By Kristi Ray, Nutrition & Endurance Coach, ThriveWise Coaching
I've crossed the finish line of six Ironman triathlons and more marathons than I can count. I'm also a mom of five, so I know how quickly a December calendar fills up. One lesson has held true through all of it, and I share it with every athlete I coach: if we do the training right, the event is like a piece of cake.
The training I mean is rarely dramatic. It's the small session you repeat week after week until it becomes part of your life. That's the idea behind this week's tip.
This time of year, many people set January 1 as the day they will start a new wellness program or upgrade their fitness routine. What makes January appealing is the promise of a fresh start: "new year, new me," right? But it's important to remember January 1 is a square on the calendar. It can't make a plan for you, and it can't keep you accountable. What actually creates change is a decision, a plan, and support, all of which are available to you today.
Starting now gives you about seven weeks of practice before the new year. You build a habit inside the life you are living right now, holiday celebrations and gatherings included, and arrive in January with momentum already underway. A small first step makes it easy: one change you can repeat each week, chosen today.
Why small changes last
A small change fits into a full calendar. It takes little planning, so you can repeat it on busy weeks as easily as quiet ones. Each time you repeat it, the habit gets easier and your self-confidence and self-trust grow.
Once that first change feels automatic, you add the next one. A routine built this way holds up through the holidays, into the new year, and well beyond, because it grows with your life instead of competing with it.
What one small change can look like
The best small change often builds on what you already do. Ten minutes of walking after work can become fifteen. Five thousand steps a day becomes six thousand. If running is new to you, start with a short run-walk around the neighborhood and leave the half marathon for later. (Better yet, join us on Wednesdays for our weekly Walk/Run Club.)
Each step in the direction you want to go builds the confidence for the next one. Stack enough of those steps together and the bigger goal, whether that's a half marathon or simply feeling stronger, comes within reach.
Share it with someone who will hold you to it
Telling someone about your small change gives it staying power. A friend who knows your plan will ask how it's going, and that check-in keeps you showing up.
Research supports this. In a goal-setting study at Dominican University of California, psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews found that participants who sent a friend weekly progress updates accomplished significantly more than those who only thought about their goals.
Don't forget to bring the family along
Movement is easy to share. A weekly after-dinner walk or Saturday morning outing gives the whole family a habit to build together, and everyone helps keep it going.
Start today
Choose your small change and tell someone about it this week.
If you would like a plan built around your goals and a coach in your corner to help you achieve them, book a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
Here’s to heading into the new year already in motion.
Sources: Matthews, G. Goals research summary, Dominican University of California.
About Kristi Ray
Kristi Ray is the Endurance Coach at ThriveWise Coaching. She holds an MS in Nutrition, is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200), a NASM-certified personal trainer, and is USA Triathlon certified. A mom of five, she has finished countless marathons and six Ironman triathlons and previously coached Girls on the Run.
