The Power of Just Starting

The hardest part of any weight loss journey isn't the middle or the end—it's the beginning. That moment when you have to choose action over inaction, movement over stillness, change over the status quo.

But here's what most people don't realize: you don't need to start big. In fact, starting small is often more powerful than starting big.

Why Starting Is So Hard

Our brains are wired to resist change. It's a survival mechanism that kept our ancestors alive, but in modern life, it often keeps us stuck. When you think about "starting a weight loss journey," your brain immediately conjures up images of:

  • Grueling workouts
  • Restrictive diets
  • Giving up foods you love
  • Completely changing your lifestyle

No wonder it feels overwhelming. But what if starting didn't have to look like that?

The Magic of Micro-Actions

The secret to starting is to make the first step so small that it feels almost silly not to do it. We're talking about actions that take less than two minutes and require minimal effort:

  • Put on your walking shoes (you don't even have to go for a walk)
  • Drink one glass of water
  • Do five jumping jacks
  • Eat one piece of fruit
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator once

These actions might seem insignificant, but they're not. They're the foundation of momentum.

How Momentum Works

Newton's first law of motion applies to more than just physics: an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion. The same principle applies to behavior.

When you take one small action, several things happen:

  1. You prove to yourself that change is possible - Even the smallest action is evidence that you can do things differently
  2. You reduce resistance - Your brain realizes that change doesn't have to be painful
  3. You create a success to build on - Success, no matter how small, breeds more success
  4. You start to see yourself differently - As Atomic Habits teaches us, every action is a vote for your identity

Real Examples of Just Starting

Let me share some examples of how "just starting" can look in practice:

Sarah's Story: Sarah wanted to start running, but the thought of running for 30 minutes felt impossible. Instead, she committed to putting on her running shoes every day after work. That's it. After a week of just putting on her shoes, she naturally started walking to the end of her driveway. A month later, she was running 5K three times a week.

Mike's Story: Mike knew he needed to improve his diet, but overhauling his entire eating pattern felt overwhelming. He started by adding one piece of fruit to his lunch every day. This small change led to him becoming more conscious of his food choices, and within three months, he had naturally shifted to a much healthier eating pattern.

The Two-Minute Rule

Productivity expert David Allen popularized the two-minute rule: if something takes less than two minutes, do it now. We can adapt this for weight loss: if a healthy action takes less than two minutes, there's no excuse not to do it.

Two-minute actions might include:

  • Walking to the mailbox
  • Doing a few stretches
  • Preparing a healthy snack
  • Drinking a glass of water
  • Taking a few deep breaths

Building on Your Start

Once you've started with micro-actions, you can gradually build on them. But the key word is gradually. Don't jump from walking to the mailbox to training for a marathon. Instead, let your progress be natural and sustainable.

Here's how progression might look:

  • Week 1: Put on walking shoes daily
  • Week 2: Walk to the end of the driveway
  • Week 3: Walk around the block
  • Week 4: Walk for 10 minutes
  • And so on...

This approach aligns with understanding TDEE and calorie deficits—small increases in activity compound over time to create meaningful changes in your energy balance.

When You Don't Feel Like Starting

There will be days when you don't feel motivated. This is normal and expected. On these days, the power of just starting becomes even more important.

Remember: you don't need to feel like doing something to do it. Motivation follows action, not the other way around. When you don't feel like starting, make the action even smaller:

  • Don't feel like exercising? Just put on your workout clothes
  • Don't feel like eating healthy? Just drink a glass of water
  • Don't feel like meal planning? Just think about what you'll have for your next meal

The Compound Effect of Starting

Small actions compound over time. What seems insignificant today becomes significant over weeks and months. This is why you only need a few months to see dramatic changes—if you start and stay consistent.

The person who walks for 5 minutes every day for a year will be in dramatically better shape than the person who plans to run for an hour but never starts.

Your Starting Point

Right now, as you're reading this, you have an opportunity to harness the power of just starting. What's the smallest possible action you could take in the next two minutes that would move you toward your weight loss goal?

Don't overthink it. Don't plan it. Just do it.

Because the truth is, if you really want to lose weight, the time to start is now. And starting doesn't require a perfect plan, ideal conditions, or maximum motivation. It just requires one small action.

The power of just starting isn't just about weight loss—it's about proving to yourself that you're capable of change. And once you know that, everything becomes possible.