Many people when looking in the face of the unknown, wonder… where do I start? To take on the task of transforming such a large aspect of life is no easy feat. Eating with purpose and moving your body on purpose can feel like a daunting task. You work 9-5 in an office, your mentally exhausted, you just want to kick back, relax, and watch tv after work. Maybe you work a stressful manual labor job and you find stress relief in eating tasty but unhealthy meals and snacks… 

But if you are lucky, you heard me…lucky. If you are lucky, you’ve had glimpses of something better, something greater for your life. Something beyond working just so you can “relax” after work and indulge in tasty but life shortening habits. Maybe you’ve had a glimpse in your mind, a vision for yourself, a vision of a healthier, fitter, stronger you. There exists a version of yourself that isn’t constantly plagued with brain fog, uncomfortable bowel movements, shame when you see your reflection, shame when 

you’re out of breath from a short flight of stairs you had to walk up. 

If you’re lucky you have imagined a greater version of yourself…some don’t. You’ve played with this idea in your head so where do you start actually making it a reality? You start with a decision. You decide I am no longer ok with a mediocre quality of life. You decide I am ready and I am willing to change. Have you decided? If you say yes, then good! You’re on your way. Now what? Now you start taking very small changes, very seriously. Let me ask you something…now think hard. When’s the last time going all or nothing actually stuck? 

How many people are able to say you know what, I’ll never eat another unhealthy thing and I’m going to exercise everyday from her on out for the rest of my life? 

If you said not many, you’d be right. The reason is simple, change doesn’t happen overnight. Oftentimes when we go all or none, we end up with none. Let me break down quickly how real change can occur. 

1. You decide you want to change 

It’s a biggie, you look dead on at the mountain that is change and you say “I am going to climb you”. 

2. You pick a simple, meaningful thing that can be done reasonably and you attack it with everything 

you’ve got 

For you and for many that could be as simple as taking a 30 minute walk twice a week. You say that’s too simple, yet if it was so simple, how come you have been so sedentary for so long? 

It could be substituting Mcdonald’s for Chicken and rice or lean ground beef and baked potatoes at lunch. 

It’s the simple things done consistently that result in permanent change. 

“I want to be more muscular!” Join a gym and set a non negotiable that you will show up

two – three times a week. You could decide I am going to do push ups, pull ups, and bodyweight squats 

at home three days a week. I recommend adding in habits before trying to take away habits, it feels less draining and can give you a win to get you excited for what’s to come. 

3. Once you’ve made one simple habit, pick another simple habit to attack You’ve stuck to your walks and Mcdonalds lunch substitute for a month but your progress is slowing. 

Is it time to address the bag of chips you eat every night while watching tv? Maybe for now make a deal with yourself that you will only eat junk on the weekends. There is a lot of changes that can come from sticking to changes as simple as the ones I’ve proposed. Progress forward when possible. 

4. Give it time 

There isn’t a magic pill that changes you overnight. There isn’t a magic program that changes you overnight. 

Real changes in your health and appearance can take months, in extreme cases… even years. Keep setting goals, conquer them, add on new ones. 

Three months from now you could go from sedentary to walks twice a week, lifts weights twice a week, 

and includes health promoting foods in most meals. 

5. Be honest with yourself 

If nothing is changing after months then you probably aren’t following through. You told yourself you’d walk twice a week, a month later you’ve walked three times. You tell yourself that you had valid excuses and some are better than none. The truth is though, you need to be honest with yourself about the progress or lack thereof you are making. Maybe it’s time for a sit down with yourself to say, I haven’t been taking this seriously, 

I made a promise to myself and I’ve been breaking it, it’s time to recommit. 

6. Consider hiring a coach 

Here’s the self-plug you’ve been waiting for lol, but seriously if you are struggling to make any progress or you just feel completely overwhelmed by it all. 

It would be a smart idea to hire somebody to guide you and hold you accountable. You just can’t beat experience, someone who has walked those roads, felt those pains and made it somewhere. That’s who you want to help get you there yourself. 

Regardless of what path you choose, believe this, you can change. 

You can be a different person in so many ways a year from today. 

Don’t give up, push forward.