It’s said that our lives are direct reflections of our daily habits. Habits are defined as “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.” These habits become our routines, and those routines — made up of things we think, say, and do — can define our success in all areas of life. We’re generally aware of the habits defined as “bad” for us, but there are other habits that dance on that fine line of what is considered to be good or bad, especially when it comes to our health.

Is drinking coffee really bad for us? Must we get seven hours of sleep per night? If you’re trying to live your healthiest life while adopting good habits and dropping bad habits, then maybe your healthy habits could use a little updating. CafeMom asked health professionals, medical experts, and fitness and nutrition bloggers for their best suggestions for little actions we can introduce into our lives to form the most beneficial long-term habits. Read below for 30 habits truly healthy people have dropped.

Neglecting Your Emotional Health

Jason Lee, a relationship science and data analyst with Healthy Framework, recommends that we not neglect our emotional health.

“Remember that healthy habits aren’t just about what you eat or drink; they’re also about how you treat yourself emotionally,” he says. “As everyone’s lives were shaken up over the past year, one of the biggest things to fall was emotional boundaries. Make sure that just because other areas of your life changed you didn’t sacrifice the limitations and relationship boundaries you put in place to protect your emotional health.”

Sleeping on an Old Mattress

Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, a New York City area spinal and orthopedic surgeon, reminds us that we need to take care of our bodies as we’re now living at home in a different way.

“Old mattresses, from years of use, tend to lose their shape and start to form dips or curves when weight is applied,” Okubadejo explains. “Sleeping with your spine curved instead of aligned properly can lead to chronic back pain or constant stiffness. If you feel your mattress is starting to lose its structure, it may be time to look for a new one.”

Sitting on Ergonomically Incorrect Office/Work Chairs

“Ergonomically correct office chairs are designed to help people improve their posture as well as support a more comfortable spinal position,” offers Okubadejo. “When sitting at a desk for long periods of time, an ergonomic chair ensures that people’s shoulders are properly aligned with their lower spine and lessens strain on the body. Long-term effects include less back pain and improved overall comfort level.”

Wearing Stilettos

“Wearing stilettos causes people’s center of balance to shift forward, and their spine must curve in an unnatural way in order to stay upright,” Okubadejo tells CafeMom. “This causes extra tension on the lower spine as well as the vertebrae. When the spinal muscles are overused and tense, it is likely a person may suffer from chronic back pain in the future.”

Overly Strenuous Workouts

“One of the most beneficial things my most successful healthy clients have stopped doing is long, overly strenuous workouts,” reveals Tafiq Akhir, a 40+ health and fitness specialist.

“After switching all of my coachings online, I also shortened my clients’ workout time to 30 minutes instead of one hour. Not only are my clients getting better results, they also have [reduced] joint pain and excessive soreness. They have also found it easier to be more consistent with their workouts.”

Drinking ‘Regular’ Coffee

Although very few people are giving up their coffee, many are upgrading and supercharging their healthy routines with functional coffee beverages that do more.

Clinical pharmacist Xiao Zhang created Amasu Coffee to empower everyone to boost their coffee routine with healthy ingredients. Her Immunity line of coffees combines organic premium specialty coffee with botanical, herbal ingredients to deliver a supercharged cup of Joe. It provides steady energy while offering immune protective benefits.

Ignoring Gut Health

Making sure our gut is in good health is vital for not just our physical but mental health as well. “Studies have shown that the gut works as a second brain by sending signals directly from the microbiome,” says Alicia Harper, a New York City-based nutritionist. “The best way to nurture your gut is by eating probiotic-rich fermented foods like kimchi and avoiding processed foods that can trigger inflammation in the gut.”

Harper adds that studies have shown that eating probiotic-rich foods can help with weight loss, mental health, and irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms. “During this lockdown,” she says, “many people have neglected their gut and the people are paying now with the side effects. If you want to form a new habit, then make sure it’s taking care of your gut.”

Getting on the Scale Every Day

“Your body weight fluctuates around five pounds every day depending on how much water you drank the day before and that day,” shares exercise physiologist Kelly Barrett of Legacy Health & Fitness, “how much salt was in your recent meals and snacks, and what your hormones are doing, just to list a few reasons. You also might see the number on the scale stop moving if you are becoming more active and gaining muscle.”

Instead of weighing yourself daily or even weekly, Kelly suggests using a tape measure to get regular measurements. Better yet, she suggests “tracking your emotions or energy level every morning and evening” to keep note of how you’re feeling.

Scrolling Social Media While You Eat

“One thing I stopped doing this year that has improved my health, is I stopped scrolling Instagram while I ate,” says Amy Roskelly, a certified personal trainer and blogger at Health Beet.

“I didn’t realize how this impacted how much food I was eating mindlessly, until I stopped getting distracted during meal time. Eliminating distractions, especially from social media that leads to eating more food, without even noticing it.”

Drinking Too Much Coffee

Although Nick Habre of Your Coffee and Tea is not eliminating his coffee drinking, he tells CafeMom: “I have reduced my coffee intake by half, from four cups a day to two cups a day. At first, the lack of caffeine made it hard to stay alert and energized throughout the day. Then I did some research into substituting tea for my midday coffee, and I found that there are a few teas that have enough caffeine to keep you going. Plus, tea comes with several health benefits, not to mention the extra water intake from drinking them!”

A cup of coffee has 95 mg of caffeine, and here are some teas with lower, but comparable, caffeine levels:

  • Yerba Mate tea: 85 mg of caffeine per cup
  • Matcha green tea: 75 mg per cup
  • Pu’er (Pu-erh) tea: 60 to 70 mg per cup

Sugar Consumption

Esther Garfin, president of Alternative Food Network, says cutting back on her sugar intake has made a great difference in her life.

“Here’s my tip: Lowering refined sugar intake to help with skin inflammation and eczema. I did this by switching from a daily fix of milk chocolate to a small amount of good quality dark chocolate.”

Eating Without Mindfulness

Bracha Goetz, the wellness expert, says practicing gratitude is a habit that works for her when distracted or bored and tempted to reach for a snack. “Whenever you become aware that you are overeating, think of what else you could do to enjoy the moment,” suggests the Harvard-educated author of over 39 books.

“Open a window to feel the soft breeze,” she shares. “Stand up and stretch luxuriously. Leave a message for someone you appreciate. Notice how suddenly the big bag of potato chips isn’t calling your name so loudly. We can overcome overeating most effectively by bringing more pleasure into our lives. It is a joy to practice filling up through gratitude.”

Avoiding Walking

“A habit I recently dropped this past year was driving to the gym,” fitness blogger Maxwell Kamlongera of MXFitness tells us, “and now I walk to it instead. My gym is a mile away and my walk is roughly 15 to 20 minutes long.”

He says he uses the walk as a means to get his blood warmed up so when he arrives at the gym, he can start his workout immediately.

“Secondly, the same way I use the walk as a warm-up, I use it as a cool down when leaving the gym, once again killing two birds with one stone,” he says. “And lastly, I know some form of cardio is important for heart health, but I’m not a big fan of it, so by walking I can get a decent cardio session while my time in the gym is spent on strength and conditioning.”

Excessive Meal Prepping

“I stopped meal-prepping my meals for the week ahead,” says Shabbir Noor, a fitness instructor who runs Recycle Studio, a place for health, fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports content.

“It took the joy out of cooking and being spontaneous with options for a healthy meal. I now enjoy surprising myself, whipping up a delicious meal with the ingredients in the fridge and pantry.”

Eating After Dinner and Consuming Any Caffeine

Joni Gonzales, the founder of Life Unflaked, says there were two key habits she dropped that have made her feel better.

“I stopped drinking caffeinated beverages in August,” she tells CafeMom. “What I thought was low blood sugar – shakiness, vision problems, not being able to concentrate at certain times of the day – was actually a reaction to caffeine.”

Almost a year ago, before giving up caffeine, Joni gave up eating after dinner.

“As a nighttime eater and sugar addict, eating anything after dinner triggered overeating episodes. I’ve lost quite a bit of weight due to this one rule. I started doing this a few weeks before lockdown and am so glad I had the habit in place before all of the craziness hit.”

Micromanaging Every Meal

“I’ve given up the expectation that I need to do a whole day of meal prepping dishes for the week ahead,” shares Monica Nedeff, a registered dietician nutritionist and food blogger at her site, The Traveling Dietitian.

“I now just dedicate one afternoon to meal prepping a few items like quinoa, chicken, roasted vegetables to have in a variety of ways throughout the week like salads, bowls or wraps. Having just a few items prepared also allows for fun and creativity in my week’s meals and not redundancy, which I love!”

Adding Anything to Coffee

“Here’s a big one: Learn to drink your coffee black,” exclaims Graham Cooke, founder of Cafe Last.

“Yes, everyone loves the taste of sugar and cream. However, coffee is amazing for you in natural form. Once you start adding to it, you start increasing the caloric intake and it becomes unhealthy. Here is a quick tip: If you are currently drinking your coffee with cream and sugar, don’t try to switch to black immediately. Instead, slowly decrease it each day, until you find yourself enjoying the taste of it black.”

Staying In Pajamas All Day

“This topic hits home,” confesses Liv Campbell of Treat Dreams. “With most of my days working from home, I found myself slipping on my self-care. I began wearing pj’s most days and that led to a poor diet and less physical activity.”

Liv tells CafeMom that she dropped that habit a few months ago. “I committed to dressing as if I were working in the office and my other positive behaviors soon followed. It’s led to losing those few pounds I gained as well as a renewed sense of personal energy every day.”

Using The Cellphone In Bed

“One habit I’ve gotten rid of this year is using my cell phone in bed before sleeping,” shares Adam Kemp, professional basketball player, certified personal trainer, and health and fitness writer.

“With all the stress of the previous year, I’ve been looking for ways to simply feel better each day. One of those ways has been stopping to bring my phone with me into bed before sleeping. Looking at the light of the cell phone can disrupt your sleep, and keeping it away before sleeping has been a very positive choice for me!

Comparing Yourself to Others

“While it may be a hard habit to break, comparison only leads to misery, loss of motivation, and self-doubt,” says Charlotte MG of Naked Nutrition. “When you don’t compare yourself to others, it’s easier to focus on your goals for yourself and not to meet the standards of others.”

She reminds us that everyone is on their own journey — and each of us are at different stages with our progress. “Truthfully, there is no timeline you need to follow and there are no checkpoints you need to meet. Your journey is your own and you’re allowed to take your time — so try to remember not to judge yourself on your progress.”

Neglecting Mental Health

Charlotte MG of Naked Nutrition has another habit that truly healthy people dropped.

“Your mental and physical health go hand in hand — and they’re just as important as each other. Instead of solely focusing on your physical health, make the opportunity to care for your mental well-being. Log off social media, write out morning affirmations, and practice being mindful,” she says.

“A lot of us are guilty of ignoring the need for self-care. When you feel rushed off your feet, unmotivated, or unhappy within yourself, make time to find the form of self-care that works for you. Reconnect with your body, thank it, and acknowledge that you’re on a journey together.”

Waking Up Before the Kids

Mom Shade runs the website Her Ducks in a Row, where she focuses on helping women and moms simplify their lives by decluttering, organizing, and managing their time and routines. She shared with CafeMom and eye-opening habit that she’s dropped this year.

“Almost every expert in the mom space, and in general, will say you have to wake up before your kids in order to increase productivity, but I have found that to be completely contradictory to actual mental health over the past year. Sleep is essential to mental health and giving that up to get more laundry done is a terrible idea,” she says.

“I have found a way to incorporate my kids into my daily tasks instead of forcing myself to give up precious sleep in order to get these tasks done in solitude.”

Consuming Processed Foods

Tammy Seed, owner/blogger at Couple of Seeds says “consider ditching processed foods this year to improve your overall health.”

The holistic nutritional clinical practitioner reminds us that processed foods are filled with artificial flavor, fillers, and food coloring. “When you eliminate processed foods, you will naturally find yourself eating more fruits, vegetables, and nuts; improving your overall health. Truly healthy people avoid processed foods!”

Making Assumptions

“Instead of stewing over an unreturned text, an unexpected response, or a cold shoulder, keep an open mind,” recommends Jessica Speer, an author, social scientist, and mom who focuses on helping families thrive. “When we jump to conclusions and make assumptions, we are navigating from incomplete information. And we are often wrong.”

Counting Calories

“I stopped counting calories years ago and started focusing on eating whole foods instead,” shares Instapot nutritionist Heather Hanks. “As a result, I have been much happier and I recommend that others do it as well! There is nothing wrong with counting calories if that works for you, but most people find this a very restrictive way to lose weight. It’s also not sustainable for most busy people. Instead, focus on making sure all of your meals come from whole food ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables.”

So what’s an alternative to calorie counting? Heather suggests enjoying lean meats as more of a side dish instead of the main dish and “be sure to get lots of fiber in. This will help keep you full naturally and stabilize blood sugar levels. You can also focus on decreasing your intake of refined sugar and carbs instead of counting calories. This is another good way to manage weight.”

Drinking Alcohol During the Week

“The recommendation for alcohol consumption is only one drink a day, but the less we drink the better,” says registered dietician Amy Davis of The Balanced Dietician. “Leaving drinks for the weekends or just a couple of days a week helps you avoid empty calories, stay hydrated, improve sleep, and wake up feeling good.”

Skipping Breakfast

Registered dietician Amy Davis of The Balanced Dietician also advises that truly healthy people continue to eat breakfast. “Breakfast not only fuels and energizes you for the day, but also helps avoid overeating later in the day. A well-balanced breakfast truly does set your day up for success!”

Spending Time With Energy Drainers

“The habit I’ve dropped this past year is spending time with people who drain your energy,” says Brian Wind, a clinical psychologist, and chief clinical officer at Journey Pure.

“One small benefit about following shelter-in-place orders is being to maintain distance from people who you may not realize are spreading negativity. Often you may already be experiencing negative self-talk, and not spending time with these people can feel very freeing as it allows you to maintain a positive mindset.”

Comparing Fitness Habits

“Stop comparing your fitness habits to others on social media or even worse, exercise reporting apps,” Garret Seacat, head coach of Absolute Endurance says.

“This doesn’t mean you have to stop supporting them, but don’t let them get you down about your lack of time to exercise when you may not be at that point in your life. Do what you have time for and don’t compare yourself to others.”

Paying Yourself Last

“Moms are often guilty of serving everyone else’s needs in the family and putting their own needs on the back burner,” says Kirstin Smith of Six Smiths Fitness and Consulting, a certified nutritionist and trainer who specializes in working with busy moms.

“I encourage my clients to find a way to ‘pay themselves first’ with their time.” Kirstin says this idea comes from a wealth principle in George S. Clason’s 1926 book, The Richest Man in Babylon.

“When you pay your debts first, you often don’t have enough money leftover for yourself. Whereas, if you pay yourself first, you’ll find a way to pay your debtors. Moms are used to devoting time and energy to their husbands, children, and careers, but we often need practice to learn to devote time and energy to ourselves.”