Anchors: The habits that bring you back

November 19, 2025

You've been there. Three weeks of perfect consistency. Then life happens. Work gets crazy, you get sick, you travel, motivation crashes. The workouts stop. The careful meal prep ends. Your routine disappears.

Two months later, you're starting from scratch again. Except this time, it feels harder. The guilt is heavier. The momentum is gone.

Here's what I've learned through my own journey and coaching others: Everyone deviates. Everyone falls off track. The difference between people who maintain their transformation and people who don't isn't that they never slip.

What is a Fitness Anchor?

An anchor is a specific habit or ritual that has become part of your identity. It's something you do so consistently, for so long, that it no longer requires willpower or motivation. It's just who you are now.

More importantly, an anchor serves as your gravitational force back to your fitness journey. Even when you drift far off course, it pulls you back.

Why Anchors Matter

The fitness journey isn't linear. You will have periods of intense focus and periods where life takes over. That's not failure. That's reality.

The problem with most fitness approaches is they assume constant, perfect adherence. When you can't maintain that (and you can't, indefinitely), the entire system collapses. No middle ground. No safety net.

Here's what happens when you have strong anchors:

• Shorter deviation periods: Instead of spending months completely off track, you maintain that one anchor. It reminds you who you are, and you return to full consistency faster.
• Less guilt and shame: You're not starting from zero. You never fully abandoned your identity as a fit person. You just scaled back temporarily.
• Preserved momentum: That anchor keeps your nervous system, your habits, and your identity somewhat engaged. Getting back to full consistency is returning, not restarting.
• Proof of capability: Every time you maintain your anchor during a tough period, you prove to yourself that you can stay consistent even when life is chaotic. That builds confidence for the long term.

What Makes a Good Anchor?

Not every habit qualifies as an anchor. The best anchors share certain qualities:

1. You Genuinely Enjoy It

This is non-negotiable. An anchor isn't about discipline or forcing yourself. It's something you actually like doing. When everything else feels like a chore, this is the one thing you still want to do.

If you hate running, don't make "morning runs" your anchor. If you despise meal prep, don't force it. The anchor needs to feel good, not obligatory.

2. It's Low-Friction

The easier it is to maintain, the better. Your anchor should survive even your worst weeks. That means it can't require a ton of time, equipment, or perfect conditions.

A 10-minute morning walk is a better anchor than a 90-minute gym session. A specific breakfast is better than full meal prep for the week. The anchor persists when everything else is chaos.

3. It Connects to Your Identity

The most powerful anchors reinforce who you believe you are. When you do them, you feel like yourself. When you skip them, something feels off.

This ties back to what we discussed in the right mindset: becoming a fit person, not just doing fit things. Your anchor is the habit that most clearly represents that identity.

4. It Triggers Other Positive Behaviors

A good anchor doesn't exist in isolation. When you do it, it naturally makes you want to do other healthy things. It's the first domino that starts the chain reaction.

For example, when I have my protein oatmeal breakfast, I'm more likely to make better choices at lunch. When I do my pull-ups at the gym, I'm already there, so I often end up doing a full workout. The anchor creates momentum.

Anchor Examples: Find What Fits Your Life

There's no universal anchor that works for everyone. Your anchor needs to fit your life, your personality, and your preferences. Here are examples grouped by type:

Movement Anchors

• 10-minute morning routine: Before the day gets crazy - stretching, bodyweight exercises, or yoga. No gym needed, minimal time.
• Daily walk: 15 minutes after lunch or dinner, every day. Fresh air and movement without needing gym clothes or a shower.
• Weekly group fitness class: The community and scheduled time make it stick, even when solo workouts disappear.
• Hotel room bodyweight routine: 15 minutes, no equipment, works anywhere (home workouts). Your consistency through travel chaos.

Nutrition Anchors

• Protein-focused breakfast: No matter what chaos the day brings, this one meal stays consistent.
• Meal prep Sunday: One morning a week to prepare healthy basics, anchoring good nutrition through weeknight chaos.
• Portable protein ritual: Travel with protein powder, always have a shake. This stays constant no matter what else you eat. (This is exactly what I do - traveling with protein.)

Tracking & Performance Anchors

• Weekly progress check-in: Every Sunday, weigh yourself, take measurements, update your progress dashboard. This ritual keeps you connected to your goals even when training is inconsistent.
• Daily step goal: Track it, hit it. Whether you're home or exploring new cities, this number stays non-negotiable.

My Personal Anchors

Let me share the two anchors that have consistently brought me back to my fitness journey, no matter how far I've drifted:

Anchor #1: My Protein Oatmeal Breakfast

This is the anchor that has survived everything. Travel, stress, motivation crashes, busy work periods. No matter what's happening in my life, breakfast is the same: overnight oats with protein powder. I carry protein powder with me everywhere - it's become non-negotiable.

Why it works:

• I genuinely enjoy it - tastes good and I look forward to it
• Low-friction - 2-minute prep the night before, works even when traveling
• Reinforces my identity even when everything else slips
• Triggers better decisions throughout the day

There have been weeks where my breakfast was the only fitness-related thing I did consistently. But it kept the thread connected. And eventually, that thread pulled me back to full consistency.

Anchor #2: Pull-Ups at the Gym

Pull-ups are sacred to me. It took me years to build up to 10 clean bodyweight pull-ups. That accomplishment means something. I'm not willing to lose it.

So even during periods when I'm not following a structured program, not tracking workouts, barely going to the gym, if I do go, I do pull-ups. Sometimes that's all I do. I walk in, do my pull-ups, and leave.

Why it works:

• Protects years of work - I'm not willing to lose that strength
• Gets me to the gym - and once I'm there, I often do more
• Identity marker - I'm someone who can do pull-ups

These two anchors - one nutrition, one training - have been my safety net through every deviation. They're not elaborate. They're not impressive. But they've kept me tethered when everything else fell apart.

How to Develop Your Own Anchors

Anchors are built through repetition and emotional connection. Here's how:

1. Find What Actually Works for You

Look at your current healthy habits - the ones that support your fitness goals. Which ones do you genuinely enjoy (not just think you should)? Which feel the most "you"? Which would survive a chaotic week? You probably already know - trust that intuition.

2. Start Smaller Than You Think

Consistency beats intensity. Don't commit to "meal prep every Sunday" - start with "prep breakfast for the week." Don't commit to "gym 5 days a week" - start with "do my main lift every time I go." Make it so easy you'll do it even on your worst days.

3. Protect It When Life Gets Hard

The real test comes when motivation crashes and everything falls apart. That's when you consciously protect your anchor. Let other things slide if you have to, but keep this one thing. When everything else falls apart, your anchor is what remains - and that's exactly when it matters most.

4. Build One at a Time

You only need two or three anchors total - one nutrition, one movement, maybe one tracking. But don't create them all at once. Focus on one solid anchor first. Once it's truly ingrained (months of consistency), then add another. These anchors form a safety net that catches you partway down, making the climb back up much shorter.

Your Turn: Building Your First Anchor

If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: You will deviate from your fitness plan. That's guaranteed. The question is whether you have something to bring you back.

Remember, the most successful transformations aren't built on perfect adherence. They're built on resilient systems that can survive real life.

Start building your first anchor today. Your future self - the one who deviates, struggles, and comes back stronger - will thank you.