Staying consistent with your health goals can be challenging, especially when juggling work, social, and personal commitments. The key to long-term success — whatever that looks like for you — is building healthy habits that truly stick.

In this guide, we’ll share 10 practical, dietitian-approved tips to help you create lasting routines that align with your health and wellbeing goals, setting you up for sustainable success.

Goal setting for health is personal, so the journey often starts with understanding your “why”. This is your motivation to pursue your health objectives and it could be anything from improving your energy levels to feeling stronger.

Having a clear purpose is what sets the foundation for meaningful, sustainable change. It makes sure you’re creating habits that genuinely align with your values and priorities, paving the way for long-term success.

Setting SMART goals

Once you’ve identified your motivation, connect it to specific, actionable goals. You might have heard of SMART goals before, which can help you gain clarity and stay focused on your targets. The framework stands for:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-bound

For example, instead of saying “I want to eat healthier,” a SMART goal would be, “I’ll make three healthy, balanced home-cooked meals per week for the next month.”

While it’s not the only available goal-setting framework available, SMART goals are one of the most widely used and are generally considered to be more beneficial than setting broad, undefined goals. However, you should use the framework in a way that works for you.

Consistency is key

This study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine talks about the importance of creating habits and routines not only for the health and wellbeing of children but for adults too:

“Observational research indicates that individuals in good health engage in highly routine health behaviours. For example, those successful at maintaining weight loss often eat the same foods, engage in consistent exercise, and do not skip meals.”

While your own health goals might not centre around weight loss, the importance of consistency can be applied to any personal health goal, from increasing your strength to improving your sleep. In New York Times bestseller ‘Atomic Habits’, James Clear emphasises the importance of these habits, saying:

"Whenever you want to change your behaviour, you can simply ask yourself: How can I make it obvious? How can I make it attractive? How can I make it easy? How can I make it satisfying?"

1. Start small for lasting change
2. Create a positive mindset
3. Plan ahead for success
4. Celebrate progress over perfection
5. Automate your habits
6. Pair habits with triggers
7. Broaden your focus beyond one outcome
8. Build a support system
9. Track your progress
10. Reflect and adjust

When it comes to building healthy habits, starting small can be surprisingly powerful. You might feel motivated to make larger, sweeping changes at the beginning of a health kick, but they can often be hard to sustain for the long term.

Instead, we’d recommend focusing on manageable, incremental change that feels achievable within your daily routine. An example of this might be that you want to exercise more often. Start by committing to more activity in your daily life, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift or adding a 10-minute walk into your lunch break every day. Gradually work your way up and over time, these small actions can snowball into progress without feeling overwhelming.

Tip summary: Start by creating a habit that feels manageable, and use that momentum to build up to larger lifestyle changes.

A positive mindset can be a powerful tool in building habits that last. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do or haven’t achieved yet, shift your attention to progress. You might even try affirmations.

Affirmations are simple, self-empowering statements that can help you focus on what you’re achieving or want to achieve, rather than dwelling on what you haven’t done yet. For example, “I am making progress every day” or “I have the strength to build habits that support my health” can be an impactful way to reframe your mindset towards positivity and self-belief.

Tip summary: Create a positive mindset that focuses on successes and cultivates self-belief with meaningful affirmations.

Life can get in the way of even the best intentions. One of the most recommended tips for succeeding when it comes to your health is to pre-empt this. Set aside time to prepare and you’ll remove barriers, making it easier to stay consistent – even on busy days.

Start by thinking about potential challenges that could derail your progress, and plan solutions in advance. It might be limited time to make a nutritious meal, or forgetting to schedule workouts. Two tried-and-tested recommendations are to batch-cook the week’s meals ahead of time and lay out your workout clothes before you head to bed.

Tip summary: Anticipate the roadblocks that might get in your way and, wherever possible, put solutions in place to alleviate them.

Just as we’ve recommended that you start small and work your way up, acknowledge and feel proud of every step you take towards meeting your goals. Building healthy habits is much more about showing up consistently than striving for perfection. Focus on celebrating the small wins!

Perfectionism often leads to burnout or frustration when setbacks happen. Instead, embrace the idea that progress is a journey. Even a small step forward keeps you moving in the right direction, so find ways to reward yourself for your successes, whether that’s a healthy treat or an episode of your favourite show or podcast.

Tip summary: Celebrate the small wins over demanding perfection from yourself. Keep a journal or use a habit tracker to note your successes and see how far you’ve come.

One of the best ways to embrace tip number 3 (plan ahead for success) is to make your habits as simple and accessible as possible by automating them. This helps to remove the obstacle of forgetting something or running out of time.

Want to drink more water? Keep a reusable water bottle within arm’s reach throughout the day. Trying to get more protein in your diet? Subscribe to a monthly delivery of your favourite protein powder so your supply stays topped up without even having to think about it. (You can check out our own protein powder subscription service here.)

Tip summary: Identify your personal friction points – the things that make sticking to your goals hard – and brainstorm ways to simplify the process.

Linking a new habit to an existing one is a proven strategy to make it stick. Known as habit stacking, this method uses existing routines or environmental cues as “triggers” to prompt your new behaviour.

This works especially well for small, incremental goals. For example, if you’re working on improving your flexibility, try doing a quick stretch routine right after brushing your teeth. By connecting the new habit to something you already do regularly, it becomes easier to incorporate into your day. Over time, the repeated pairing creates a strong mental link, turning your new habit into second nature.

Tip summary: Choose simple, manageable habits to pair with existing habits and triggers for the best chance of success.

When building healthy habits, it’s tempting to zero in on a single goal, like the number on the scale. While it’s fine to track progress in specific areas, focusing solely on one health outcome can lead to frustration or neglect of other meaningful achievements.

Health is holistic, and it’s helpful to focus on the wider benefits of your efforts. For example, are you feeling stronger, sleeping better, or finding it easier to stay consistent? These are all signs that your habits are working, even if the scale doesn’t move as quickly as you’d like. This approach can also help you to enjoy the process rather than viewing it as a means to an end.

Tip summary: By broadening your focus beyond a single success metric, you’ll stay motivated and appreciate the full picture of your progress.

Achieving your health goals is easier with a strong support system that holds you accountable. Surrounding yourself with people who encourage and motivate you can make all the difference when building lasting habits.

This could mean sharing your goals with family or friends, joining a fitness class or online community, or working with a dietitian or coach. Having someone to cheer you on, hold you accountable, or share tips and challenges can keep you on track, especially during tough times. If you let those closest to you know your goals, they can support you and even join in.

Tip summary: A strong support system can provide not just practical advice but also the emotional boost needed to stay consistent.

Keep track of your progress when possible. It’s a powerful way to stay motivated and make sure your goals are still working for you, building momentum and encouraging consistency. Tracking also helps identify patterns or barriers that might be stopping you from succeeding.

Tracking doesn’t need to be complicated. It could be as simple as jotting down your daily steps, logging workouts, or noting when you’ve made healthier food choices. Apps, habit trackers, or even a journal can make this whole process seamless and enjoyable.

Tip summary: Note down your progress and keep celebrating those milestones to keep the momentum going and encourage consistency.

Building habits is an evolving process, and reflection is key to making them sustainable. Regularly reflect and assess your progress to understand what’s working and where you could make changes.

Here are some questions to help you do that:

• Are these habits helping me reach my goals?
• Do they align with my lifestyle and values?
• How can I refine my goals or habits based on the success I’ve made?

For example, if meal prepping on Sundays feels overwhelming, try simplifying your recipes or preparing just a few key ingredients. Flexibility is essential in making habits stick, especially as life circumstances change.

Tip summary: Regularly reflect on your progress, successes, and setbacks and use them as learning opportunities. This ensures your habits grow with you and remain in line with your long-term goals.

Building healthy habits doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right mindset, small but consistent actions, and practical tools, you can create routines that support your long-term health and wellness goals. Start by focusing on your “why,” setting realistic goals, and making incremental changes that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle.

Remember, progress is more important than perfection. By prioritising convenience, tracking your achievements, and staying adaptable, you’ll be well on your way to building habits that truly stick. It’s not about drastic overhauls but about sustainable steps that align with your values and goals.