss include:

• Nutrient deficiencies: Nutrient deficiencies are common among people who lose weight fast, as it can be difficult to maintain a low calorie diet while still consuming all the vitamins and minerals that the body needs to thrive. Many people who lose weight too quickly find that they feel tired and get sick more often. Providing the body with the right nutrients in the right dosages can help to boost your energy and support a healthy immune system while you're working to lose weight.
• Gallstones: When your body loses weight quickly, the liver releases extra cholesterol. While this effect is usually temporary, you may experience the formation of gallstones. These hardened bile deposits can cause sudden and intense abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and more. If you develop gallstones and experience symptoms, you'll likely need to have surgery to have them removed.
• Loss of bone density: Your body needs adequate nutrients to support your bone health. When you work to lose weight through crash dieting, it's likely that your body is not getting all of the bone-healthy nutrients necessary to keep you healthy and strong, leading to an increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
• Cardiovascular stress: Weight loss is taxing on the heart, and it's important to prioritize your cardiac health as you're working to become your healthiest self. Extreme and rapid weight loss can stress the cardiovascular system, eventually leading to arrhythmias or other dangerous cardiac issues. If you've gone through extended periods of extreme weight loss, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor about any health screenings you may need to protect your heart.

Psychological effects of rapid weight loss

We know that rapid weight loss wreaks havoc on the body—but it can also harm your mental health. The psychological effects of rapid weight loss are unfortunately myriad, and can require help from a trained mental health professional to overcome.

Some of the psychological issues associated with rapid weight loss include:

• Increased eating disorder risk: Some people who lose weight quickly find that they develop unhealthy eating behaviors and an obsessive focus on how they look. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorders can all take hold following a period of rapid, unhealthy weight loss.
• Increased stress and anxiety: While going through a period of rapid weight loss, it can be hard to stick to the rules and regimens that come with a serious cut in calories (and a serious uptick in exercise). Some people find that sticking to a strict diet can cause constant feelings of stress and anxiety. These negative issues can become even more difficult to handle if the person who is crash dieting is afraid of regaining the weight.
• Mood swings: In order to stay calm and productive throughout the day, it's important to provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to thrive. Severe calorie restriction can result in irritability and a lack of mood regulation, and can eventually alter brain function.
• Obsessive thoughts: There's nothing wrong with thinking about the foods that help you feel your best. That being said, you're venturing into dangerous territory if you're beginning to obsess about your weight loss plan. If you're noticing obsessive thoughts about your body image, weight, or the food you eat, it's a good idea to reach out to a mental health professional who specializes in obsessive thoughts (OCD) and/or eating disorders.

Many people who have experienced rapid weight loss followed by rapid weight gain feel discouraged and unmotivated to keep working to get healthy. It can be helpful to remind yourself that once you lose weight the right way, you’re more likely to keep it off. Making one healthy decision at a time, and taking the process one day at a time, can help to move you toward your goal weight.

Sustainable weight loss: a healthier alternative

Exercising regularly and eating the right amount of calories for your body sounds simple, but doing so is often easier said than done. Understanding your caloric needs, properly estimating the amount of calories you burn during exercise, and managing your stress levels can all help you reach your weight loss goals.

To create a plan for sustainable weight loss, it's important to start by understanding your unique caloric needs. While understanding your body mass index (BMI) can give you some insight into how many calories you're burning each day, a registered dietitian or nutritionist can help you determine how to create a healthy meal plan that you love to support your weight loss efforts.

Not quite ready to reach out to a professional for help with your diet? We get it! It can take some time to understand how different foods affect your body. Keeping track of what you eat can help you identify patterns and find weak spots that are keeping you from hitting your goals. If you're struggling to understand where you're at nutritionally, you may want to take a week or two to log all the drinks and food you consume, allowing you to get a crystal-clear picture of your starting point. Remember, there's no need for shame—you're working hard to get your health on track, and that's an admirable pursuit.

You'll also need to accurately estimate the amount of calories that your body burns while you're exercising. Using a wearable fitness tracker can help motivate you to keep moving during the day. You may notice that different apps and tracking devices provide you with different estimates of how many calories you burn during physical activity. Stick to a single wearable fitness device and/or fitness tracker that you enjoy, wear it consistently, and set achievable movement goals that will keep you motivated and moving forward.

Finally, reaching out for help is often a key part of a sustainable weight loss plan. If you're experiencing physical health issues due to past rapid weight loss, it's important to talk with your doctor or other healthcare provider about potential issues that may need to be addressed before you begin a new weight loss plan. If you find that you're obsessing over calories eaten and calories burned, it's a good idea to talk with a mental health professional who specializes in eating disorders.

There's no need to try and drop weight quickly—as you know, when you lose weight rapidly, it comes back just as quickly as it left. Setting a goal of losing 1 pound per week gives your body the time it needs to adapt to your new, post-weight-loss metabolic needs, and also provides your mind with the time it needs to become accustomed to new, healthy behaviors.

Common myths about rapid weight loss debunked

If you've been spending some time searching for information about how to lose weight quickly, it's likely that you've spent plenty of time reading contradictory articles, leading you to wonder what's true and what's false when it comes to weight loss.

Let's take a look at some of the most common myths about weight loss:

Myth: You have to avoid carbohydrates in order to lose weight.

Truth: Carbs hold water, and when you cut them out of your diet, you're likely to experience a quick drop in water weight. That being said, carbs are an essential source of energy that can keep you pushing through a tough workout. Eating the right carbs at the right times can help you feel your best and move toward your healthiest sustainable weight.

Myth: You can't snack and lose weight.

Truth: If you're experiencing extreme hunger regularly, it's likely that your plan isn't sustainable. Fiber-packed snack options like vegetables, fruits, and nuts can help to hold you over to your next meal when you're feeling peckish.

Myth: Nighttime eating leads to weight gain.

Truth: Weight gain happens when you consistently take in more calories than you burn. It doesn't matter what time of day you eat, as long as your meals are contributing to your energy levels in a way that helps you feel your best.

When it comes to weight loss, looking for a quick fix typically backfires. No matter where you're at on your weight loss journey, exploring sustainable ways to improve your health will carry you closer to your goal.

Sustainability is key when it comes to creating a weight loss plan that works. You're likely already using apps like Lose It!, Apple Health, FitBit, and other fitness and nutrition trackers—and at Evidation, we're here to help you put the health data you share with us to good use. With your permission, we use the health data you're already tracking to provide you with insights that can help you understand how you can take your progress to the next level. Learn more and download our app today to learn more about healthy eating, get the accountability you need to stay on track, and get rewarded for engaging in the healthy activities you're already doing.

There's no way around it: today's world is fast-paced, and many of us feel like we're never quite doing enough. When it comes to work, family, and social obligations, it can be tough to balance the ups and downs of life with living a healthy lifestyle.

The key to living a healthy lifestyle? Knowing where to start. We understand that you're super busy, and it can be tough to fit the foundations of a healthy lifestyle into your daily routine.

We're here to help.

Here, we'll delve into everything you need to know about getting started with a healthy lifestyle, from starting a fantastic nutrition plan to practicing mindfulness to keeping your stress levels low. Whether you're looking for some tips to add to your already-healthy routine or you're just getting started with a wellness journey, we've got you.

Healthy lifestyle foundations

If you're curious about starting a healthy lifestyle, it's important to get back to basics. All too often, it's easy to get caught up in the latest technology, workout craze, or nutrition trend, all while forgetting that nailing the basic tenants of a healthy lifestyle is key toward creating a sustainable plan.

It's important to remember that health isn't about a number on the scale or the way we look in a swimsuit. Health is about increasing both the quality and length of your life by providing your body with everything it needs to function at its best.

Three lifestyle factors--nutrition, exercise, and sleep--can set you up to meet and exceed your health and wellness goals.

Nutrition

Food is the foundation of wellness. Depending on how you approach nutrition, it can either be an amazing medicine or the cause of disease. While there's no need to eat perfectly all of the time, getting most of your calories from whole, nutrient-dense foods can help boost energy levels, improve sleep, and help you avoid diet-related disease.

Knowing how to eat well and actually doing it are two different things. Many people who are interested in health and wellness find that despite knowing exactly what they should be eating, it's hard to stay on track.

There are several techniques you can use to stay motivated to continue following your nutrition plan, including:

• Think about adding instead of subtracting: When you're focused on all the foods you're working to eat less of, it can feel like you're being deprived. Instead of focusing on what you're not having, try focusing on what you can have.
• Switch up your routine: Instead of sticking with the same meals from week to week, take some time to introduce new recipes.
• Make it simple: Convenience is key, and when it comes to staying on track with your nutrition, getting into a meal prep routine can make it easier to stick to it.
• Choose foods you love: You don't have to forgo delicious meals when you're eating healthy. If you're not a fan of eating chicken and broccoli day in and day out, exploring recipes that are a good fit for your taste buds can help you stay on the path to wellness.

When you decide that you'd like to clean up your nutrition, it may be helpful to start slowly. Going all-in on a new nutrition plan can work well for some people, but others find that it's easier to make small changes--such as swapping out a morning sugar-laden latte for a bowl of oatmeal and berries--than to do a complete nutritional overhaul.

If you're not sure what type of nutrition plan is the best fit for your body, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian. You'll be able to get valuable insights into the meals that will work best for your health and fitness goals, as well as be able to track your progress over time. Working with a healthcare professional will also help to ensure that you're choosing a sustainable nutrition plan, rather than a too-strict set of guidelines that will send you reeling the minute you decide to venture off-plan.

Exercise

Movement matters, and finding the motivation to work out can be a smart first step in getting and staying healthy. While your exercise needs depend on your individual fitness level, body type, age, and health and wellness goals, it's important to get moving a few times each week.

If you want to get started with an all-out fitness program, more power to you--but this isn't necessary for your body to enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. It's recommended that you shoot for about 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. This could be walking after dinner for half an hour each weekday, doing yard work for about 20 minutes each evening, or spending some time chasing after your kids a few afternoons each week.

In order to stick with physical activity long-term, it's important that you find exercise that feels good for your body. You shouldn't dread your workout. If you find that it's tough to get moving on your own, teaming up with family, friends, or neighbors can help you stay motivated to keep moving. If you're more of an introverted exerciser, you may be interested in online fitness challenges that keep you on your toes with others around the world.

A few tips when it comes to keeping yourself moving:

• Remember, motivation wanes, while habits stick. Getting in the habit of moving regularly--even when you're not particularly in the mood to exercise--can help you continue to work toward your goals.
• Small rewards like new shoes after you hit your mileage goal for the month or a manicure with friends after you stick to your plan for a few weeks can help keep you pushing forward.
• Keep track of your statistics--like how long it takes you to walk a mile, or how long you're able to make it through your favorite dance workout video before you have to take a break--can help you to see that you're making impressive progress.

Sleep

When it comes to your health, rest is key. In today's go-go-go world, it can be tempting to burn the midnight oil. While it may feel good to check items off your to-do list late into the night in the short-term, doing so can hurt your productivity the next day, and can eventually hurt your long-term health.

Sleep needs are individual, so it's important to pay attention to the amount of sleep that allows you to feel your best. The recommended eight hours of sleep per night can be a good jumping off point for most adults, but you might need more or less sleep depending on your personal needs.

Establishing good sleep habits can help you stay on track with healthy actions throughout the following day. When you get solid rest at night, you're more likely to exercise and make nutrition decisions that fuel your body than when you're tossing and turning into the wee hours.

It's important that you set the stage for great sleep, night after night. Some great ways to improve your sleep quality include:

• Cool off. Experts say that the ideal room temperature for sound sleep is about 65 degrees. Of course, this is individual--if you find that 65 degrees is too cool for you, it's ok to crank the thermostat up a few degrees. If it's cool outside, opening a window in your bedroom for a little while before you go to bed can let in some fresh air and begin the cool-down process.
• Set a schedule. A bedtime isn't just a good idea for your kids--it's a smart move for you too. When you go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, your body begins to know what to expect. This can make it easier to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
• Darken your room. While you don't necessarily need blackout curtains to get good sleep, it's smart to close the blinds and draw the curtains each night. The darker you can make your room, the better.
• Make your nutrition work for you. Most people find that they get their best sleep when they stop eating a few hours before bedtime. The old adage of "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper" can help you rest easy--when your body isn't working to digest a large meal at the end of the day, you may find that it's easier to fall and stay asleep.
• Cut the coffee. There's nothing wrong with a cup of coffee in the morning, but if you're struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, it may be time to cut the caffeine habit. If you're not willing to go cold turkey, try switching to half-caf, and be sure to stop drinking caffeine before noon.

Sleep is deeply individual, and it's important to take the time to figure out what sleep techniques work best for you. If it's not distracting, wearing a smartwatch or other wearable health device to bed can provide valuable sleep insights that can help you make the most of your non-waking hours.

Meal planning for busy people

Convenience is king when it comes to food, and meal prepping can be a super-helpful way for you to stick to your nutrition plan when things get rough. No, you don't need to eat every meal out of a plastic container, but having some tried-and-true healthy favorites in the fridge can set you up for success.

Try these tips to get into a meal prepping groove:

• Designate a grocery day. You don't need to run to the store every day after work to pick up a few things for dinner--this makes it all too tempting to order in. Plan your meals for the week according to plan, then take a few hours to hit the grocery store to get everything you need.
• Make meal prep an appointment. Just like you wouldn't blow off a scheduled appointment, you don't get to blow off meal prep. Set your prep time into your calendar each week.
• Keep it fresh. It's tempting to prepare the same foods week after week, but doing so increases the likelihood that your prepped food will sit in the fridge while you munch on something more enticing. Trying a new recipe each week can introduce the variety you need to stay interested.

Incorporating exercise into your schedule

Whether you've been promising yourself that you'll finally exercise tomorrow, you've been waiting for the weather to clear up, or you're telling yourself that taking the dog out was enough, it's easy to make excuses not to exercise when you're busy. No judgment--we've all been there. Thankfully, there are some ways that you can make it easier to get the movement your body craves, no matter how jam-packed your schedule may be.

Try these tips to incorporate exercise into a busy schedule:

• Shift your sleep. Many people find that it's easiest to exercise in the morning, before the tasks of the day begin to pile up. Moving your bedtime to an hour earlier so you can wake up and work out can make it easier to get moving when you have a lot on your plate.
• Find a workout buddy. It can be all-too-tempting to drive right past the gym or the park on the way home after a long day at work, but it's harder to cancel when you know you have someone depending on you. Teaming up with a friend, family member, or co-worker for daily or weekly workouts can help you stick to the plan, even when things get busy.
• Multitask. While this isn't always ideal, sometimes, multitasking is the only way to get your movement in--and that's ok! Whether you need to go for a walk while you take a conference call, do a few minutes of yoga here and there between appointments, or make playing with the kids into a game of tag to get your steps in, small efforts add up.

Mindfulness and stress management

Stress is a part of life, but that doesn't mean that we need to constantly exist in a state of stress. When stressful events happen, it's easy for us to take the physical, mental, and emotional stress of the event into the rest of our lives. While some of this is unavoidable, practicing healthy mindfulness and stress management techniques can both improve your mood and bolster your overall well-being.

Many people find that meditation is a simple, free, and fast way to re-focus and de-stress. Meditation doesn't have to be complicated, and you don't need to be able to empty your mind in order to gain the benefits. Simply setting a timer for five minutes, closing your eyes, and focusing on a word or idea can help your mind and body reset. As you begin to notice the benefits of meditation, increasing the length of your practice or the number of sessions you do each week can help you continue to lower stress levels.

Mindfulness-based movement--such as yoga--can also offer both physical and mental health benefits. While yoga classes can be a fun, effective way to get centered and meet other like-minded people, there's no need to go to a studio to enjoy the benefits of yoga. Getting started only requires a mat and a YouTube video, and you'll notice the immediate benefits--like a clear mind, deeper breathing, and increased energy--right away.

A final note on stress management: don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help if you're struggling. It can be easy to try to deal with stress on your own, but doing so isn't just difficult--it can be exhausting. Turning to your community or a trusted therapist when things get rough is a key part of managing stress.

Why hydration matters

Quick--when last did you have a glass of water?

Hydration is a key part of keeping your body healthy long-term, but it's easy to forget to drink up when we get busy. It can also be hard to remember to drink water when we're enjoying other beverages.

Benefits of drinking enough water each day include:

• Regulation of kidney function
• Supports digestive health
• Boosts energy levels
• Can contribute to healthy weight maintenance
• Improves skin health
• Boosts focus

Knowing how much water your body needs to feel great is a smart place to start. Many experts recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day--for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you'd aim for 75 ounces each day, plus more if you're exercising, breastfeeding, or spending time in hot temperatures.

Setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to drink water can help you stay hydrated, as can starting a water challenge with the people you're around during the day. When you begin to boost your water intake, you may feel that you're constantly drinking--don't worry, this will fade over time. A word of caution: if you're new to hitting your hydration goals, you may want to stop drinking a few hours before you go to sleep, so you aren't constantly waking up to use the bathroom.

Prioritizing self-care

When you're busy taking care of others, it's easy to put yourself last. Whether you end up picking at leftover food on kids' plates because you feel too busy to make a healthy dinner for yourself or you fail to get the sleep you need because you're working to meet deadlines, many people have a tough time prioritizing self-care.

Doing so, however, is key to your long-term well-being. Self-care looks different for everyone, and it's important to pay attention to what self-care behaviors help you feel restored, revitalized, and ready to live your best life.

If you're not at the point where you feel you can prioritize your well-being for your own sake, think about how prioritizing your well-being helps others. When you're healthy and happy, it's easier for you to keep others healthy and happy. When you have high energy levels, the people around you benefit. If you have little ones at home, engaging in self-care helps them see the importance of doing the same.

Self-care isn't always about taking a bubble bath or getting a massage. Some less-often-discussed self-care activities include:

• Asking for help when you need it
• Calling a friend to talk when you feel stressed
• Setting boundaries with others
• Declining invitations when you feel overwhelmed or in need of rest
• Spending time by yourself
• Relaxing with your pet or a family member to recharge
• Preparing and enjoying healthy food
• Participating in physical exercise that is challenging and fun
• Going to the doctor for regular check-ups
• Talking with a therapist to support your mental health

We've all heard the saying "put your own oxygen mask on first," and this is as true in life as it is 30,000 feet in the air. When you put yourself first, you're reminding yourself--and everyone else--that your well-being matters.

Long-term strategies to maintain overall wellness

You don't just want to have a long life--you want to have a high quality of life for years to come. Implementing healthy living strategies now can help you enjoy the decades ahead.

Some tips for maintaining your health over time include:

• Find an activity that contributes to both your physical and social health. Joining a walking or running club, playing a sport, or exercising with family can boost both your physical and mental health, as well as solidify healthy habits that will support your health long-term.
• Follow your doctor's health screening guidelines. Early detection of health conditions is important. While it can be easy to turn a blind eye to your doctor's screening recommendations out of fear of getting unwanted information, ignorance is not bliss when it comes to your health.
• Pay attention--and speak up when something feels off. You know your body better than anyone else. If you feel that something isn't quite right, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion or a referral to a specialist.
• Weed out unhealthy habits. While some unhealthy habits may seem like they don't affect your health now, it's important to play the long game when it comes to your health. Smoking, vaping, and drinking to excess can all harm your health over time. Quitting now--or getting the support you need to quit--is a key first step in improving your long-term health.

Evidation: Here to support your health, one day at a time.

At Evidation, we're here to help you learn how to have a healthy lifestyle, one step at a time. Download the Evidation app today to learn more and get started.

Did you know that approximately 40% of your behaviors are not conscious choices but habits? There are hundreds of actions you take on a daily basis that you don’t think twice about. Habits are part of everyday life, but they can be a highly positive or highly negative thing. Often, making big lifestyle health and wellness changes or becoming more productive in your professional and personal life requires changing your habits. If you’re wondering about how to create new habits, this guide will walk you through the process.

Habits are essential for personal development

As you’re looking into your own personal development and healthy lifestyle changes, the development of healthy habits is at the heart of it all. Whether you're hoping to add more exercise, excel at work, increase your physical activity, or even get more organization into your schedule, developing habits will help you get there more naturally.

Why are habits so essential to grow as a person? Because they're the building blocks of daily life. If you have goals you want to achieve, you need to develop habits to get you there. Also, everyone has them. You may not think you have many habits, but in reality, you do. They just may not be pushing you toward your goals. Understanding your habits, and then developing the ones you need for success, is a key to personal growth and development.

Understanding types of habits

Every action you take throughout the day is a result of some of your habits, but not all habits are the same. There are three main categories of habit: good, bad, and neutral.

Bad habits are those habits that keep you from attaining your goals. If your goal is to get more healthy sleep at night, but you're in the habit of doom scrolling on your phone after you hit the bed, then you have a bad habit that’s preventing you from reaching your goal.

Good habits are those habits that help you reach your goals. If you're hoping to boost your mood and improve your mental health, and you have a healthy meditation habit each morning, then you’re doing an action that will help you meet your goal.

Neutral habits are the everyday things that you do that don’t really hurt or help you. They just exist. For instance, every day you eat breakfast in the same seat at the table, and you may make your coffee in the same order. If you changed up your routine, it wouldn’t keep you from getting to work on time or meeting your goals for the week, but the habit exists, nonetheless.

When it comes to taking charge of your habits, the key is to focus on changing the bad habits and building new good habits. Most of the time, neutral habits can be left alone as they don’t help or harm you.

What science says about habit formation

If you're wondering how to build a habit, a look at science could be helpful. According to Harvard Business Review, neuroscience teaches us there aren’t any shortcuts to building a habit. Small, incremental steps combined with repetition will eventually lead to new habit development.

Habits start with routines

Building a habit starts with building routines in your life. Routines are intentional, whereas habits are involuntary. When you regularly perform a behavior or set of behaviors, it becomes a routine. After enough repetitions, the routine can become a habit.

There’s no set timetable

You may have heard that it takes 21 days to build a new habit. According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the answer is more complex. So, how long does it take to build a habit? The answer depends on how challenging the habit is, how different it is from your current habit set, and personal factors that affect each individual differently. If you’re wanting to learn how to create new habits that support your goals, just keep repeating the positive habits until they become second nature, but don’t put yourself on a timetable.

Understanding the habit loop

As you’re working to build better habits, a tool that can help is the habit loop. Coined by journalist Charles Duhigg, the habit loop is a framework to better understand the development of habits. It includes three main steps:

• Cue: This factor triggers habitual behavior.
• Routine: This is the behavior itself
• Reward: This is what the behavior does or the benefit you get

When the cue is strong enough and the reward sweet enough, you'll quickly develop a habit.

So, how can you use the habit loop to build your own habits? Consider a healthy habit like exercising. If you want to build more exercise into your life, create a cue. It could be as simple as a reminder on your phone or as structured as wearing your workout clothes as pajamas, so you can jump out of bed and hit the pavement.

Next, practice the behavior. Make yourself exercise several days in a row after facing the cue.

Finally, build in a reward. The reward should happen soon after the exercise, not at the end of the month. For example, you might reward yourself with something luxurious in the shower, such as new shampoo or body wash, that you only use on days you exercise.

Identifying what motivates you

For a habit loop to work and a new habit to develop, you must understand your own motivations. What reward will motivate you to perform the behavior? It’s going to be unique, and it may not work for everyone.

As you work to identify your motivation, also look at your goals. What are you trying to accomplish? Sometimes, a clearly defined goal can be exactly what you need to motivate yourself. Consider making large goals as well as small goals so you retain the healthy motivation that will push you toward a new habit.

How to grow and then maintain healthy habits

So now that you understand more about the science of habits, how can you start building them? Consider these practical tips.

1. Write down specific goals

Make specific, measurable goals, and write them down. This will help motivate you as you move forward in your habit building.

2. Find or avoid cues

If you’re hoping to build a healthy habit, find a cue you can attach to it. If you’re hoping to break a negative habit, learn to avoid cues that trigger the behavior.

3. Start small

Small changes are easier to make than big ones. Start small, and build new habits slowly. For example, if your goal is to be able to run a marathon, start with learning to run a mile, then a 5K. Eventually, you’ll be able to run longer distances, and running may become part of your daily routine.

4. Get accountability

Ask a friend or mentor to hold you accountable for your new habit. When someone’s going to check up on you, you’ll be more likely to stick to your new behaviors.

Build healthy habits with help from Evidation

There are many areas of life where you can develop great habits, but your overall health and well-being are some of those areas. Evidation gives you tools you can use to build healthy habits, cues to trigger those habits, and rewards to keep you motivated. Get started building your habits. Download the app today.

See if this scenario sounds familiar: you decide it's time to move your health forward, once and for all. You choose a program that makes sense for where you want to take your health and fitness, and you dive in head first. For a week--or maybe even two--everything is going well.

Then, motivation wanes, and the thoughts of "I'll just start again on Monday" start to creep in.

If this sounds like your experience with motivation to exercise, you're not alone. Many people find themselves searching terms like "how to keep yourself motivated" and "ways to motivate yourself to workout" in hopes of finding a secret key to make them want to get moving again.

Here, we'll go over some tips and tricks for setting goals that you'll keep working toward even when motivation wanes, look over the benefits of exercise for your mind and body, and dig into some simple tactics you can use to keep your body moving for the long haul.

Why does exercise matter? Motivation for lifting weights, doing cardio, and more

When you've been out of the habit of working out for a while, it can be easy to forget how great working out makes you feel. Both the immediate and long-term benefits of working out mean that getting sweaty a few times a week is well worth your while.

Immediate benefits of exercise include:

• Improved brain health, including reduction of anxiety
• Improved sleep
• Reduced blood pressure
• Improved academic performance due to increased focus and memory

In addition to the benefits of exercise that you feel right after your workout, it's also important to keep in mind the benefits that you'll experience over time.

Long-term benefits of exercise can include:

• Regulation of body weight
• Increased bone strength
• Increased cardiovascular health
• Reduced risk of depression
• Reduced risk of chronic disease (including type 2 diabetes)

Setting the right goals

Sometimes, understanding the benefits of exercise isn't quite enough to inspire us to get moving. Setting a goal that's specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound--also known as a SMART goal--can keep you moving even when your initial motivation begins to fade.

Let's take a look at each facet of setting a SMART goal.

Specific

Goals like "lose weight" or "get fit" sound good in theory, but there's no way to know when you've achieved your goal. When you choose a specific goal--such as getting to a certain body fat percentage, being able to run a specific distance, or going for a walk every night after dinner--you're able to stay motivated as you see yourself checking goals off, one by one.

Measurable

When setting your goal, be sure you have a measurable outcome you're working toward, such as getting a specific number of workouts in each week or meeting your step goal a certain number of days in the month. Using a fitness tracker is a simple way to measure your daily movement.

Achievable

Setting your sights high is fantastic--but you want to make sure that your goal is achievable. Sometimes, setting massive goals--like running a marathon or losing 50 pounds--can deter motivation, as they feel insurmountable. Breaking down a large goal into smaller goals can work wonders to keep you on track. For example, if you'd eventually like to run a marathon, the first step toward your goal might be going for a 20-minute run four times each week after work.

If you're not sure what an appropriate goal is for your fitness level, talking with your doctor or a certified personal trainer can be a great start to give you some ideas. Work to create a goal that's at the nexus of challenge and ability--you want a goal that's tough, but by no means impossible.

Relevant

Your goal only needs to matter to one person: you. When choosing a SMART goal, be sure that it has importance in your life. For example, if you're not interested in running, clocking a 5K in under 25 minutes probably isn't going to motivate you to get your workouts in. Health-related goals are often a good fit: for example, setting a goal to lower your blood pressure, to move away from a pre-diabetic status, or to get to improve your cardiovascular function can help.

Time-bound

It's important to give yourself a deadline when it comes to achieving your goal. This can help you stay on track on the days you don't quite feel like getting to work. Marking your deadline on a calendar can help you stay committed.

Staying motivated to work out: Switch it up

Tired of your standard routine? Trying something new to get your heart rate moving can be a great way to shake it up and stay motivated. If you typically go for daily walks, trying a fitness class with a friend can allow you to socialize and challenge your body in a new way.

If you enjoy exercising outdoors, changing your workout to go with the seasons can be the perfect way to both utilize different muscles and keep your mind interested in your workouts. Swimming in the summer, hiking in the fall, getting bundled up and taking the dog for a walk in the winter--all of these options can help you enjoy the benefits of fresh air while keeping you motivated to include healthy movement in your day.

Get support

When it comes to staying on track toward your health and fitness goals, it's vital to develop a solid support network. Working out with like-minded friends can both give you the support you need to stay on track and motivate you to stick to your movement schedule, even on days where you'd rather curl up on the couch. Simply setting up a group at work to remind one another to drink water during the day can help you move toward your goals. Online workout communities can also be a fun way to interact with others who are working to get moving.

Evidation: Wellness data that moves you forward

At Evidation, we don't just give you the health data you need to understand where you're starting--we meet you where you're at and reward you for moving forward. Download the app today to learn how you can put your health data to work.