6 Easy Steps to Start Getting Healthy

As the latest iteration of Life Change, our beginner 6-week program, kicks off, it has me reflecting on how I started my own weight loss journey. It wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t quick, but it was worth it. Here are five tips I wish someone had shared with me before I began:

1. Recognize You Need Help—and Get It

It took me nearly six years to realize just how unhealthy I had become. At 19, I was a 155-pound kid playing sports daily. By 25, I had become a 265-pound man who drank and smoked every day. It took me five long years to acknowledge that I needed help and make changes—and that’s time I’ll never get back. Once I made that realization, I started my journey and never looked back. Recognizing you need help isn’t a weakness; it’s the first step toward strength.

2. Start Small

A common mistake is trying to do too much, too fast. That approach often leads to burnout. When I started, my first small change was swapping my daily large double-double (a Canadian coffee classic with two creams and two sugars) for a large with one milk and one Splenda. That one adjustment helped me lose my first 10 pounds. Small, consistent changes are the foundation of sustainable success.

3. Don’t Obsess Over the Scale

The scale can be deceiving, and placing all your focus on it can be discouraging. Weight loss is influenced by many factors, and progress doesn’t always show up as a lower number. Instead, use other metrics:

• Take before-and-after photos.
• Measure key areas like your waist, legs, arms, and chest.
• Notice how your clothes fit and how you feel overall.

The scale is just one piece of the puzzle—don’t let it dictate your journey.

4. Set Small Non Scale Related Goals and Share Them

Setting goals is a great way to motivate yourself, but setting goals that are out of reach can set you up to fail. I know you may be excited to get started and shooting for the stars may seem like the way to go, but setting small attainable goals and sharing them with people that you know will help you be more successful and keep you accountable.

5. Find Activities You Like and Do Them

If you hate running, don’t sign up to do a half marathon. If you hate riding a bike, spin may not be for you. Listen, when you’re just starting with the whole fitness thing, working out may not be fun for you (like it is for me), and it might feel like a chore at first, but finding activities you enjoy makes all the difference. Take a class. Pick up a sport. Go for a walk. Do kart-wheels… Just do something!  Once you get started, the rest will come.

6. Learn to Forgive Yourself

Life happens. You’ll miss workouts, indulge in treats, or fall off track occasionally—and that’s okay, life happens! Forgive yourself and move on. Don’t let one misstep turn into an excuse to quit altogether. A lot of people shift to “I’ll start again on Monday” and throw it all away, but that’s not the approach. You have to shrug that little slip up off and just keep going. Consistency is what matters, not perfection.

Starting a fitness journey can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By starting small, setting realistic goals, and embracing activities you enjoy, you’ll build a foundation for long-term success.