February Recap: Habit Stacking
If January was about holding steady, February was about building. Last month, my daily step goal was 3,000, and I averaged 3,650. That told me my baseline had shifted. So in February, I raised the goal to 5,000 steps a day. At the beginning of the month, that jump did feel significant. Going from 3,000 to 5,000 isn’t just a few extra laps, it requires restructuring the rhythm of the day. It meant walking during calls instead of sitting. Parking farther away. Adding a short loop in the evening when I would normally collapse onto the couch. Letting movement become something woven into the margins instead of reserved for “when I have time.”
By the end of the month, I was averaging 5,000 steps a day.
That number matters less to me than what it represents. In May, I have a trip planned that will require a lot of walking, and I want to be able to maximize my time! I want the stamina to explore without constantly scanning for the next place to pause. So now the goal is to build toward averaging 70,000 steps per week by the end of April. To support that shift, I bought a watch as a prompt. On long days at the computer, it should nudge me to stand, move, and reset. I’m hoping this is a small and gentle reminder that my body needs tending to just as much as my inbox does.
While movement was the visible focus of February, the quieter work involved supporting my body internally. I finally feel steady with my fiber and protein goals. Because of that, I had the bandwidth to provide more strategic support rather than constantly thinking about my meals. I added an iron supplement and built it into my morning rhythm, taking it before I drop my son off at daycare so it has time to absorb before breakfast. I began intentionally incorporating walnuts as my evening snack, a simple swap that boosts omega-3s while replacing the kind of late-night snacking that never truly satisfied me. My hair, skin, and nails supplement is a flavor that slips easily into iced coffee each morning, and my magnesium, L-theanine, and vitamin D powder has become a nightly ritual — a coconut-flavored wind-down that curbs the urge for something sweet.
January showed me I could hold the line during a demanding season. February showed me I could expand it!
