One Secret that Helped Me Lose 96 Pounds!

I pray that you had an amazing time with family and friends this past week. Do you ever find that motivation is hard to maintain after a weekend that is off schedule? This week has been a challenge for me. As I write this... my step count is low, and my brain is blank on what to write. All so often, motivation spearheads exciting new ideas and goals. But after the motivation simmers down in one or two weeks, it is easy to cast doubt upon ourselves.

I appreciate what Jim Rohn said, "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
The importance of habits has risen in popularity with best-selling books like Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

Forming a system of healthy habits can be much more challenging than just falling back into bad habitual routines. That is one reason people hire personal trainers. Being accountable to someone is a powerful tool to being consistent.

James Clear wrote, "Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins." If we set up a system where small, achievable wins are within reach... we are boosted with confidence and resilience to accomplish the things that we set out to do.

Here's a trick I use to push through when motivation isn't enough.

Set a Simple Habit

When I set up a new habit, I make sure that it is easy and achievable. When I was heavier, I tried to start jogging a 5k without any training. I immediately got shin splints. I felt so defeated. The likelihood that I'd maintain a habit that drastic of a change was dismal.

Since I became a trainer, I now know that injury was a sure thing. I should've slowly increased my training along with proper stretching.

Little actions don't seem big enough to make substantial progress. You'd be surprised at how those small incremental changes can propel your life. It isn't just the physical aspects of those habits, but also the mental confidence that builds internally on accomplishing those tiny habits.

After letting the shin splints heal, I started walking shorter distances for 15 minutes and stretching every day. Since setting this small habit every day, I've been able to participate in 7-5k races in the past 14 months. That 15-minute minimum every day has been what James Clear calls a "Keystone Habit", which is an action that flows into other positive actions.

Keystone Habits

Do you know what a Keystone is? In America, we mainly use wood for building materials. It is rare to see keystones unless decorative. They are mainly used with stone buildings.

In architecture, a keystone is a wedge-shaped stone or block that plays a crucial role in the construction of an arch, vault, or dome. It is typically placed at the apex of the structure, where the arch or vault meets, and is designed to distribute the weight evenly across the entire structure.

Without the keystone block, the whole structure would not be able to stand. In the same way... We need to add a few healthy habits that remain standing for a lifetime. We need simple keystone habits that will help hold up our healthy choices when life gets busy or feels like everything is falling apart.

How do you set a Keystone Habit?
Especially as a beginner, choose something simple and flexible. Be specific and detailed. Close your eyes and visualize what that habit will look like and how accomplished you'll feel during and after.

At 100 pounds overweight, I didn't care what my 15 minutes of exercise was going to be. I could go for a walk, ride my indoor or outdoor bike, or even walk in place during a TV show. I found that when I did those things, I usually wanted to do more.

For instance, I'd start on my walk. The fresh air and invigorating blood flow throughout my body and brain enticed me to keep going. So instead of turning around at the 7-minute mark, I'd go for 10-20 extra minutes.
But if I had a busy day... I would feel so successful after doing my 15 minutes. My confidence and trust in myself grew a little bit every single day.

I will leave you with this one question:

What is your Keystone Habit?