Psychologist - Spoonful of Reason

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

What can be done based on the latest research data?

- Link your habits together in chains—perform the action you want to turn into a habit after an existing habit, e.g., "after pouring my morning coffee, I will pour myself a large glass of water."

- Put more effort into the first half of the day – research shows that morning habits are almost twice as successful as evening habits, most likely because the psychological resources needed in the evening have already been used up.

- Try to find a solution that makes you happy, because inner satisfaction is the most excellent motivator and ensures the longest-lasting habits. For example, if you are developing the habit of eating healthily, look for healthy foods that you like, rather than forcing yourself to eat healthy foods that you don't like. I want to repeat this: healthy food must be tasty; otherwise, unhealthy tasty food is guaranteed to win.

- Use digital tools—apps and reminders — that make food preparation and cooking easier; review and edit your digital content channels so you don't see incentives to eat heavily processed foods.

- Monitor progress, not results – monitor how often you repeat the desired action. By monitoring progress rather than results, the desired behaviour lasts more than a third longer.



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08/01/2026

The latest recommendations focus more on eliminating environmental factors that interfere with the chosen plan (the "friction framework") than on strengthening motivation. It is considered a more effective strategy. Even small changes in the kitchen or personal digital environment yield significantly better results than educational interventions. For example, if you have pre-washed vegetables, you are almost twice as likely to make a salad with them.


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07/01/2026

The research results also include ideas of "precision nutrition"—any "healthy habit" may be psychologically or biologically unsuitable for a particular person, depending on their microbiome, metabolism, and psychological stress factors. This approach has been made possible by the ability to process large amounts of data quickly. It is now clear that the specific composition of a person's microbiome affects their behaviour; specific gene variations associated with obesity and fat metabolism can determine whether, for example, a keto diet is beneficial or harmful to a person. In addition, people react differently to the same amount of carbohydrates; for one person, eating a banana may cause a fairly steady response, while for another, it may cause a sudden spike and crash. Studies show that a personalised diet leads to long-term healthy eating habits.


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06/01/2026

Scientists distinguish between the habit of "instigation" (a spontaneous decision to start an action, such as making a salad) and the habit of "acting" (actually making the salad). Depending on what we repeat, we can form a habit of instigation or the habit of action - or both. The first automatism—the thought that it would be good to do something—is more critical for long-term health-related goals and results. If such a thought does not arise automatically (and automatic thoughts come with no effort), the action may not happen at all. For the second part—the action itself—it is essential to prepare an action plan that ensures the desired result with an acceptable level of effort. Such preparation and planning should preferably be done in advance, rather than after the automatic thought has come. For the habit to last, the action must be performed mindfully; we should not aim to automate it. Therefore, the task you set yourself should be related to the thought you want to automate—e.g., "When I get home from work, I will immediately put the cutting board on the table." This automatic thought should evoke positive emotions—if you get used to feeling guilty, the thought of doing something will most likely not lead to action. A good example of positive reinforcement is cooking while listening to your favourite podcast or music; over time, you will associate this pleasant activity with cooking, and cooking will become enjoyable.



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05/01/2026

In the field of healthy eating, research has shifted its focus from identifying "healthy foods" to studies aimed at better understanding the neurobiology and psychology of automatic behaviour. Scientists agree that behavioural changes aimed at improving health are based not on willpower, but on environmental restructuring and mechanical repetition of actions.
Health-related behaviour is highly complex and cannot be reduced to the popular notion that we form habits in 21 days. While simple habits may take only a few dozen days to create, complex health behaviours (such as regular exercise or a specialised eating plan) can take 150, 300, or even more days to form.


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