Losing weight and getting in shape can feel like a monumental undertaking. It requires changing not just one or two, but dozens of habits…
Drink more water, go to the grocery store, prep food, make time to exercise, eat more whole foods, get 7 or 8 hours of sleep.
It’s why so many people either give up – or don’t even bother to try. It’s why we tend to succumb to all or nothing thinking.
“If I can’t eat clean AND exercise for 30 minutes a day AND get 8 hours of sleep, then why bother?!”
I recently revisited one of my favorite books, The Power of Less, by Leo Babauta – and ALL THE LIGHTS went on in my brain. The author shares the following data:
- Adopting one new habit at a time results in an 85% chance of success
- Adopting two new habits at once: a 35% chance of success
- Adopting three or more new habits at once: less than 10% chance of success
MIND BLOWN!
As a result, I’ve decided to overhaul the way I coach my clients.
New Rule: Only one new habit at a time.
I’ve implemented this approach in my own life. Because even yours truly has room for improvement. My very first habit? A glass of water every night for two weeks. That’s it.
Each new habit should be clearly defined and easy to measure. It should also feel doable.
When creating a new habit to practice, ask yourself, “on a scale of 1-10, how confident am I that I can do this every day?” If your answer is 8 or less, scale it back – even if it seems ridiculously small. And then practice that new habit for two weeks before adding on.
Will you transform your life and body in six weeks? Of course not. But you’ve likely tried the “all in” approach – again and again, with the same crappy long term results.
Practicing one habit at a time generates – and more importantly, sustains – momentum.
And that’s exactly how you create lasting + permanent change.
XO ~Robyn
I work with courageous + determined women who are ready to say goodbye to yo-yo dieting for good. We’ll use a sustainable, practice-based approach to build healthy habits into your life, one day at a time for an entire year.
The result? You’ll develop healthy habits that become second nature and last a lifetime. You’ll lose the weight (and inches) you haven’t been able to shed – for good.
If this resonates with you, CLICK HERE for details on how to work with me.