Breaking My Gaming Habit: A Fitness Journey

I spent hours glued to my XBOX360, junk food in hand. One simple tweak made me quit—instantly. And it taught me something crucial about breaking bad habits.

Back in 2010, I was 15 years old and addicted to my XBOX360.

Like many teenagers in South London, video games were my go-to hobby. Being born in the 90s, I spent years playing on a PlayStation 2 and various versions of the GameBoy. But by the time I hit secondary school, I switched to the XBOX360 (and yes, I even had to exchange my first console after the dreaded red ring of death—if you know, you know). It was a big deal then—most of my friends were playing FIFA, Gears of War, and Tekken, and I was hooked.

But here’s the problem—I was really hooked.

XBOX wasn’t just a pastime—it became my life.

I’d get home from school: XBOX.

Weekends? XBOX.

Holidays like Christmas and Easter? XBOX.

Friends came over? We played XBOX.

Every spare moment was spent hunched in front of that console. And while my posture was definitely suffering, so was something else: my time. To make matters worse, I wasn’t just gaming. I was snacking non-stop on junk food—doughnuts, Capri Suns, and Nutella, all generously supplied by my grandma (you know how grandparents are!).

My health and well-being were taking a major hit, yet I kept playing.

Sure, you could argue that spending time gaming with friends isn’t necessarily a waste—and in many ways, it can be a fun escape. But looking back, I knew my time could’ve been better spent elsewhere. Whether it was focusing on self-improvement, learning something new, or simply getting outside more, I had this awareness even as a teenager.

My dad once told me something that stuck: “You dedicate so much time to it, but when you turn off the console, you’re back in the real world with nothing to show for it.” At the time, I didn’t reply, but that hit hard.

One day, something clicked.

I had just finished another mindless session, probably playing career mode on FIFA12 and finishing a pack of doughnuts, when I decided enough was enough. I switched off the console, unplugged everything, and packed it into a bag. I put it on a high shelf in my room, which wasn’t easily accessible.

Here’s the interesting part—I didn’t ban myself from playing completely. If I wanted to, I could still get the console, set it up again, and play. But now, it required extra effort—more than just a quick press of a button. And that minor inconvenience made all the difference. Overnight, my gaming habit faded, and I went from hours of gaming daily to not touching it at all for five years—until I eventually gave it away.

So, what changed?

I recently realised that what I did as a 15-year-old aligns perfectly with something James Clear discusses in Atomic Habits. He talks about a principle called "Make it Invisible." The idea is simple: if you remove or reduce exposure to the cue that triggers a bad habit, the habit itself fades away. The XBOX was my cue, and by making it less accessible, I broke the cycle—not by banning it, but by creating just enough friction to make it less tempting.

This applies to many areas of life, especially your health and fitness.

Let’s say you’re trying to eat healthier, but every time you open the cupboard, you see that pack of biscuits staring you in the face. What happens? You give in. But if you remove the temptation—don’t buy the biscuits, or store them somewhere out of sight—you eliminate the cue, and the craving fades. You’ve made the bad habit invisible.

On the flip side, James Clear also talks about "Make it Obvious"—a principle for building good habits. To stay consistent, you need to make the cues for your desired habits as visible and accessible as possible. Want to work out more often? Keep your gym clothes in plain sight, or leave your dumbbells next to the TV. When the cue is obvious, the habit becomes easier to maintain.

How does this apply to you?

If you're struggling to build good habits in your fitness journey or finding it hard to break bad ones, your environment is likely holding you back.

Maybe you’re trying to lose weight, but your kitchen is stocked with junk food, and your gym clothes are buried in the bottom of your closet. If you want to start seeing real change, you need to shape your environment to support the habits you want to form.

Through my 1-2-1 online fitness coaching, I’ve helped many people do exactly that. Whether it’s creating a plan to lose body fat or building a routine that fits seamlessly into your life, I work with you to design an environment that sets you up for success.

So, here’s what I want you to do:

Take a moment to look at your surroundings. Are your bad habits hiding in plain sight? And what small changes can you make today to bring your good habits front and centre?

If you're ready to finally break through and make lasting changes to your fitness and health, I'm here to help. Sign up for my 1-2-1 online fitness coaching by clicking here, and let's create the environment you need to reach your goals.

Speak soon,

Leo

P.S. Pictured below are a few results from 1-2-1 online fitness members.