It’s that time of year again. We’re regretting demolishing too many Chanukah doughnuts and vowing to stick to our resolutions to get fitter — only to fall off the wagon a few weeks later.

The reason for our failure, according to behavioural scientists, is that self-discipline or willpower is not going to work. Instead you need to think hard about your motivation and create a new regime based on tiny steps. Health coach Suzanne Weiniger has formulated a three-point plan based on this science, to make new resolutions really stick.

“If we know how to harness the right method then everyone has a ‘marathon’ in their lives,” she says. “By this I mean a goal or habit someone wishes to undertake but cannot do as they feel it is unachievable, simply because they don’t know how to implement the simple steps for success.”

Weiniger had her own goal this year — training for the London Marathon. The challenge came to her quite unexpectedly. The mother of five received an email from the learning disabilities charity Kisharon inviting her to run the marathon on its behalf. She had just turned 50 and thought the run would be a significant fitness challenge, while enabling her to raise money for a cause close to her heart.

When working with clients she asks them to identify specifically what they want to achieve, which becomes a powerful motivator, pulling them towards the vision. “Capture how your future self feels and create your vision,” she explains.

“Once you have clarity around what you want, you will feel excited and motivated.”

This is manifested by asking questions such as: what would you ideally like to achieve? How will your life be improved by achieving this? How will you feel? How will life be different for you? Who else will benefit and why?

Once the vision is firmly in place, the process of achieving it can start. Weiniger is inspired by the “tiny habit” method set out by of behavioural scientist BJ Fogg. It’s about splitting the goal into smaller manageable steps so that they’re practically achievable rather than daunting.

Her first step towards running her own marathon challenge was simply to sign up. Then she followed a training plan of targets over seven months set out by a virtual coach. Even the week before the marathon her goal was just to get to the starting line. And then it was just one more step, so to speak, to the finishing line.

“Having someone write a plan and support you by holding you accountable to them is a big part of the story,” she suggests. “If you wanted to climb Everest you would take a Sherpa and a good map to help you succeed. A lot of changes do feel like climbing a mountain. Having the support is integral to your success.”

Running, says Weiniger, is a great example of a “tiny step” as you can’t get literally smaller than putting one foot in front of the other, building up speed and distance. If you don’t have a coach, she recommends running with friends at a fixed time. Being accountable to someone other than yourself is a good way to ensure the habit sticks.

Another way to embed the habit, as per the BJ Fogg method, is to allocate a time attached to an existing fixed habit firmly planted in your life, say having your morning coffee. Immediately after drinking the cup of coffee you leave home for the run, building it into your routine without a second thought or distraction. Soon enough there will be additional benefits — such as positive emotions — which embed the new habit further.

Attaching new habits to fixed ones can apply for anything great or small. For example, Weiniger advises some clients to do pelvic-floor exercises in the car, each time they’re at a red light, or to do balance strengthening on alternating feet when they are brushing their teeth. Very quickly the new habit becomes an accepted action that requires no thinking, and so there is no need to rely on willpower.

The third aspect that Weiniger emphasises is feeling the “shine”. What that is depends upon the habit. For running there is a natural in-built benefit thanks to the release of the feelgood chemicals endorphins. For other habits, the power of a smile in the mirror or fist bump in the air should not be underestimated, as it reinforces the aspiration to reach a goal.

“We don’t talk to ourselves like we are our own best friend,” says Weiniger. “We need to give ourselves a feel-good reward, connecting to the fact we are one step closer to reaching our goal.”

Three months on, she is still feeling the shine, as she fondly remembers the warmth and enthusiasm of the supporters cheering her on during the London Marathon.

If running is not for you, she recommends trying anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you break a sweat — dancing, skipping, tennis, boxing, cycling, hiking, speed walking all have the same positive impact. “Just experiment until you find what you love and then it will be easy to integrate it into your life,” she suggests.

“For me feeling physically strong helps me stay mentally and emotionally strong, and enjoying what I do keeps mood and energy levels boosted daily.

“The key to making a change sticky enough to last is to enjoy the new habit. Focus on what you want to do, not what you should do — creating a stronger, happier, healthier you can be simple and surprisingly fun.”

The core message is that if you adopt the right steps for change you can turn a chore into a passion. Your new year resolution is no longer a one-off fad that slips away because it is just too difficult to maintain. Instead, it develops into an integral part of your life borne out of desire and habit.

Weiniger has successfully used her three-step method to help people navigate many issues beyond fitness, such as emotional eating, hormonal imbalances, chronic pain and fatigue. Her objective remains the same— to move people to a place where they feel happy and are flourishing.

Echoing the words of the late Queen Elizabeth II, she observes: “It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.’”

shinecoach.co.uk
To donate to Kisharon go to justgiving.com/fundraising/suzanne-weiniger-marathon