How small changes will make a big difference to your health, wellbeing and fitness.
True life is lived when tiny changes occur.
Author Leo Tolstoy
Ah, the new year rush to start a new routine! According to research conducted by YouGov - Only three in ten Britons who made New Year's resolutions for 2022 say they kept all of them.
Why?
Imagine two scenarios where you want to start a new fitness routine.
Scenario 1 - You go big. On January 2nd, you sign up for a new gym membership. For the first week, you hit the gym every day and lift weights for an hour, followed by a spin class, a yoga class and a protein recovery shake!
After a week of this, you feel tired. So, you skip the yoga class. Then, slowly but surely, every day becomes every second day. Then, every third day. And so on, until you’re only training once a week (and feeling guilty for it).
Scenario 2 - You start small. In the second, you start with a 30-minute walk/run three times a week and 10 minutes of mobility every other morning. After the first few weeks, you feel good and add a weightlifting session. Another month goes by, and you add another day of strength training, bringing your total to five days a week. It feels effortless and becomes a habit. We listen to our bodies and introduce a nutrition plan that supports our lifestyle.
Scenario 1 is how we approach most things, especially at New Year. After the festivities, we dive in with all the best intentions: give up the booze, cut out carbs and hit the gym - only to get burned out because it’s such a massive shock to the system. In scenario 2, we do things gradually, building upon them to create meaningful change that lasts.
That’s an incremental change. Making small changes every day adds up to significant changes by the end of the year. So, if you are considering making change to your health, fitness and wellbeing this year, then take it slow and choose small changes. Don't rush and enjoy the process.
Here are my top 10 small changes that will make a big difference to your health, fitness and wellbeing.
Shake up your routine a little at a time
Keep your fitness routine simple
Sit less — stand more
Be mindful — pay attention to what you pay attention to
Make small changes in your nutrition - eat more greens
Drink a big glass of water upon waking
Reconnect with people
Laugh long and often
Start a daily journal
Switch off your mobile 2 hours before bed
Ruth, x
In the business of change
Therapeutic Coach for women