3 Skills to Make Healthy Living Last

Most people know what they should be doing to take better care of their health. Eat better. Move more. Sleep enough. Manage stress. The information is not the problem.

So why does it feel so hard to actually change? That question sits at the center of this episode. In this conversation, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with Luanne Spiros, a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200, ACSM Cancer Exercise Specialist, and behavioral change expert who has spent her career helping people build healthy habits that stick. She brings a sharp, practical framework to a topic that a lot of health content treats too loosely — and by the end of this episode, you will have a clear picture of what actually works and why.

Start With Movement, Then Weave In the Rest

One of the first questions Dr. Esser puts to Luanne Spiros is a good one: what is easier for people to change — movement or nutrition? Her answer is immediate.

Movement. And the reason matters. Food is deeply tied to social environments, cultural habits, and emotional patterns. Movement, by contrast, tends to be more tactile and immediate. You feel the feedback faster. That makes it a more accessible entry point for people who are just starting to build awareness around their health.

From there, Luanne Spiros describes the behavioral change process she walks clients through: awareness first, then desire, then knowledge, then action, then reinforcement. Once movement starts building that foundation, it becomes easier to weave in changes to nutrition and the other pillars of health.

The Three S’s: Social, Skills, and Setting

If there is one framework that runs through this entire conversation, it is what Luanne Spiros calls the three S’s. The people around you (social). The abilities you develop (skills). The environment you create or inhabit (setting). These three factors, she argues, make or break almost every lifestyle change attempt. And the NHA conference, she says, is one of the most powerful examples of all three working together at once. You are surrounded by people who share your values, learning new skills, in an environment built around health.

She also talks about the danger of isolation, which she puts plainly: isolation kills. When people feel alone in their health journey, change becomes exponentially harder.Seeking out and building community is not optional — it is a core health strategy.

Build It In, Don’t Bolt It On

When the conversation turns to exercise habits, Luanne Spiros offers one of the most memorable lines of the episode: don’t bolt it on, build it in. The difference is important. Bolting exercise on means treating it as something extra you add to an already full day, hoping willpower carries you through. Building it in means designing your environment and routines so that the healthy behavior happens almost automatically.

She shares her own example. She teaches students at 7:30 in the morning. The night before, she lays out her gym bag, her notes, her music. When she wakes up, the decision is already made. There is no moment of negotiation. Dr. Esser connects this to what he calls the channel factor, drawing on a concept from Doug Lyle and Dr. Goldhammer’s work: creating a life that guides you toward where you want to go without requiring constant willpower to stay on track.

What Oncology Yoga Offers

Toward the end of the episode, Luanne Spiros introduces her work in oncology yoga, which she will be sharing at the NHA Conference in June.

Oncology yoga is not a standard yoga class adapted for sick people. It is a specialized practice designed to support people during and after cancer treatment, addressing specific side effects like neuropathy, digestion issues, and bone density concerns. The poses are chosen differently. The goals are different.

She quotes Tara Prinster, founder of Yoga for Cancer: cancer takes our breath away, and yoga gives it back. The point of the practice, Luanne Spiros says, is not just physical. It is about giving people back a sense of agency. The ability to choose.To feel like there is something they can do.

JOIN LUANNE AT THE NHA CONFERENCE

Luanne Spiros will be leading oncology yoga sessions at the NHA Annual Conference, June 25 to 28, 2026 in Ohio. The sessions are open to all levels and designed to be accessible and supportive regardless of your background or health history.

Learn more and register: healthscience.org/2026-nha-conference

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS EPISODE

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Willpower by Roy Baumeister

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram: @esserhealth / instagram.com/esserhealth

NHA Today on YouTube

Subscribe on your favorite platform: healthscience.org/podcast/

NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28, 2026): Register Now