Would you agree that the exciting part of any fitness journey is taking action and getting after it? Me too, but, It’s also where a lot of people get off track. I always say, when dreaming, think big. When taking action, think small. Don’t try to do too much all at once. It’s one of the biggest mistakes people make with fitness.
Look, I get it. If you’re just starting a fitness program and set a goal for yourself, you’re probably going to be pretty excited at first and you’ll want to change EVERYTHING. Meals, sleep, water stress management, exercise – you’ll want to tackle it ALL.
From my many (many) years of coaching experience I recommend: Don’t do it.
Think small and focus on ONE thing at a time. That’s how real, lasting change happens. The key is to start small and build on your success. If you succeed with one thing, it will build your confidence to succeed with the next one. But if you try to do too much from the get-go and slip up, it will only reinforce limiting beliefs that will ultimately sabotage your success.
Remember, you can’t lose 20 pounds today, but you CAN drink 64 ounces of water today. And if you drink 64 ounces of water a day consistently, it will contribute to achieving your goal of losing 20 pounds. Nice how that works, right? Now, as far as which habits you should work on first, and in what order, that’s going to depend on You.
Generally speaking, we’ve identified what we call our 5 Core Habits. Daily actions that will result in a healthier body and happier life:
- Drink at last half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily
- Sleep at least 7 hours
- Have at least 2 compliant meals (meaning, the appropriate portions of protein, vegetables, carbs and healthy fats for your body type and goals)
- Exercise for at least 20 minutes
- Focus on you (and nothing else) for at least 5 minutes
If you can check 3-4 of those boxes daily, and consistently over time, you’ll be on your way to a breakthrough. But remember, just start with ONE of these, and build on your success.