Fitness Habits: How long does it really take to create them?

by Tom Venuto (from the “Burn the Fat” e-zine)

Experts have been saying for years that it takes 21 days to form a habit. However, for major physical, health and life-transforming habits, the latest research says it usually takes quite a bit longer than that.

It was a study from University College in London where psychologists discovered that, at least when it came to eating behaviors, it took anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a habit to maximum strength (they also found that habit strength peaked and hit a plateau at a certain point).

That's a huge range of time, and it does indicate that some habits could be formed in 21 days as the old wisdom suggested. The scientists said that how long it takes depends on the type of habit. Desired new habits that are more difficult, such as training at 6 am every morning in the gym, are likely to take longer. 

A most fascinating statistic was this one: On average, it takes 66 days to form a habit. As such, the old 21 days advice may not be totally wrong, but it should probably be re-phrased to something like this: 

"It takes a minimum of 21 days to form a habit, usually 3 times that long for major habits, and in some cases, even longer before a habit reaches full strength."

There were even more interesting findings in this study, which was written up in the European Journal of Social Psychology. One was that the repetitions of a behavior in the early phase can produce a larger increase in behavior automation.  This means that while you may not have established a habit to full strength yet after only 21 days, those early weeks are a very, very important part of the process. If you get through the early phase, you are more likely to get over the hump, so to speak.

The problem is, we all know how notoriously difficult it is to even get started on new fitness and health habits, as well as how hard it is to get momentum going, (let alone keep it going).

The good news is that, based on this research, if you miss a day, you do NOT get sent back to zero. What happens is you simply *DELAY* the automation of your habit.  If you are always inconsistent, yeah, it's going to take you a long time, but if you miss once or twice here and there, no biggie, you just get back on the track.

This means that you don't have to be perfect, but one of the habits you must form is the habit of getting back on track quickly any time you've gotten off track. (I can't even emphasize how important this is!)
 
Even if it takes two months or more for a habit to reach full strength, if you were steady and consistent for even just the first several weeks, then new healthy daily habits will take root, at least some degree.