You want to stop snacking after dinner. Or maybe you want to start heading to the gym four times a week instead of two, or reduce the time you spend scrolling on social media.

All of these are awesome goals that will bring you towards a healthier and happier you, but it’s easier said than done! As fitness coaches we’ve supported hundreds of people in their health journey – so here’s our tips for making a new habit (or breaking an old one)…

We live in an age of convenience and it’s killing us. Make unhealthy choices less convenient – keep treat foods out of the house (or at least out of sight), and delete your food ordering app. Take the next step by making healthy choices the obvious ones – meal prep some tasty and healthy lunches, leave fresh fruit out for everyone to see (and chop it up!), lay out your workout clothes ready for your next session or upgrade to a sit/stand desk at work.

If you’re going to succeed with making changes, the important people in your life need to be on board. This may include your family, friends or colleagues. Once you’ve told them what you’re doing and why, give them permission to give you a nudge or reminder (and allow them to action it when/if the occasion arises!) Accept from the outset that you may not execute things perfectly Slip ups happen, it’s part of the journey. Accept what happened, have a think about what lead up to it, take steps to prevent it from happening again and move on.

If you’ve eaten takeaway for lunch every day for the past ten years, suddenly stopping cold turkey and bringing your lunch into work every day is going to be a very big ask. It’s a great goal, but to avoid feelings of overwhelm remember you can move the goalposts. In this case, a good first step may be bringing your lunch 2 times a week. Don’t forget it’s a long term game – you have to play things in a sustainable way.