6 secrets of people who actually stick with new habits

If habit change were just about motivation, it would be easy to stick with a healthy new eating plan or workout routine for good. But science shows that lasting habits are built through a formula of cues, rewards, and repetition — not sheer willpower. 

“We form habits by repeating an activity under familiar circumstances and associating some reward with completion of the activity,” says Katy Milkman, Ph.D., professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of How to Change. “The more often you repeat it, the more likely it is for the behavior to become automatic.” In other words, building habits works a lot like building expertise: It takes practice over time.

And keep in mind that slip-ups are an expected part of that process. “When you fall off track, recognize it as a normal part of habit formation, allow yourself to feel whatever feelings come up about it, and recommit to your goal,” says Lindsey Parnarouskis, Ph.D., manager of clinical research and behavioral science at Weight Watchers. “It’s not about doing it perfectly but coming back each time you stray from the path.” 

To that end, there are some mental tricks you can use to make that return easier — and make new habits more likely to stick in the first place. Ahead, you’ll find six science-backed strategies, plus insights from Hannah Young, a Weight Watchers coach, on how to put them into practice in real life, which is where habits are actually made.

Rewards are the perfect way to help a new behavior become a habit. The problem is, many healthy activities take a long time to pay out their reward — and your mind may struggle to make the connection between the two. So make it more obvious: Work in little rewards more regularly. 

One easy way to do that is to save your favorite low-brow reality TV show for your treadmill time or a hilarious podcast for your morning walks. “We are much more likely to persist at behaviors if we find them instantly gratifying,” says Milkman. “And linking a temptation with the desired behavior changes the experience so it’s just that.” 

How a WW coach uses it 

“I can remember struggling to get in exercise after work because all I wanted to do was sit on the sofa in silence and watch my shows,” says Young. “The thing was, after sitting at a desk all day, I needed to move! I compromised and bought an indoor walking pad for part of my workout. Once I finished my 30-minute strength session, I used my walking pad to complete my steps while watching my shows. Even committing to 10 minutes on the pad at first helped me actually walk longer. Now? It's become a habit and a purchase that has paid me back tenfold. I recommend this to members all the time.”

Unhealthy habits also provide rewards — ice cream tastes good, sitting on the couch feels relaxing — so think about other ways to get the same reward. “We engage in behaviors because they bring us some benefit, even if it’s short-lived,” says Parnarouskis. “It can be helpful to take a moment to reflect on the function of the habit you’re trying to change. What does it do for you?” For example, maybe breaking out the ice cream after getting the kids to bed signals the comfort of going off-duty at the end of a long day. You can then make a plan to fulfill that same need in a way that aligns with your health goals. Use an if/then statement called an implementation intention. For example, “If I feel the urge for sweets after bedtime, then I’ll change into dryer-warmed pajamas and read my romantasy novel instead.” 

How a WW coach uses it 

“I run several meetings with another coach who is a chef, and she told the group that when she gets a specific takeout craving — like Mexican food or a burger and fries — she takes a minute, looks up recipes, and literally gets the groceries to make it herself right then and there,” says Young. Searching for your favorite dish on the WW app is the perfect way to do this — same reward, healthier behavior (and fewer Points). “It helps her to not only work on those impulsive food decisions that can become habit, but also it has shown her that she can make anything in a way that serves her in her health and weight-loss journey. She and I love this tactic and share what we craved and what we made to satisfy it during the week. It always inspires members to do the same!” 

Consider roping a friend or neighbor into the new habit you’re aiming to make stick. “In our research, we found that rewarding people for exercising in tandem with a friend led to more exercise than rewarding people for just exercising,” says Milkman. “This seems to be driven by the added accountability and enjoyment produced by pursuing goals together with a friend — you enjoy their company, and you don’t want to let them down.” While enlisting a workout partner is the most obvious way to do this, you could also ask your spouse to join you in “closing the kitchen” after 8 p.m., or invite a pal for weekly healthy meal-prep sessions.

How a WW coach uses it 

“We have a member who was struggling to get in exercise after dropping the habit over time,” says Young. “Haven't we all been there? I encouraged her to ask a friend to do something as simple as go for morning walks with her. She was unsure if she even knew someone that would want to commit to this. Part of the mental roadblock is that you’re actually asking someone to be an accountability partner as well — because when you tell a friend you will be there at X time, you have to show up! She texted her neighbor, and to her surprise, her neighbor said she’d been trying to exercise on her own but just couldn't stick with it. They both committed to one week, three walks. Not only have they kept up the habit, but they’ve become great friends and walking partners. Bonus: Starting her day with social exercise helped her stick to her other healthy habits as well.”

What’s something that you do automatically every single day, a non-negotiable, something that doesn’t take any mental effort? Maybe it’s making coffee in the morning, or brushing your teeth, or feeding your cat. Now, what new healthy activity could you add to that daily routine? This is a concept called “habit stacking.” “It’s the practice of combining a new habit with an already well-established habit,” explains Parnarouskis. “For example, ‘After I make my coffee, I will go for a walk around the block.’” Or, “After I brush my teeth, I’ll fill my water bottle for the morning and drink a third of it.” Pair the two behaviors together a few times and soon enough they’ll both be happening on auto-pilot. 

How a WW coach uses it

“As a woman with insulin resistant PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), I knew after having my last baby at 45 that I needed to work on blood sugar stabilization for my long-term health,” says Young. “I also knew that I typically eat three meals a day and could definitely carve out time for a 10-minute walk after each of those meals. I started doing this several years ago, and it has been life-changing. Not only do I get the benefits of sneaking in 30 minutes of extra steps every day, but my blood sugar is beautifully stable, as my body is able to use post-meal glucose during the walk. Once I learned the many benefits (no more food comas or crashes and feeling more balanced in my body and mind), I knew it would be a habit I would keep.” 

If the habit you’re trying to stick with feels like forcing square pegs into round holes, you might eventually succeed, but it’s going to be a slog. You have our permission to change your habit at any point! Unenthused about the elliptical machine? Try a dance workout. Secretly hate leafy greens? Switch to smoothies instead of subjecting yourself to salads. “Consider pursuing your goals in a different way that you like more, even if it means you may take a little longer to reach them,” says Milkman. “ Research shows that being nudged to choose a different, more fun way to pursue your goals can improve persistence.”

How a WW coach uses it

“In my 30s, I was all about high-intensity classes, boot camps, sprinting. As I entered my 40s, not only did my body stop responding to this kind of exercise, I had trouble enjoying it. The way I did things before just didn't serve me in my lifestyle now,” says Young. “I went on a quest to find enjoyment again — I tried Pilates, water aerobics, online classes. One day I was scrolling and saw a used rebounder for sale. (Remember those mini trampolines from the 80s? Think: better and cooler!) I bought it and set it up outside. There were tons of video tutorials and social media accounts about this type of exercise — I never knew it was so popular! I started slow, and now I can ‘rebound’ at any time of day, pump the music, take a rebounding class…and it is so much fun. It’s even given me the confidence to try other classes I would have never tried before.” 

Every habit has three parts: the cue, the behavior, and the reward. When you’re training your brain to take up a new behavior, you can manipulate not just the rewards but also the cues — A.K.A. the triggers, or reminders. “Increase cues in your environment related to your new habits, for example, by keeping your running shoes where you can see them, displaying fruit in a bowl on your kitchen counter, or keeping your water bottle on your desk,” suggests Parnarouskis. “ Research also shows that it can be helpful to reduce the number of cues in your environment associated with a habit you want to stop, known as ‘stimulus control.’” If you’re trying to quit mindlessly eating salty snacks in front of the TV, choose not to keep those foods in the house or, if you have more than one TV, watch in the room furthest from the kitchen. “Anything you can do to change the context can make it easier to resist the old habit,” says Parnarouskis.  

How a WW coach uses it

“We have virtual experiences called ‘Weekly Connections’ where members can share their wins and challenges and gain support from each other. I run a 9:30 pm one called ‘The Real Room’, and I’ve heard time and time again that having these late-night meetings in place helps the many members who struggle with late-night eating,” says Young. “It fills their emotional cup, giving them a chance to share part of their journey — but it also keeps them out of the pantry after dinner and fills their brain with positive reinforcement right before bed. Adding this meeting specifically on their calendar has helped them maintain better eating habits.” 

Lasting habits aren’t built by willpower alone. Designing your environment, routines, and rewards to support your goals makes it easier to keep coming back — even after a lapse. For instance, work in mini rewards to keep you motivated, come up with healthier habits that get you the same reward, and link new behaviors with ones you already do every day. Over time, these strategies add up to having habits that truly stick.