Years back, realizing the importance of morning walks I ‘geared up’ to begin in full earnest. I indulged in this simple exercise primarily to beat the weighing scale, but gradually learned to savour the blissful ‘me time’ and the day-long energy it provided. Back then, it was mostly men that too the athletic kinds who went walking or jogging in the mornings. Women were conspicuously absent making me look like an odd entity.

In contrast, today it’s nice to find parks teaming with both men and women of all ages. There seems to be an enhanced emphasis on fitness. Many have started putting on their walking shoes for their routine morning or evening walks, gyms and fitness centres, yoga centres and health spas have sprung up in most urban places. Newspapers, magazines, Television, and the web world dedicate special spaces to tips on healthy life style. Promoting good health through short term courses, adventure sports, books, CDs etc. has become a booming industry. All these initiatives aimed at improving health behaviours or healthy habits as called in common parlance, is known to help people improve their health status and fitness.  

But, has all these awareness and sales pitch made people healthier? Evidently there is no data to substantiate that. However, common observation has shown that people are certainly more aware now and are interested in practicing health behaviour to remain healthy and fit. Many enroll in several of the fitness trainings, follow diet regimens, join yoga classes and try to change their work patterns. But their biggest challenge ever is to sustain their interest and practice health behaviour regularly.

Since health behaviour is a habit, learning it early in life and diligent practice helps in establishing it. It is needless to say that besides providing tips for health and fitness, it is important to understand the motivational levels, belief systems, attitudes and personalities of each individual before chalking out a fitness plan. What works for one may not work for another person. Therefore, Fitness instructors, nutritionists and physicians need to work in consultation with health psychologists to ensure a long time adherence to health behaviour and resultant wellbeing. Health psychologist play an important in role in designing strategies of goal setting, modeling, need enhancement and outcome measurement, all of which help in developing an individualized health and fitness model.

How can one continue to follow healthy habit?