The Mel Robbins Podcast

8 Realistic Healthy Habits That Make a Huge Difference

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — Today, you are getting the 8 science-backed hacks to lower your stress, amplify your happiness, and make you healthier. Harvard’s Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is here to show you exactly how you can get back on track. If you’ve ever wanted to know exactly how a Harvard doctor grocery shops, meditates, exercises, eats, and even commutes, you’re getting all of that and more today. You’ll love this research-packed episode because every habit that Dr. Aditi shares is simple, easy to apply, and makes you feel better right away. Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is a medical doctor, researcher, and world-renowned expert in stress and public health. She's a lecturer at Harvard Medical School and was the medical director of Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital's integrative medicine program, where she developed an enormous clinical practice in stress management using evidence-based integrative approaches to help her patients feel better. Today, she is going to give you evidence-based integrative approaches that are easy, simple, and proven to make you feel better, calmer, and healthier. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-203 Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction 03:20 Shop this way in the grocery store and you may lower your cholesterol. 07:00 Are supplements really necessary? 8:55 If you think you’re too old for positive change, listen to this. 12:35 This is what sitting all day does to you, according to science. 16:20 How your work commute can actually benefit your mindset. 20:10 Why you may want to turn your camera off during your next Zoom call. 21:30 Try mono-tasking instead of multitasking to improve your brain. 25:05 How does a doctor at Harvard get her exercise? 29:10 Stop thinking about exercise in such a big way. 34:50 Here’s why 6-pack abs and a “bikini butt” are not motivating. 36:45 Mel has a FREE workbook for you! 38:10 How long does it take for changes to become new habits? 39:20 Six elements of a good life. Start adding them today. 42:55 Two kinds of happiness. Make sure you’ve got both in your life. 45:45 Mel’s favorite kind of meditation. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@UCk2U-Oqn7RXf-ydPqfSxG5g Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Dr. Aditi NerurkarguestMel Robbinshost

Aug 16, 202445mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Harvard doctor shares eight tiny daily habits for massive health gains

Mel Robbins interviews Harvard physician and stress expert Dr. Aditi Nerurkar about small, realistic habits that dramatically lower stress, boost happiness, and improve long-term health. They cover practical shifts in grocery shopping, movement, work routines, and digital habits that support the gut-brain connection and mental fitness. Dr. Nerurkar dismantles myths like multitasking and “quick-fix” supplements, emphasizing sleep, daily movement, and intentional transitions such as a “fake commute.” She also introduces the idea of “living a lifetime in a day” and explains why purpose-driven, eudaimonic happiness is more powerful than quick-hit pleasure.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Shop the grocery store perimeter and eat more Mediterranean-style foods.

Focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and fermented foods along the perimeter of the store nourishes the gut microbiome and supports the gut-brain connection, while minimizing ultra-processed foods found in center aisles.

Prioritize sleep, less caffeine, and simple movement over stress supplements.

Dr. Nerurkar treats supplements for stress like medications and instead urges patients to use ‘therapeutic’ sleep, reduced caffeine, and daily movement as their primary interventions for burnout and anxiety.

Break up sitting with frequent short movement bursts to protect your health.

Prolonged sitting dramatically increases risks of diabetes, heart disease, and early death; even 5–10 minutes of walking, stretching, or stair-climbing between meetings counteracts some of this and reduces stress.

Use a ‘fake commute’ to mentally transition between home and work modes.

A brief pre-work ritual—like getting dressed, stepping outside, walking, reviewing your day, and then sitting down to work—honors your brain’s need for compartments, reduces stress, and makes hybrid work more sustainable.

Turn off your Zoom camera when possible to reduce fatigue and self-criticism.

Constantly seeing your own face on video fuels ‘Zoom dysmorphia’ and mental exhaustion; audio-only or camera-optional calls are neurologically easier, often welcomed by others, and still allow full participation.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Multitasking is a scientific myth. It is a misnomer. There is no such thing.

— Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

Sleep is a therapeutic intervention. Let’s focus on your sleep.

— Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

If you can do 20 minutes of a walk every single day, great. It’s the equivalent of a Facebook scroll.

— Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

The bigger the problem and the bigger the issue, the smaller the solution.

— Mel Robbins

Why are you living for the weekends? Why don’t you bring in all of the good stuff during the week?

— Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

How to grocery shop for a healthier gut-brain connection (Mediterranean-style eating, perimeter shopping, fermented foods)Supplements vs. lifestyle basics for stress and burnout (sleep, caffeine reduction, movement)Dangers of prolonged sitting and simple ways to build more daily movementFake commute and brain compartmentalization for hybrid/remote workZoom fatigue, Zoom dysmorphia, and healthier video-call normsMultitasking myth, mono-tasking, time-blocking, and brain breaksDaily movement, ultra-short bursts of activity, and walking as moving meditationHabit formation timelines and the ‘live a lifetime in a day’ framework for fulfillment and happiness

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