Monday Morning Boost #013

October 21, 2024 · Shawn Sprague, PT, DPT, OCS · 1 min read

Mindset & habits

In this issue
  • How to make a new habit
  • Why your body takes longer to bounce back as you age
  • Why exercises should be practiced consistently

News You Can Use

In Charles Duhigg's book, The Power of Habit, he talks about "habit loops". There are 3 things that make up a habit loop:

1) Cue

2) Routine

3) Reward

For example, when you watch TV at night and feel hunger (cue), you walk to the kitchen and grab a bag of M&M's (routine) and feel a sense of fullness and pleasure after you eat them (reward).

According to Duhigg, in order to change a habit, the cue and the reward stay the same, but the routine must change.

In the above example, instead of grabbing a bag of M&M's, you could try having a few sips of water or even eating a more nutritious snack.

The key part is that you become aware of the cue and the automatic behavior it causes. Once you've realized that, replace the behavior with a new routine that provides a similar reward.

Remember this the next time you're trying to create a new habit!


Article We Like

Feel like you don't recover as quickly from physical activity as you used to? Well, it's probably due to a number of factors, and this article from the Wall Street Journal discusses them:

The Science of Why Your Body Takes Longer to Bounce Back After 40

Note: Subscription required to access article.


Quote We Like

"Exercises are not a pill that you take, but a skill that you make."

-Dr. Zac Cupples


Learn More From Us!

  • Have questions? We're happy to help! Shoot us an email at ptprogressionma@gmail.com
  • Rather call? We're happy to chat over the phone at (508) 650-1984
This is an archived newsletter issue, published as originally sent. Information here is general and isn't medical advice for your particular situation. If something hurts, come and talk to us. Book a free fit call.