How To Stop Riding The Health & Fitness Rollercoaster

Ever feel like you’re doing all the right things – training hard, eating better, trying to make healthy choices – but nothing sticks?

You’re not alone. In fact, the stats tell a pretty sobering story:

• 80% of people don’t set goals at all.
• Of the 20% who do, only 30% succeed.

That means only 6% of people actually achieve what they set out to do.

But this isn’t about blame. It’s about understanding the missing piece: systems.

Bad Goals Are Just Wishes

Most people set vague goals:

• “Lose weight.”
• “Get fit.”
• “Be healthier.”

But there’s no structure, no timeline, no behavioural plan. When it doesn’t work, they feel worse, and each reset becomes harder.

Great Goals Change Lives

Powerful goals are clear, emotionally meaningful, and supported by daily behaviours. They create long-term change because they are:

• Specific and measurable
• Time-bound
• Emotionally driven
• Supported by a system that helps you keep going when motivation fades

The Neuroscience of Goal Success

There are four key areas of your brain that influence whether you stick to your goals:

• Amygdala: Evaluates emotional importance (why the goal matters)
• Basal Ganglia: Manages habits (your “go” and “no-go” responses)
• Lateral Prefrontal Cortex: Handles long-term planning (keeps you on track)
• Orbital Prefrontal Cortex: Tracks progress and adjusts based on emotional context (tells you if it’s working or not)

The 8-Part System That Actually Works

Here’s the step-by-step framework I use with my online coaching clients to get off the rollercoaster and create sustainable results:

1. The Umbrella Vision

Start big. What’s the dream outcome? Healthier body, more energy, better relationships – don’t limit yourself. Get it all down.

2. Get Specific

Turn your umbrella goal into a SMART goal. “Lose 10kg by December 1st” is much more useful than “lose weight.”

3. Behaviour First

Transform your outcome goal into action:

• Walk 30 minutes every morning.
• Train 3x per week.
• Meal prep on Sundays.

Then, schedule those behaviours into your actual calendar.

4. Find Your Emotional Driver

Ask yourself:

• What will achieving this goal let me do?
• Why does that matter?
• Then ask “why?” again.

This becomes your fuel when things get tough.

5. Know The Cost of Inaction

Equally important: what happens if nothing changes? How would your health, relationships, mood or energy look in 6 months? 5 years? Facing this is powerful. It gives you urgency.

6. Anticipate Roadblocks

Something will get in the way. Life always does.

• Travel
• Stress
• Kids
• Work

Identify likely obstacles before they happen and create contingency plans.

7. Accountability

Don’t go it alone. Whether it’s a coach, a friend, or a partner, having someone in your corner makes a huge difference.

8. Track, Analyse, Adjust

Use data to track what’s working. Celebrate your progress. If something isn’t working, learn from it and adapt. Your system should evolve with you.

Final Thoughts

The path to long-term results isn’t about willpower. It’s about building a system so robust that it catches you when life gets busy.

Set goals that mean something. Break them down. Layer them into your actual life. Build consistency.

You don’t need a full identity overhaul. You just need the right structure to expand into the version of yourself you already know you can become.