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The Snowball Effect

snowball-effect

Recently I spent a morning working at my desk and was ready for a break. I had planned a run outside that day, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I had a few options:

  1. Force myself to run
  2. Stay inside and keep working
  3. Walk instead

I love walking, and you can always convince me to take a walk. There is something so pleasant about walking, so I decided that a walk was better than nothing and a good compromise. Plus I really didn’t want to keep working ; ) So, I put on my workout clothes, queued up a podcast, and set out the door.

Guess what happened? About 10 minutes in, I decided I felt like running after all. I ran the rest of the way and ended my workout feeling great.

What happened that day was a typical snowball effect. You start out small with something and as you see or feel results, you gain the momentum and motivation to push harder. I had NO intention of running when I set out, but after 10 minutes of waking up my legs and feeling good about the choice to go outside, the craving to run buzzed in.

Had I just walked, that would have been OK too. Because something is always better than nothing. And you never know when a healthy snowball is going to hit you in the face!

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The same thing happened to me when I graduated from college. I started cooking on my own and didn’t have the temptation of midnight quesadillas anymore, and a few pounds melted off of me. I was so excited to see the change that I continued to focus on healthy habits, cooking and exercising. I tell people all the time that when I lost the weight after college it really was fairly effortless because my snowball effect was so strong (and because I had a lot of weight to lose…).

The hard part is packing that first loose snow into something you can see and feel. How do you make those first few good choices that get the ball rolling?

First, you remind yourself that there are CHOICES. You get to decide how you spend your time. Think of the hours in your day like money you can spend, and you are buying yourself a good mood and a healthier body, and investing in a longer, more active life.

Second, the next time your brain says “I’d rather sit on the couch and drink this bottle of wine, thankyouverymuch” tell yourself you only have to do the minimum. A walk. A ten minute YouTube bootcamp. Only 30 minutes at the gym instead of your usual hour. Some days that might be all you can handle and THAT IS OK! But other days getting that first snow packed might push you in the right direction. Sometimes I just need to put on my sports bra and I suddenly get the urge to workout! Know thyself.

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And finally, set yourself up for success by making the healthy choice the easy choice. I have always loved reading magazines at the gym and now I am totally hooked on a handful of podcasts. Lately I have been looking at my workouts as “podcast time” more than “exercise time” and I look forward to that podcast so much I forget that I am out of breath or have walked an extra lap around the block so I can finish it up before going inside. Find something that makes you enjoy exercise and start with a sport that supports that joy: trashy TV, reading novels, home magazines, audio books, music, podcasts, chatting with friends.

Pretty soon your snowball will turn into a boss lady snow woman ; )

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. What are your favorite podcasts? My favorite ever is Happier with Gretchen Rubin. I think based on the content of this post alone, it would be right up your alley.

    Reply

    • I love The Lively Show, Young House Love, Dave Ramsay, YNAB’s podcast, and Rob Has A Podcast (Survivor!). I haven’t listened to Happier, but it sounds right up my alley!

      Reply

  4. this is spot on! i think our high expectations of what a workout should be can also kill our motivation. you think you HAVE to run for 60min or it’s not worth it. but the reality is, any amount and type of movement is good for the body, mind and soul. personally, i have done some loooong endurance races (like 50 mile trail races and ironmans) and sometimes the thought of an easy 4 mile run is overwhelming. if that happens i just let it go and aim to move my body, get my steps (i like to track via my iphone) and take care of myself from a physical, emotional and mental perspective. you don’t have to fit any one type of workout mold, you do you and move your body as much as possible. 🙂

    Reply

  7. This is so spot-on. Getting started is sometimes the hardest part and takes the most energy. But if we set the bar really, really low, and make the plan pleasant, it still builds momentum.

    Reply

  8. That is so true. This weekend I was having a lazy bum on the couch day. I forced myself to go outside to play in the snow for only 5 mins. I ended up spending over an hour outside, sliding, playing with my son.

    Reply

  9. This is such an amazing post! Once I start to feel myself work up a sweat, it motivates me more to finish my exercise strong. I love walks, so sometimes that’s what my body craves. I really appreciate your perspective. Sometimes I catch myself feeling like I failed if I didn’t push myself harder, sweat more, give it my all. I love workouts when I do but appreciate all movement. This serves as the perfect reminder that our small efforts can still make the biggest impact. 🙂

    Reply

  10. Thank you for this post. It came on a much needed day for me, although I’m reading it a day late. the snowball effect covers all aspects of life for sure, and reading your post has helped solidify some of my recent thinking.

    Reply

  11. I was a regular runner when my husband died. I did not have the energy to run after, but I could put one foot in front of the other and walk.

    On a side note, and I’ve seen at least one other mention of this, the ads on your page are getting over the top. I can barely write this reply because the animations keep pulling my screen back to the top of the page. And there are adds connected to every picture. I know you need to monetize your blog somewhat, but it’s getting worse. I really love your posts, but it’s getting to be a lot of work.

    Reply

  12. You nailed it! When I was more into running I’d tell myself “I only have to go out for 20 minutes, and then I can turn around”. Usually by the time that 20 minutes hit, I’d be feeling pumped and just keep going! Now I’ve turned more towards cycling and strength classes, but that idea still sticks…if I can just get myself to start, I’m guaranteed to get something beneficial out of my workout!

    Reply

  13. I’m a podcast newbie. I did a quick search on the iTunes store and found the number of choices to be overwhelming. Also, there’s a fee for many of them. How do you find podcasts that interest you? Is there a fee for the ones you listed in the comments? Thanks.

    Reply

    • None of the ones I listen to have fees, but most have ads and sponsors. Try searching by topics that interest you – happiness, minimalism, fitness, nutrition, budgeting, etc. I can usually tell just a few minutes if I’m going to like a podcast or not, so also try downloading a bunch and then just weeding them out.

      Reply

  15. I love this! Right now I am suffering from burnout from a half marathon I ran back in September. All motivation to run is out the window. Instead of forcing this, I have instead embraced weight training (both at the gym and at home). I know my desire to run will come back – but I’m not forcing it at this time. I’m sure the cold weather has something to do with it. Right now I am enjoying embracing a total different workout, and am loving how my body is responding. No need to kill myself with the cardio right now! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

    Reply

  16. Great post! I try to keep this thought in mind every morning when I think about not making my bed. If I don’t make it, it sets my day off to a lazy start and it’s hard to get the next task accomplished.

    Reply

  18. Ain’t toys the truth?! One of my girlfriends got super fit on her home treadmill by watching the Harry Potter movies while she worked out. Whatever works!

    Reply

  19. Good post, I was thinking it probably helped that on that walk you had your exercise clothes on and not jeans! 🙂 I have been struggling with having too many happy hours and eating crap because of it. And then when I do want to start eating well, I wonder what I should follow, low carb, gluten/dairy/sugar free? Up my fats, lower my fats? Then this morning I thought… you know what, lets not make this too hard, eat with focus on whole food (80/20) and track the calories. Lets just start there!

    Reply

    • Check out The Lively Show. Someone else recommended Gretchen Rubin’s, and I just found one called The Minimalists that I am liking! And I listen to Food Blogger Pro, but that’s very niche for me.

      Reply

  21. Yes, yes and yes.
    Also, these photos are gorgeous!!
    I haven’t worked out in 2 weeks and this morning, I really didn’t want to, but I told myself “just 5 minutes” and after those 5 minutes passed, I finished the whole thing and felt AWESOME after! Now I just have to remind myself of this tomorrow 😉

    Reply

  22. Your last paragraph reminded me of a Freakonomics podcast about ‘Temptation Bundling’ an undesirable activity (exercise) with a desirable activity (reading a book, listening to a podcast, etc.). It basically explores the economic concept of an incentive. It was super interesting! Someone did a study about how temptation bundling impacted people’s exercise habits. I’d tell you what the outcome was, but I don’t want to ruin it! 😉

    Speaking of podcasts, Freakonomics is amazing. It is so thought provoking and they get some really interesting and intelligent guests!

    Here is the link to the podcast: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/when-willpower-isnt-enough-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

    Reply

    • This is an interesting topic. I will have to check out the Freakonomics podcast. I have used temptation bundling to help me do boring household tasks, such as washing dishes or folding laundry, by pairing it with watching Netflix shows (Gilmore Girls, especially). For years I had watched very little tv because while my kids were really young I was too busy and also preferred to read. So, I have caught up with a lot of popular shows (The Office, Mad Men, Parks & Recreation, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, but mostly Gilmore Girls) while doing housework. I also like to listen to NPR. My favorite show is Fresh Air.

      Reply

  23. This is such a great post! I work on this often with my nutrition clients — trying to get rid of the all or nothing mentality and instead saying, I’ll just do a bit now, and if it feels good, I’ll continue – and if not, that’s okay too!

    Reply

  24. You are so, so right! I often tell myself that I can choose to go to the gym or take a walk for 10 minutes, and if I really don’t feel like it at the end of the 10 minutes – I can quit. I never have!

    Reply

  26. I really like the new direction you seem to be taking with your blog. There is an authenticity to it, and it feels like we are getting to learn about you and the ideas you discuss at a deeper level.

    Also, I have to recommend The Brain Candy Podcast!

    Reply

  27. Listening to podcasts while walking is definitely one of my favorite ways to spend “me-time” 🙂 The idea of the “snowball effect” was a great reminder. Thanks for sharing, Kath!

    Reply

  29. I have to “trick” myself into working out a few days a week, but it works! Sometimes I do end up “just walking” but that’s good too!

    Favorite podcasts = Modern Love and Dear Sugar! Modern love episodes are only 20-25 minutes so they’re great for convincing myself to run until they are over… and I often end up listening to two 🙂

    Reply

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