Why Small Habits Beat Big Goals in Fitness (Every Time)
Lynne Steiner • May 19, 2025
Ever made a New Year’s resolution so massive, it needed its own zip code?
You know the type:
“I’m going to work out every day, drink kale, run marathons, meditate, sleep 8 hours, and never eat another carb again!”
Cue two weeks later...
You’re face-deep in a pizza, your yoga mat is collecting dust under your bed, and your new running shoes have only touched the pavement once.
Don’t worry — you’re not lazy, weak, or doomed.
You just fell into the trap of big goals with no backbone.
The truth?
Big goals are sexy.
Tiny habits get stuff done.
Motivation Is a Terrible Roommate
Here’s a myth we all love to believe:
“If I just stay motivated, I’ll reach my goal.”
Unfortunately, motivation is like that flaky roommate who says they’ll take out the trash... but disappears when the garbage is leaking lasagna water.
Motivation feels great at 6am on January 1st.
Less so when it’s cold, dark, and your toddler threw cereal across the living room.
That’s where tiny habits come in.
They’re not flashy. They don’t get applause.
But they do show up. Rain or shine. Tired or energized. Kale or cake.
The Domino Effect (Without the Toppling Chaos)
Imagine lining up tiny dominoes — barely bigger than your pinky nail.
Now imagine that first domino knocking down one that’s 50% larger... and that one tipping the next... and so on... until it’s crashing into a domino the size of a refrigerator.
That’s what happens with habits.
One tiny action — “I’ll drink water before coffee” — leads to:
- More energy
- A better workout
- Less brain fog
- Fewer regret-fueled cookie binges at 9pm
It’s boring. It’s small.
But it’s powerful in a way that big, unsustainable changes can never be.
But Tiny Habits Don’t Show Progress Fast…
Exactly.
That’s why they work.
Let me explain.
We’re addicted to instant results. We want to do a 20-minute ab workout and wake up with a six-pack. (Spoiler alert: only happens if you're a superhero or a CGI character.)
But real change? It’s like planting a seed.
For weeks, it looks like nothing is happening.
Then one day, BOOM — there’s a damn tree in your backyard.
Here’s what happens when you trust the slow-burn:
- You build identity — you become the kind of person who moves every day
- You reduce friction — the habit becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth
- You create momentum — and momentum makes success feel inevitable
Systems Beat Willpower Every Time
Willpower is like your phone battery — useful, but drains quickly.
Systems, on the other hand, are solar-powered. Once they’re in place, they run forever.
Here’s what systems look like in real life:
- Laying out workout clothes the night before
- Keeping a dumbbell near your desk to sneak in 5 reps between meetings
- Habit-stacking: doing 10 squats after brushing your teeth
- Using a calendar alert to remind you to walk after dinner
No heroic willpower required. Just simple, repeatable actions.
Tiny Habits That Actually Work
If you’re thinking, “OK, fine. But where do I start?”
Good news: I made you a list.
(No kale required. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.)
Try one of these this week:
- Put on your workout shoes every morning — even if you don’t work out
- Do 10 bodyweight squats while your coffee brews
- Leave a water bottle in your car and sip it before walking into work
- Set a “move alarm” every 90 minutes during the day
- Spend 1 minute stretching before bed
- Walk around the block after dinner (drag your kids or your dog or just your tired soul)
Start small. So small it feels almost stupid.
Because stupid-easy gets done. And done beats perfect.
Final Thought: The Magic Is in the Doing
You don’t need a massive overhaul.
You don’t need a six-week shred plan that treats your body like a science experiment.
You don’t need motivation to slap you out of bed every morning like a motivational drill sergeant.
You need tiny, laughably simple habits that anchor you to the version of yourself you’re becoming.
Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.
And keep doing it.
That’s how transformation actually happens.
Not in the thunderclap of inspiration — but in the whisper of daily action.
More Posts
Sweat, Smiles, and Tie-Dye: Free Community Workouts This Weekend at CFR There’s nothing we love more than opening our doors and welcoming new (and familiar!) faces into the CrossFit Roselle community. That’s why this weekend, Friday, Aug. 29, and Saturday, Aug, 30, we’re hosting free community workouts, and you’re invited! Friday: Free Workouts All Day On Friday, every scheduled class is free and open to the public. Whether you’re an experienced athlete, brand-new to CrossFit, or somewhere in between, you’ll jump into a workout designed to be accessible to all levels. Our coaches will help scale movements and guide you through, so you can focus on moving, having fun, and leaving with a big dose of accomplishment. Saturday: Family Workouts + Tie-Dye Party Saturday morning is all about family! We’ll have two family-friendly workouts at 8:30am and 9:30am. These sessions are a chance to bring your kids, your spouse, or your neighbors along to see what CrossFit is all about. Every workout is adaptable, so kids and adults of all ages can participate side by side. After we sweat together, we’ll head outside for a tie-dye party! We’ll provide the dye, and we’ll have a few white CFR shirts available for purchase. You’re also welcome to bring your own white shirt (or any gear you’d like to color). It’ll be a fun way to cap off the morning. Why We Do It Community is the heart of CrossFit Roselle. Events like this give us a chance to introduce new people to our space, reconnect with old friends, and celebrate the energy that happens when we all come together. Fitness is better when it’s shared, especially with a little sweat, laughter, and color splashes along the way. Reserve Your Spot Spots are limited (and filling fast, especially for Friday and Saturday morning), so be sure to reserve your place ahead of time: 👉 Reserve Your Free Workout Here Whether you’ve never touched a barbell, haven’t been in a gym for years, or just want to join a fun, welcoming community workout, this is the perfect opportunity. Bring a friend, bring your kids, and let’s make some memories together. We’ll see you Friday and Saturday at CFR!
Picture this: your alarm blares at 5:30 a.m. and suddenly you’re negotiating with yourself like a lawyer in a courtroom drama. “If I skip today, I’ll go tomorrow.”“ If I just get more sleep, I’ll perform better next time.” Sound familiar? Here’s the hard truth: the universe is not going to clear your schedule, tuck your kids into bed early, or refill your coffee pot so you can have the “perfect” conditions to work out. Life is messy, chaotic, and sometimes downright rude. And yet, the secret to fitness success isn’t buried in some obscure training manual or locked inside a macro-tracking app. It’s simpler—and harder—than that. The real secret is showing up. Especially when you don’t feel like it. Why Obstacles Aren’t a Sign to Stop Life throws haymakers daily: - Your boss schedules a late Zoom meeting. - Your kid has soccer practice that somehow requires three hours of driving for a one-hour game. - Dinner burns because you answered a work email and forgot the chicken in the oven. At the end of the day, your workout starts to look like a luxury cruise: nice in theory, impossible to board. But here’s the twist: those obstacles aren’t signals to quit—they’re signals that this is the exact moment you need movement most. - Busy schedules convince us there’s no time. But what if fitness isn’t competing with your schedule—what if it’s fueling it? A 30-minute class can give you more focus for the next eight hours. That’s a return on investment Warren Buffett would be proud of. - Stress and fatigue whisper that skipping a workout is the “safe” choice. But skipping doesn’t recharge your batteries—it drains them further. Exercise is the world’s most underrated stress relief valve. Miss it, and you’re building pressure until the lid blows off. The Psychology of Just Showing Up Here’s a fun fact: your brain is terrible at measuring effort. It screams, “This will be awful!” before you even touch a barbell. But once you walk through the door, say hi to your coach, and start the warm-up, the story changes. Suddenly, what felt impossible feels… doable. Think of it like dragging your feet to a party you didn’t want to attend. You almost bailed three times. Then you show up and—what do you know—you’re laughing, eating chips, and wondering why you resisted in the first place. Fitness works the same way. The hardest lift is the front door. Flip the Script: How to Show Up When You Don’t Feel Like It Instead of chasing “perfect conditions,” practice this mindset: - Shrink the workout. Don’t have an hour? Do 20 minutes. No gym? Knock out squats and push-ups in the living room. Something is always better than nothing. - Anchor to identity. Stop saying, “I have to work out.” Start saying, “I’m the kind of person who trains, even when it’s hard.” That tiny linguistic tweak shifts your brain from obligation to ownership. - Stack the deck. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Book your class in Wodify. Tell a friend you’ll meet them there. Future-You will be grateful when Current-You tries to chicken out. The Conclusion (And a Pep Talk) Here’s the takeaway: the secret sauce isn’t motivation, luck, or perfect conditions. It’s the gritty, stubborn decision to show up anyway. - Your schedule will always be busy. - Your energy will sometimes be low. - The stars will never align just right. But when you show up through the chaos, you win. Every. Single. Time. Pro Tip: Next time you’re tempted to skip, try this: tell yourself, “I’ll just go for the warm-up.” If after 10 minutes you still want to leave, you have permission. (Spoiler: you won’t.) So lace up your shoes, roll your eyes at your inner excuses, and step into the arena. Because the only true failure in fitness isn’t a missed lift or a slower run—it’s not showing up at all.
Picture this: You’re in the middle of a workout, lungs puffing like an old steam engine, and you’re wondering why your legs feel like you’re squatting through wet cement. You’ve been training consistently, hydrating, and sleeping… sort of. But the fuel you’ve been running on? Let’s just say it’s about as fresh as that bag of spinach at the back of your fridge you swore you’d use. Here’s the truth: your body craves change with the seasons, just like the leaves outside your window. And right now, fall’s produce aisle is nature’s own performance-enhancing buffet—bursting with the exact nutrients your body needs to train harder, recover faster, and spend less at the grocery store. Why Seasonal Eating is Your Secret Weapon We live in a world where strawberries show up in December and apples in April. It’s convenient… but it’s also like wearing flip-flops in a snowstorm—it doesn’t match the environment you’re in. Seasonal eating is about aligning your plate with the natural rhythm of the earth, tapping into foods that are at their peak in both flavor and nutrition. And when it comes to CrossFit, seasonal eating can: - Fuel recovery with fresh, nutrient-packed carbs. - Cut costs by choosing produce that’s abundant (and therefore cheaper). - Keep your meals exciting so you don’t fall into a “chicken-broccoli-rice” rut. Let’s tackle the two biggest pain points that seasonal eating solves. Pain Point 1: Same-Old Foods, Same-Old Results If your grocery cart hasn’t changed since May, you’re probably missing out on nutrients that could take your performance up a notch. Repetition is great for your back squat program—not so much for your micronutrient profile. Fall’s MVPs like squash, sweet potatoes, beets, apples, and kale aren’t just pretty on Instagram, they’re powerhouses: - Squash & Sweet Potatoes – Loaded with slow-burning carbs and beta-carotene, they help you crush high-volume metcons without the sugar crash. - Beets – Packed with nitrates that improve blood flow, helping oxygen race to your muscles when the WOD starts to feel like a survival mission. - Kale – Your immune system’s bodyguard. Keeps you training instead of coughing on the couch. It’s like swapping out your regular gas for rocket fuel—you might not notice it in the first mile, but by the time you hit round five, you’ll be glad you did. Pain Point 2: Eating Healthy Feels Expensive Let’s be honest, grocery bills can feel like they’re training for a max lift lately. But here’s the magic of seasonal produce: when a food is in season locally, there’s more of it, which means prices drop. Instead of spending $6 on a sad, out-of-season tomato that tastes like cardboard, you could fill your basket with in-season butternut squash, onions, and apples, all for less than a post-WOD smoothie. - In-season = better taste – No more watery zucchini in October. - In-season = better price – The abundance makes it cheaper. - In-season = better nutrition – Foods don’t spend weeks traveling, losing flavor and nutrients in the process. Think of it as getting front-row tickets to your favorite band for the price of the cheap seats. How to Start Seasonal Eating (Without Becoming a Farmer) No, you don’t have to churn butter or grow your own pumpkins (unless that’s your thing). Seasonal eating can be as simple as making one swap each week. Quick-start ideas: - Replace white rice with roasted sweet potatoes in your post-WOD meal. - Blend roasted pumpkin into your morning protein smoothie. - Swap your usual snack for apple slices with almond butter. - Add shredded kale to your scrambled eggs for a nutrient punch. Pro tip: Hit the farmers’ market —it’s basically a seasonal cheat sheet. If it’s piled high in bins, it’s in season. The Bottom Line Seasonal eating is more than a foodie trend—it’s a way to work with your body, the seasons, and your budget. By shifting your grocery list to match what’s in season right now, you’ll: - Improve performance and recovery. - Save money without sacrificing quality. - Make your meals exciting again. Helpful Tip: This week, pick one fall vegetable and one fall fruit you haven’t used lately. Build at least two meals around them. Your taste buds, and your next workout, will thank you. When the leaves change, your plate should too. Fall’s harvest is here, let it fuel your next PR.
