If you’re one of the many people making positive life changes in January, you’re probably full of good intentions. When we start something new, novelty and curiosity sweep us along. This time, we tell ourselves, it’s going to be different. We’re committed. We won’t give up.
But over time, it’s common for enthusiasm to wane and stickability to fade. It doesn’t help that some of the most common resolutions, such as exercising more, losing weight, and eating healthily, are the most difficult to keep, especially given our natural urge to indulge in comfort food and hibernate at this time of year. Perhaps that’s why more than 95 per cent of resolutions fail within six weeks.
So what’s the secret to making lasting positive changes? The key is to start with small, realistic goals. Quick wins are motivating and add up over time, not to mention the knock-on benefits. So instead of overhauling your diet in January, why not just resolve to drink more water, for example? Set yourself up for success by creating a habit loop.
In his book, ‘The Power of Habit’, Charles Duhigg describes a habit loop as a combination of cue, routine, reward, and craving. He believes we need three things to establish a new routine:
A cue (something that triggers action).
- A reward (the benefit of the action).
- A craving (the urge felt when the brain associates the cue with a reward).
When it comes to drinking more water, your habit loop might look like this: pick a cue, such as hitting send on an email and reward, such as feeling refreshed. Then, take a moment to allow yourself to anticipate how good that refreshment would feel. This anticipation creates a craving.
Practise this exercise often and before long; every time the phone rings, you’ll feel an urge for refreshment, making it easier to remember to drink more.
This is when knock on benefits kick in. Before long, you’ll probably find that drinking more water helps with other resolutions, such as eating healthily. Sometimes our bodies can mistake feelings of thirst for hunger, so if you’re looking to cut down on portion sizes, drinking water before eating is a great way to take the edge off your appetite.
What about exercise? It’s no surprise not drinking enough water makes you feel sluggish. Dehydration leads to fatigue because it impacts the flow of oxygen to the brain and requires the heart to work harder to pump oxygen to vital organs. So don’t be surprised if your new water habit gives you a boost of energy too, making exercise easier.
Another way to up your hydration levels is to invest in a new BIBO. Whether it’s a hot cup of tea to get you going in the morning or a chilled glass of cold water after a run, BIBO delivers great-tasting filtered water at the temperature you want in seconds. Like your cuppa piping hot? BIBO dispenses water up to a scorching 98˚C. Feeling hot after your workout? Treat yourself to a super chilled glass of H20 at a temperature as low as 4˚C.
BIBO also makes drinks taste better. So say goodbye to flat, tasteless, metallic, or even chemical tasting tap water. With multi-stage filtration, including a silver impregnated carbon block and sophisticated UV filtration, the BIBO removes chlorine, microplastics, herbicides, insecticides, micro-organisms, and bacteria, so every glass tastes delicious.
Contact our lovely team today if you want to know more about how BIBO can help you tick off your resolutions. Or shop now, here
