Small Wins, Big Shifts: The Secret to Staying Motivated in Your Fitness Journey

 Let’s be honest, motivation doesn’t always show up when we need it. One week you’re smashing sessions and meal prepping like a pro, and the next… you’re neck-deep in takeaways and wondering where it all went wrong.

Coach Oliver Bashforth tackled this head-on in our recent webinar, highlighting how small wins (the little bits of progress we often ignore) are the real engine behind long-term confidence and change.

This one’s not about fancy trackers or hardcore routines. It’s about noticing how far you’ve come and letting that fuel you forward.

1. The Scale Isn’t the Whole Story

Oli started with a bang: stop obsessing over the bloody scales.

Yes, weight is a useful metric, but it’s also volatile. Water retention, hormones, sleep, stress, all can send the number bouncing up or down for no obvious reason.

Relying on it alone? Recipe for disappointment.

Instead, track a range of progress markers:

• Strength gains in the gym
• Progress photos
• Waist measurements
• Energy and mood levels
• How your clothes fit

These give a far more accurate (and positive!) view of how things are going.

2. Bank the Wins—No Matter How Small

Here’s the bit that really hit home: Oli explained how banking small wins builds genuine confidence. Not the fake, “I’ll be happy when I’m shredded” type—but real belief based on evidence.

Wins can look like:

• Hitting all your workouts this week
• Saying no to an unnecessary snack
• Walking away from a takeaway app after a long day
• Getting one more rep in the gym

Every time you notice and celebrate these moments, you reinforce the story that you can do this. That’s motivation you can actually trust.

3. When Life Throws You Off, Adapt—Don’t Quit

Life isn’t a controlled lab experiment. There’ll be stress, late nights, surprise family visits… stuff that throws your plan out the window.

Oli shared a brilliant story of a client who was worried about falling off track during a family trip. Instead of panicking, he helped her reframe it: make it a “real world strength test.” Move boxes, go for a walk, lift the nephews—whatever works.

If you miss a session or eat something off-plan, cool. Regroup, adapt, and carry on. The better you get at bouncing back, the more unstoppable you become.

4. Track What Matters—And Remind Yourself Often

Oli hammered home the importance of tracking more than just the number on the scale.

Track your workouts.
Track how strong you feel.
Track your wins—even the tiny ones.

When you’ve had a rough day and that number on the scale isn’t shifting, it’s these logs that’ll remind you you’re doing the work.

Noticing your wins also creates a kind of positive snowball effect. The more you see progress, the more confident you get. The more confident you are, the more likely you are to keep going—even when motivation dips.

5. It’s Not Just About You—It’s Bigger Than That

Towards the end of his segment, Oli dropped a gem: when you improve yourself, you positively impact others.

He gave the example of a client who became such an inspiration that her mum signed up for coaching too. Whether you’re a parent, a partner, or just part of a circle of mates, your energy affects everyone around you.

So when you invest in yourself, you’re not just doing it for you. You’re building a version of yourself who shows up better for everyone else too.

Our Final Thoughts

Fitness isn’t a perfect linear path. It’s a collection of decisions—big and small—that build momentum over time. And Oli’s message is clear: focus on those small wins. They're your anchor when motivation fades and your compass when progress stalls.

So if you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or just in need of a boost, zoom out. Look at what is improving. Because once you start seeing the small stuff? That’s when everything starts to change.

And if you’d like some help spotting those wins, tracking your progress, and adapting as life throws you curveballs—personal coaching might be exactly what you need to move forward with clarity and confidence.