Micro-Habits to Help You Achieve Your New Year Health and Wellness Goals
January can often accompany a rush in motivation to improve health and wellness but so many of us fall victim to unrealistic resolutions that end up feeling overwhelming and unsustainable. Move over new year’s resolutions, it’s time to start focusing on micro habits - small, manageable changes that are easy to implement and build upon, creating a foundation for long-term goals.
By focusing on consistency vs. perfection, micro-habits can transform your wellbeing without the burnout. Micro habits should be small, simple, easily achievable and require minimal effort.
Here’s 5 micro habits that you can weave into your daily routine to elevate your wellbeing in the new year:
1. Micro habit: Keep a glass of water next to your bed to drink first upon waking.
While aiming for eight glasses of water a day might sound daunting, breaking it into smaller actions can make all the difference.
Water is vital for cellular health. It helps transport hormones and nutrients around the body. It’s crucial for supporting digestion. It’s vital for maintaining blood volume and circulation and it helps filter waste from the body.
If you don’t like water, invest in a thermos flask and make herbal tea in it before bed and pop it on your bedside table. It should be perfect temperature to drink first thing.
2. Micro habit: Add a protein source to your first meal of the day.
This may be Greek yoghurt, eggs, nuts or seeds or even leftovers. Starting your day with a balanced meal is key. Protein at breakfast can help to support blood sugar throughout the day, promoting a steady and sustained release of energy, keeping afternoon slumps at bay. Plus, protein promotes satiety and fullness, keeping you going until lunch without needing elevenses.
Protein isn’t just for muscles, it’s a key building block for the body for lots of physiological processes including digestion, immune health and the production of our hormones.
3. Micro habit: Get outdoors for ten minutes a day.
Whether you go for a walk, drink your morning cuppa outside or take an outdoor break at lunchtime, getting in natural day light can support your body in so many ways.
Daylight helps to align your circadian rhythms and promote better sleep, that in turn helps regulate hormones, supports energy and moderates’ cortisol levels. It also supports mental health and has been shown to support the gut microbiome too.
4. Micro habit: Purchase 1-2 new foods a week that you don’t usually buy.
Diversity in foods is key for our gut microbes because it provides a wide range of nutrients, fibres, and compounds that support the growth and balance of different microbial species in the gut. By rotating foods weekly, you can provide your gut with the diverse foods it needs to thrive.
Diversity can come in the form of:
• Different vegetables.
• Different fruits.
• Different nuts and seeds.
• Different grains.
• Different beans and legumes.
• Different herbs and spices.
Even different types and colours of your existing foods will provide different nutrients and offer different fuel for your microbes, e.g. rotating the type of apples you buy, or opting for purple potatoes one week and then regular sweet potatoes the next.
5. Micro habit: Keep your BlueIron supplement where you can see it.
Keeping supplements on your counter or in a visible place can significantly improve compliance due to the power of visual cues and habit formation.
Out of sight often means out of mind. Seeing supplements daily acts as a gentle prompt, reminding you to take them as part of your routine.
Habit formation relies on consistent cues. By keeping supplements in a designated, visible spot, they become associated with specific daily routines, like eating breakfast or brushing your teeth. This association makes taking supplements feel like a natural part of your day.
Keep your Blue Iron somewhere in the kitchen where you will go to every morning without fail to ensure you remember to get your daily intake of iron and keep your energy* and motivation* for the new year.
Top tips:It’s easy to get discouraged if progress feels slow, but recognising your achievements, no matter how small, can keep you motivated.
The easiest way to make a new habit stick is to attach it to something you’re already doing. This is known as habit stacking, and it’s incredibly effective for integrating wellness changes seamlessly into your life.
e.g. Pair stretching exercises with brushing your teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil.
By building on existing routines, you’ll avoid feeling like you’re adding extra tasks to your day.
Achieving your health and wellness goals doesn’t require massive changes or drastic sacrifices. By incorporating micro habits like taking Blue Iron, staying hydrated, and prioritising small, daily actions, you’ll build a sustainable foundation for long-term success.
Remember, progress is more about consistency than perfection.
*Iron contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet and healthy lifestyle’.-
Posted by Emily Garfield
10th January 2025
