Baby Steps Are Vital!

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Table of Contents

• Must Read Article💡

• Parker’s Breakdown: Baby Steps 🔑

• The Study 📖

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Must Read Article💡

Reach Your Goals Faster by Making Small Changes in Your Life

The worst thing you can do when trying to start your fitness journey is to make an extreme goal like lose 100 lbs and change everything in your life. Changing all your habits cold turkey is not sustainable and you will most likely burn out!

Making small changes over time in your life is the most sustainable way to change your life for the better and is how I coach my clients. In this article by Anytimefitness.com discusses how small changes curate the most impact. Here are a couple of the main points! 👇👇

• Big Changes Start with Small Steps.

• To achieve a goal like running a 5K, start by gradually increasing your daily steps rather than immediately trying to run 3 miles a day.

• Avoid All or Nothing Mentality.

Parker’s Breakdown: Baby Steps 🔑

When it comes to reaching fitness goals, small, incremental changes are often the most sustainable and easiest to stick with. Instead of completely overhauling your life and going all-out, which can lead to burnout, adopting a gradual approach allows you to build lasting habits.

Consider the journey of a runner. They don't start by running 3 miles a day and then ramp up to 10 miles a month later. Instead, they begin with manageable distances—perhaps just 1 mile—and gradually increase their mileage over months, even years. This method not only prevents injury but also allows the body to adapt and strengthen gradually.

Small changes, like adding an extra serving of protein to your meals or taking short walking breaks during your workday, may seem insignificant. However, these minor adjustments accumulate, leading to significant long-term improvements in health and fitness.

The key is consistency. By making small, manageable changes, you create a routine that's easier to maintain. This approach fosters a positive mindset and encourages ongoing progress without the overwhelming pressure of drastic transformations. Over time, these small steps build up to substantial achievements, leading to a healthier, fitter you without the risk of burnout.

The Study 📖 

‘Small Changes’ to Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors for Weight Management

This is a review article examining the concept of a "small-changes" approach to improving diet and physical activity behaviors for weight management. The authors reviewed existing literature on topics including the energy balance equation, behavioral change theories, parental influences on children's diet and activity, and various interventions using small changes in lifestyle. They synthesized findings from epidemiological studies, randomized controlled trials, and other reviews to provide an overview of the potential benefits and applications of a small-changes approach in the context of obesity prevention and treatment.

Here is what they found:

• Small positive energy imbalances of 100-200 kcal per day may be sufficient to cause gradual weight gain over time.

• Small changes in diet and physical activity may be more feasible and sustainable than large changes for most people.

• Studies using small changes (e.g. 2,000 extra steps/day, 100 kcal reduction) have shown promise for long term sustainable weight management.

• Psychological factors like enjoyment, perceived autonomy, and self-efficacy are important for sustaining behavior changes.

  • Self-efficacy being the most important, was found to be improved through small, continuous changes.

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