Why Most New Habits Don’t Stick (and What to Do Instead)
I can do just about anything for 1–4 weeks. I can take on an extreme diet and lose weight quickly. I can go weeks without buying unnecessary junk. I can even cut out social media or TV for a while.
The problem is that once the initial excitement wears off, the new habits don’t stick. I usually rebound right back. The weight comes back, I spend enough in a day to undo weeks of “good behavior,” and before I know it I’m back to doomscrolling and Netflix binging.
For a long time, I thought it was just me. But after working with clients, I realized they struggled with the same cycle of motivation, burnout, and rebound.
So the real question is: How do we create habits that actually last through low motivation and slow results?
The Fitness Lesson That Changed My Mindset
Recently, I set a goal: get back to my high school level of fitness—before my abs merged into a single mega-ab.
After some research, I realized I’d need to lose about 25 pounds of fat while maintaining muscle. My first thought was, “Ok great! Let’s knock it out in a month.”
Turns out, it’s not healthy—or realistic—to drop that much weight that quickly. Done wrong, it often means losing muscle and risking injury while the fat stays put. To do it safely, it would take at least three months of consistent athlete-level workouts and eating at a calorie deficit with no junk food.
That’s when disappointment crept in. Three months felt impossible. A month I could do. But three?
The Sustainable Shift
So I took my own advice—the same thing I tell my clients: extend the timeline and focus on small, sustainable habits.
Instead of three months, I set a six-month goal. Instead of long hours in the gym, I worked out at home a few days a week and added gym sessions when I could. Instead of cutting junk food out entirely, I practiced portion control.
The results haven’t been dramatic, but they are noticeable and steady. And now, the habits feel almost second nature. They take little thought or effort to maintain—and even if it takes longer than six months, I know I’ll reach my goal in a way that lasts.
The Moral of the Story
Sometimes you have to move slow to move fast.
Instead of being a rubber band snapping between extremes, be a train: start slow, build enough momentum that nothing stops you.
The same applies to money. Instead of cutting all eating out, all coffee runs, or all impulse spending, start with something you can sustain.
Set a generous limit for unnecessary spending.
Cut just a couple subscriptions.
Go out to eat one less time per week.
The progress might not be as fast as you’d like, but it will be progress you can keep. And never underestimate the power of consistent effort over time.
Your Next Step
If you want help designing a plan and actually putting these skills into practice, that’s exactly what I do with my clients. I teach tools, provide support, and help people create change that works even when life happens.
If you’re ready to take the first step toward lasting change, this is your invitation to book a consultation with me.
Let’s see what’s possible for your situation.
Talk to you soon!