I Didn’t Start With Weight Loss — I Started With 10 Minutes

I was talking to some friends about mental health because they are still struggling. I shared what has helped me and one said, “that’s a good idea, I am going to start with daily walks”. So here I am, I decided to share a bit of my story.

There was a stretch of time where I really wanted to lose the weight I had gained… but I knew I couldn’t start there. I had gained and lost weight a few times in my life and this time, I knew I had to do something else. I had to work on my mental health first because if I didn’t if my and mental health isn’t steady, it doesn’t take much to trigger a spiral — and when that happens, I slide back into not eating properly, skipping the basics, and feeling like I’m starting over again (again).

So instead of trying to overhaul my whole life, I made myself one simple promise:

Every day, I would go for a walk outside — even if it was just up the alley.
Sometimes I told myself it only had to be 10 minutes. Just fresh air. Just movement. Just showing up. (Having a dog helped because he had to be walked)

And honestly? That “just 10 minutes” habit quietly changed everything.

The “rule” I made up for myself

I didn’t read this in a book or find it on social media.

I made it up because I needed something that worked when motivation was missing:

Do one small helpful thing for 10 minutes.

Ten minutes was my “minimum.”
Not because ten minutes is magic… but because ten minutes is doable.

And that’s how I kept myself from sliding backward.

The one non-negotiable: I walked outside every day

If there was one habit I made myself do daily — even when I didn’t feel like it — it was this:

Go for a walk outside.

Sometimes I didn’t promise myself a workout.
Sometimes I didn’t promise myself a perfect day.
But I could usually promise myself “just up the alley.”

At the time, I had one dog, and honestly… that helped. It gave the walk a purpose when I didn’t feel like doing anything for myself.

And here’s the funny part:

Even when I told myself “just 10 minutes,” my walks were usually longer than that.

But the goal wasn’t longer.
The goal was to start.

Why the “just up the alley” walk worked

That daily walk did more for me than burn calories.

It:

• got me outside (which matters more than we give it credit for)
• gave my day a reset (nature has a way with that, I have learned so much about it since then)
• helped me feel less stuck in my head
• reminded me I could still show up for myself
• kept me connected to a routine when everything else felt shaky

It was simple… but it was grounding.

And when my mental health is concerned, grounding is everything.

What my 10-minute things looked like

Some days it was movement.
Some days it was food.
Some days it was just doing something that helped me feel like a person again.

10-minute movement (or “exercise snacks”)

• A quick walk (even if it was short)
• Stretching + deep breaths
• A few “exercise snacks” through the day: calf raises while waiting, squats while the kettle boiled, a few minutes of stairs
• 10 minutes of a workout… or even one round instead of the whole thing

10-minute “keep-me-steady” habits

• Make something simple to eat (not perfect — just better than skipping)
• Prep one thing: wash fruit, chop veggies, cook quinoa, portion protein
• Tidy one surface
• Get outside for fresh air and daylight
• Drink water and reset

Nothing glamorous.

But it kept me from sliding backward.

And over time, those tiny choices built something I didn’t have before:

momentum.

The timeline no one posts about

This didn’t transform my life in 30 days.

It took me about 1.5 to 2 years of choosing small, steady actions.

And I’m saying that because I think it matters.

If you’re in a season where you’re just trying not to spiral — that’s not a “failure phase.”

That’s a foundation phase.

When my mental health was steadier, I focused on fat loss

Once I felt more stable (and less easily triggered), I finally had the capacity to focus on fat loss without it turning into pressure, restriction, or burnout.

And guess what?

I still used the same approach.

Sometimes it was:

• 10 minutes (a 10 minute morning I called it)
• one workout
• a handful of exercise snacks
• a “good enough” day instead of an “ideal” day

Because consistency isn’t built by your best days.

It’s built by the days you almost didn’t do anything — but you still did something.

18 pounds down… and the real win

I’m now down 18 pounds and have a great workout routine, that old me would have never been able to do consistently.

But the real win is that I’m:

• happier
• healthier
• stronger
• and more confident than I’ve ever been

And it started with one tiny promise:

“Just up the alley.”

And I still walk daily.
That habit never left — because it wasn’t a phase.

It became part of who I am. (and now I have 2 dogs that need it too!)

Try this today: your 10-minute reset

If you’re in a season where everything feels like “too much,” try this:

1. Set a timer for 10 minutes
2. Choose one small helpful thing (movement, food, fresh air, tidying, water)
3. Do it until the timer ends
4. Stop — or keep going if you want

Either way, you win.

Because you’re proving to yourself:

I don’t have to do everything.
I just have to do something.

Want a little extra structure?

If this post resonated, take it as your sign: you don’t have to do everything to change your life.

You just have to do one small helpful thing… consistently.

If you’re still in the “foundation phase,” start with one 10-minute habit today.And if you’re ready for simple fat loss structure without extremes, you can grab my free Kickstart to Fat Loss guide 👉🏻{Here}

📌Be sure to Pin this for a reminder.