One Habit Away

I’m going to let you in on a secret that your gym membership, your protein powder, and your perfectly color-coded meal-prep containers might not tell you.

"You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to get healthier."

You just need to change one habit.

Yup, you read that right. ONE.

Over the years, I’ve watched firsthand what happens when people (myself included) focus their energy on changing everything all at once: they burn out, they get discouraged, and they give up.

But the people who transform their bodies, and more importantly, their lives?

They start out with just changing one habit.

Let’s break this down.

Why One Habit Works

Our bodies are complex. But our brains? They crave simplicity. When we attempt to make multiple changes at once, like cutting carbs, running five miles a day, meditating, and getting ten hours of sleep, it triggers what’s called cognitive overload. It’s too much. Motivation crashes. Willpower fades. We quit.

But when we choose just one habit, a single behavior to repeat day after day so that over time, it sticks, we set ourselves up for consistency, and consistency is the true holy grail of health.

Think of it like compound interest.

You don’t notice the gain right away. But do that one thing daily for a week, a month, a year? Suddenly, your life looks different. Your body responds. Your mind clears. You start to feel ... powerful and in control.

The “One Habit” Method in Action

Let’s say your goal is to “get in shape.” That’s a vague, intimidating mountain of a goal. But if we zoom in and choose one foundational habit, like:

Getting 7+ hours of sleep per night

Or…

Drinking 80 oz. of water per day

Or…

Walking 10,000 steps every day

Or…

Adding one serving of vegetables to every meal

You start small, but you start building momentum. And here’s the magic:

Small habits trigger big identity shifts.

You’re no longer “trying” to be healthy. You are someone who takes care of themselves.

And that identity shift is where the real transformation lives.

Real-Life Transformation: A Quick Story

A former colleague of mine, Sarah, was overwhelmed, juggling three kids, a demanding job, and zero time. She wanted to lose weight, but every plan felt impossible.

She picked just one habit: no phone after 9 PM. That’s it.

That one change led to better sleep. Better sleep led to better food choices. Better food choices led to more energy. More energy led to morning walks. Morning walks led to confidence. And confidence? That led to everything else.

Sarah lost 23 pounds, but more importantly, she gained peace.

All from one decision, one change, one habit.

How to Pick Your One Habit

Here’s your framework:

Make it so easy it’s laughable. Think: “I will fill a water bottle every morning,” or “I will stretch for 2 minutes after brushing my teeth.”
Link it to something you already do. Known as “habit stacking,” this might be: “After I start the coffee pot, I’ll take a multivitamin.”
Track it. Don’t rely on memory. Use a calendar, habit tracker app, or just check it off daily. Visible progress fuels motivation.
Celebrate the win. Every time you do the habit, give yourself a fist pump, a smile, a “heck yes!” Acknowledgement builds the feedback loop.