The Habit Myth

blog post

Nov 15

Written By Lisa Mastracchio

I’ve heard it countless times, have you?

I used to believe it too btw!

It takes 21 days to build a new habit.

So, you want to hop on a new exercise program or try a new diet? Then 21 days is all it takes for it to become a part your life. Magic. Just like that.

But if you’ve ever tried to build a new habit, whether that’s to drink more water in the day, exercise 4x/week or get to bed by 10pm, you’ll know these habits can start with the best intentions and efforts in mind yet suddenly dwindle when life simply gets in the way.

So how long does it take to build a new habit?

Research tells us anywhere from 18 to 254 days… the average being 66 days! So basically about 3 cycles of 21 days. And by habit, I mean when something becomes automatic, a “no-brainer”, just like brushing your teeth or fastening your seat belt when you get in your car.

So say you want to develop the habit of exercising on a consistent basis.. newsflash.. expect to have some hurdles along the way. In other words, one month ain’t gonna cut it. You may succeed at first, but then your initial zeal and motivation will eventually decrease.

Guaranteed.

According to Neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf, neurotransmitters in the brain begin to “rewire” on day 14 and 21. But to then continue to solidify this habit, at least another 42 days are needed! New patterns are then created and established.

All this science-y stuff to say this…

CHANGE takes TIME 😉

More time than we might think!

So, if making exercise a habit that you want to establish, be patient and expect it to take more than one month.

If breaking a habit, like late-night snacking is on your list, there too, be patient my friend. I know people who struggled with this one for years.

TIPS to help you succeed:

Check your SPACE: In order to make a habit “easier” to establish, it needs to be in your face… literally! James Clear in his book (highly recommend!) Atomic Habits states one way to make a habit more attainable is to make it visual. Your environment is powerful! So if it’s exercise, seeing your workout clothes laid out, or your mat and your weights out in full view provides enough of a mental reminder and nudge to do the thing! Likewise, if snacking on chips or copious amounts of nuts is a weakness, maybe don’t have the bowl on your kitchen counter in full view. Seems basic but it works. For myself, if my water jug isn’t in my face, I will legit “forget” to drink enough H2O. The visual cue helps me keep at this habit which I tend to struggle with sometimes.
Get in the REPS: Repetition is a game-changer here… the more reps you put in, the easier it actually gets. And by reps, I simply mean that repetition builds the foundation! It doesn’t have to be a long and arduous “event”; even short bits and bites can do the job by adding a “deposit” in your new habit account! That’s what’s so cool about the WOW workouts… short enough that they’re actually doable and allow you to get in those reps of adding exercise in the day, when you’d rather skip it! Lather. Rinse. REPEAT.
Give yourself some GRACE: When you know change takes time and that 21 days is only the start of established change, you can allow yourself to accept some setbacks… because they WILL happen. In a 3 month period, a lot can happen… and I think this year in particular has shown us just that. Our environment is always changing and establishing a new health habit can feel like walking in quicksand. Anchors uprooted, restrictions in place, life as we knew it is now a distant memory. So give yourself a break if you “screw up” … cuz you will. We all will! Give yourself some grace, then some grit to get back at it. Your efforts are well worth it!