21/11/2025
ADHD-Friendly Tips for Healthy Eating & Exercise
Sticking to healthy routines with ADHD isn’t about “trying harder” it’s about building habits that actually work for your brain.
Here are some simple, real-life tips that make a BIG difference:
1️⃣ Make it stupid-easy
Lay out gym clothes the night before. Keep healthy snacks where you can see them. Hide the junk. Tiny changes = huge impact.
2️⃣ Try body-doubling
Work out with a friend, join a class, or follow along with a YouTube video. ADHD brains thrive with company and structure.
3️⃣ Short + fun workouts win
10–20 mins is enough. Walks, dancing, cycling, boxing anything that gets your heart rate up.
4️⃣ Pair habits with dopamine
Save your favourite playlist or podcast for when you’re walking or meal prepping. Turn routines into rewards.
5️⃣ Go for “prep-light,” not Pinterest meal prep
Buy pre-cut or frozen veg, cook extra portions, or prep one thing at a time. Make healthy eating easier, not harder.
6️⃣ Use visual cues
Reminders on the fridge, mirrors, cupboard doors ADHD brains remember what they can see.
7️⃣ Flexible time-blocking
Instead of “Gym at 7am,” try “Movement between 7–10am.” More freedom = less resistance.
8️⃣ No all-or-nothing thinking
Missed a workout? Ate something you didn’t plan? Reset at the next meal or the next hour. No guilt needed.
9️⃣ Celebrate every win
Tick it off, track it, tell a friend. ADHD brains love rewards and recognition.
🔟 Reach out for help if you need it
PTs, ADHD coaches, local mental health support groups. Some GPs and NHS services offer live active scheme for gym memberships at reduced costs for unemplyed
📱 Top Apps for Building Healthy Routine + Structure
1. Brili
Specifically made for ADHD visual schedules, step-by-step prompts, and routines you can clearly see.
Great for breaking big habits into small, manageable steps.
2. Routinery
Built for routines: you can make morning/evening or any daily routines and assign tasks.
Uses timers + reminders, which helps with time-blindness.
3. Habitica
Gamified habit tracker turns your daily habits & tasks into a role-playing game.
Super motivating if you like earning “rewards” for doing real-life things.
4. MyFitnessPal
Excellent for tracking food and exercise. Huge food database + barcode scanner.
Lets you monitor calorie intake, nutrients, workouts — very flexible for different goals.
5. Lifesum
Habit-based app for health: water, meals, exercise. Very usable for building daily wellness habits.
Provides a “life score” and encourages small habits rather than drastic changes.
6. Finch
Self-care + habit tracker: you care for a virtual bird (“birb”) by completing wellness tasks (e.g., eat, move, rest).
Its playful design works well to gently nudge you into healthy routines, without harsh punishments.
7. Fabulous
Science-based habit builder with a behaviour-change approach.
Helps you build morning routines, healthy eating rituals, and more through small, sustainable steps.
8. HeiaHeia
A wellbeing + activity logging app: log physical activity (600+ types), set goals, cheer on your friends.
Good social component + very flexible — not just about exercise but “well-being activity.”
✅ Tips for Using These as ADHD-Friendly Tools
Pick 1–2 apps, not 5 too many trackers = overwhelm.
Use gamified apps (like Habitica or Finch) for motivation.
Use routine builders (Brili, Routinery) to anchor your day especially for non-exercise habits (meal times, planning).
Use tracking apps (MyFitnessPal, Lifesum) to monitor what you are doing — it gives feedback.
Set very small goals at first: e.g. “log 1 meal a day” or “do 5 min walk” → build from there.
Combine with body-doubling: when you’re using these apps, run a co-working or co-prepping session so you do healthy habits with someone else (virtually).
