6 Steps to Restart Your Fitness Journey (and Actually Stick With It This Time)

You’ve been here before—starting strong, then life pulling you away. Whether it was a move, illness, or just a busy season, your workouts disappeared, and so did your routine. Now you’re ready to try again, but with a new question: How do you restart your fitness journey in a way that actually sticks?

This post breaks down 6 practical steps to help you restart your fitness journey—not from scratch, but from experience—with lasting success this time around.

Disclaimer: This blog is designed to provide helpful tips but isn’t personalized medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting a new exercise program or making changes to your health routine. For full details, see our Disclaimer & Terms of Use.

Why This Time Needs to Be Different

Let’s be honest: the old way didn’t work.

Maybe it was too intense. Maybe it didn’t fit your schedule. Maybe it was built on pressure, guilt, or trying to “catch up” to your past self.

This time, you need a better strategy—one built for real life. One that’s:

• Simple enough to start today

• Flexible enough to handle setbacks

• Consistent enough to build results and a habit for real life

  
  

Most importantly, this time is about becoming the version of you who sticks with it—without needing perfect conditions.

Need structure this time? Start here.

Let's get into the 6 steps for restarting your fitness journey so that it sticks.

Step 1: Drop the Guilt

You’re not lazy. You’re not weak. You’re human.

Guilt is a heavy load to carry into a new season. And it doesn’t actually help you stay consistent—it only makes you feel worse when you miss a day.

So instead of thinking:

“I should’ve never quit,” try: “I’m proud of myself for coming back.”

The comeback is part of the journey. Own it. Without shame.

Step 2: Anchor Yourself in 7 Days

It’s tempting to make a big plan when you restart your fitness journey. To map out lofty goals. To plan a new meal strategy. To download four new apps.

But right now, you don’t need long-term vision. You need short-term traction.

Commit to just 7 days. That’s it.

Start with:

• One small workout daily (even 10–15 minutes)

• A simple walk, strength circuit, or mobility flow

• A visible tracker (paper calendar, whiteboard, or app)

Your goal: build momentum, not intensity. Seven days of consistent action can shift your identity more than seven weeks of inconsistent pressure. My free 7-day Kickstart is the perfect way to get this done!

Step 3: The Best Way to Restart Your Fitness Journey

Here’s where most people go wrong: they try to jump back in at full speed.

They return to the workout they used to do six months or even 5 years ago. They try to follow a strict schedule, restrict their food, or punish themselves into results.

But when you’re trying to restart your fitness journey, starting small is the smartest move. It's the key to the light game.

You don’t need:

• A gym membership

• Hour-long workouts

• A brand-new wardrobe of fitness gear

You do need:

• Repeatable habits

• A low-friction environment

• A clear reason to keep showing up

This isn’t about “catching up.”It’s about laying down a new foundation—one that doesn’t collapse after two weeks.

Want a beginner workout plan that’s simple, sustainable, and actually works?

Read my post on: The Only Workout Routine for Beginners You Actually Need →

Step 4: Redefine What Progress Means

Most people think progress is:

• Losing inches

• Building muscle

• Seeing the number drop on the scale

Those might be outcomes of progress—but not the most important kind.

Real progress looks like:

• Showing up when you didn’t feel like it

• Choosing 15 minutes of movement instead of skipping the day entirely

• Feeling proud instead of defeated after a workout

Track those wins. Journal them. Celebrate them. Because that’s the progress that keeps you going. They feed determination which trumps motivation every time.

"Research shows that forming a new habit takes, on average, 66 days—meaning your 60-day effort is right on target for long-term change."

– Lally et al., European Journal of Social Psychology, 2009

Step 5: Create Safe, Realistic Accountability

You don’t need to announce your goals to the world. You don’t need 12 friends checking in on your every move.But you do need support—and a way to stay connected to your why.

Try one or more of these:

• Text one person at the end of your workout each day

• Write your reason for restarting and tape it to your mirror

• Use a habit tracker where you can check off your workouts

• Leave a sticky note on your water bottle or laptop as a daily nudge

• Simply relish in the workout and post work out good feeling and reflect on the impact of that feeling

The key here is that your accountability should feel encouraging, not performative. You’re building trust with yourself first.

Step 6: Ditch the “All or Nothing” Mindset

It’s easy to feel like if you miss one day, the whole week is a loss. That one skipped workout ruins the streak. So what’s the point? This is where so many people give up.

Instead of chasing perfection, start chasing consistency. Let yourself:

• Shift your plan on low-energy days

• Scale workouts down when you’re tired

• Come back after a missed day without restarting everything, keep looking forward

Fitness doesn’t require 100% perfection—it requires enough consistency to keep you in motion.

You don’t fail when you miss a day. You fail when you quit trying.

Here's how to reframe your restart: read my post here.

This Time Can Be Different

Restarting means resetting your mindset—no guilt, no perfectionism. Start by forgiving past setbacks and focusing on progress, not perfection. Build habits gradually, aiming for consistency over intensity. Use habit stacking: attach your workout to something you already do daily. Finally, track your wins—even the small ones—to stay motivated and see your progress.

You’re not starting over from zero. You're starting from experience. From resilience. From everything you’ve learned about what doesn’t work—and what might.

This time, you don’t need to go harder. You need to go simpler, steadier, and more self-aware.

• Pick movement that feels good

• Start small

• Track what matters

• Let consistency lead the way

You’re not trying to prove anything. You are building something. Something that lasts.

Ready to Take the First Step?

No big declarations. No dramatic plans. Just this: one action today.

—Choose a 10–15 minute workout

—Write down your reason for starting again

—Download my free 7-Day Kickstart

Commit to showing up—imperfectly, but consistently—for 7 days

This time, it’s not about making up for lost time—it’s about building forward. Let Your First 60 be the start that finally sticks.