The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that six out of 10 adults suffer from a chronic disease. The main causes are poor diet, lack of physical activity, and excessive alcohol. Making lifestyle changes can improve your overall health and long-term well-being both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, while many people try to change their lifestyle, most give up practicing these new health habits after seven weeks, says Study Finds.

According to Kaiser Permanente, here are six ways to make healthy habits stick.

1. Stack habits. One of the easiest ways to commit to a new habit is to attach it to a current one. Habit stacking may be as simple as adding a daily walk before or after breakfast. Harvard Business Review reports that repetition is key to making a new habit stick. Once you form a new habit, you can stack on another. For example, you may want to add 10 minutes of meditation before or after your morning walk.
2. Start small. Every journey begins with the first step. Don’t attempt a 10-mile run on your first day. Setting smaller, more manageable goals will help set you up for success. Researchers at Stanford University found that achieving small goals early on greatly increases motivation. Begin by setting a reasonable time or distance for your morning walk and gradually increase the time and pace of your walk.
3. Be specific. Instead of saying “I’ll eat healthy,” be specific about what your new healthy habit will be. Instead, say, “I’ll eat two servings of vegetables every day.” If you want to sleep better, put your phone and other devices out of the bedroom at night.
4. Track your progress. It’s motivating to see your accomplishments and milestones in a concrete manner. Keep a log or diary or create a chart to measure your progress. This helps build confidence.
5. Reward yourself. Don’t forget to celebrate your hard work and commitment. Choose a healthy reward, like spending a day at the park or beach with friends or going to a movie. Invite your friends to join you for a hike.
6. Find a bigger purpose. Sometimes the immediate benefits of a healthy lifestyle aren’t enough to keep us motivated so picture a loftier goal such as vowing to get and stay in shape so that you can spend quality time with your grandchildren or enjoy an active retirement. Research shows that incremental achievements are good early motivators, but their effect wanes as the finish line nears. People need to feel that their actions continue to be worthwhile in order to maintain motivation.