Set your Minimum Baseline for Weight Loss Success
Your minimum baseline is the least amount of something you're willing to do. We all have one for various aspects of life, even if we don't consciously realise it.
For example, you likely have a minimum baseline for how often you shower, speak to your family, or take care of your responsibilities. When you fall below that baseline, it signals to you that something needs to change.
If your standard is to shower every day and suddenly you go a few days without one, you'll recognise that it's unacceptable for you and will take action to fix it.
Minimum baselines exist everywhere in our lives. How late will you allow yourself to be for an event? How long can you go without walking your dog? How many days pass before you feel the need to wash your hair? Many people wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without making their bed or would never consider touching drugs or smoking. Those are examples of non-negotiable minimums.
But when it comes to areas where you struggle to follow through on commitments, that's where creating a minimum baseline becomes a powerful tool.
Setting an easy, consistent baseline can help you build momentum and discipline, especially when starting something new.
For example, if you're trying to get into an exercise routine but have never managed to stick to one before, create a minimum baseline that's ridiculously easy. This helps you integrate the habit into your life. It might be as simple as exercising for five minutes, three times a week. Even just putting on workout clothes and going for a short walk counts. Or perhaps driving to the gym and spending five minutes on the treadmill. The key is to commit to that minimum baseline.
Why is this so important?
Because it’s just as easy to skip it. Your mind will often try to talk you out of doing it, convincing you that five minutes isn't worth the effort. But when you commit to this minimum baseline, you're not just committing to the action itself—you're making a promise to yourself. You're honoring your word, which builds integrity and self-trust. This is more than just about exercise. It's about keeping the promises you make to yourself.
This shift from external rewards to internal motivation changes everything. It creates a mindset where you're doing things because you said you would, not just for the immediate payoff.
This mental shift is crucial for sticking with anything challenging—whether it’s exercise, starting a new business, or following a healthier eating plan.
In the beginning, many things feel uncomfortable. Exercise might not feel good at first, just like working on a new business might feel daunting. But learning to overcome short-term discomfort is how we follow through on our long-term goals.
It’s about developing self-discipline and honoring your commitments, regardless of immediate rewards.
The reason so many of us struggle with discipline is that we’ve been conditioned to avoid pain and seek pleasure. We often trade long-term benefits for short-term gratification.
This is why dreams remain dreams for many people—they don’t know how to stay committed when they’re not being rewarded right away.
The minimum baseline helps train your brain to push through that.I recommend making your minimum baseline very easy to achieve.
If you’re new to exercising, start with five minutes, three times a week. At first, your brain will try to convince you that it's pointless and not worth bothering with.
But remember—the purpose of the five minutes isn’t to get physically fit right away. The goal is to prove to yourself that you can keep your promises and follow through, no matter how small.
Over time, those five minutes often turn into ten, then twenty, as your commitment grows. But only increase your baseline as your dedication to yourself increases.
The most important thing is that you keep your word to yourself.
Every time you meet the commitment you set, you’re building your integrity, reinforcing your self-discipline, and strengthening the trust you have in yourself. And that is the foundation for achieving anything you set your mind to.
