By: Payson Staats, Spooner Scottsdale Personal Trainer
Starting your fitness journey can feel overwhelming—like there’s a “right” way to do it or a checklist you have to follow. But most of those plans fall apart because they don’t leave room for real life. Building healthy habits doesn’t have to be rigid or intimidating, it can fit into your personal goals and lifestyle.
Spooner personal trainer Trainer Payson shares how to lay a strong foundation, set realistic goals, and shift your mindset so that fitness becomes something you enjoy, not something you dread. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re ready to take things to the next level, there’s something here for you.
For someone just starting their fitness journey, what’s the first habit you encourage them to build and why?
I think, first and foremost, is getting a foundation of exercise. People like to think that it’s something very regimented. That you have to go to the gym, do bicep curls and be a body builder— but that just really isn’t the case.
I think it is helpful to have a foundation of play. That can include walking, getting outside, or some kind of activity that is functional and enjoyable. It can start slow and small, but that first foundational building block helps set you up for success as you start stacking other habits together. Your stack is only strong as your foundation!
How do you help beginners set realistic goals that actually fit into their lifestyle?
One thing that I really like is establishing SMART goals. So, what does SMART mean?
SMART is an acronym that stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound.
So if you are ready to get started, that’s a great way to clearly set an initial starting point, see progress, and work towards a goal.
If someone isn’t looking to set formal goals, I’d suggest starting with something that genuinely excites you. When you’re excited about what you’re doing, it’s easier to stay motivated and stick with it.
That could be anything from learning a new skill to trying out a class, joining a club, or picking up something active like dancing, hiking, walking, or boxing—whatever sounds fun to you. The great thing is, when you’re doing something you enjoy, it doesn’t feel like a chore. Along the way, you might even meet others who are starting their own health journey. There are so many opportunities—it’s all about finding what clicks for you.
What do you say to someone who’s struggling to stay committed—like they feel they’ve tried everything but just can’t stick with it?
Consistency can be really hard. I usually look at it two ways. First, it’s important to remember that health and fitness aren’t linear—it’s more of a wave. Sometimes you’re hitting all your goals, and other times, you’re not. That’s normal. What matters is not getting stuck in a rut of guilt or frustration. Often, self-reflection goes a long way: “Do I like the direction I’m heading?” If not, that’s okay…small adjustments can make a big difference.
The second key to success is starting small and being realistic. Many people take on too much without realizing it, and when it becomes overwhelming, they lose motivation. So, we can work on breaking it down into manageable steps and building from there.
That’s the cool part of what I do—guiding people through those mindset shifts and showing them that progress doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
When you see that a goal needs to shift, how do you help a client make that adjustment without making them feel like they’ve lost all their progress?
I just got certified as a personal trainer through ACE, the American Council on Exercise, and they have a really helpful approach to this. It starts with asking open-ended questions, really listening, and then breaking things down together.
Initially, I might think someone needs to do X, Y, and Z to get results. But if that goal doesn’t feel like theirs—if they don’t have ownership—it probably won’t stick. So it’s about collaborating, helping them talk through what’s realistic now, and then resetting the goal together. That way, it still feels like progress, just in a new direction.
Let’s say someone isn’t new to this anymore—they’ve been consistent for a while and are past the beginner stage. What does building healthy habits look like once you’re more advanced?
That can go a couple of ways. Some people shift into maintenance mode, where it’s like, “I like where I’m at, I’ve built solid habits, and I just want to keep it going.” And that’s great—but it can start to feel a little stale over time. So, the key becomes finding new ways to keep things interesting and engaging.
Fitness has its natural ups and downs, and that’s normal. For me, I was really into weightlifting for a long time. My dad was in the military and part of the Marine weightlifting club, so I grew up around it and really enjoyed it. But after a few years of just lifting, I started to feel like bench pressing every week wasn’t as exciting anymore.
So I started trying new things—running, for example. Just easing into it. And then I began using that fitness in other ways—hiking, rollerblading, just being active in ways that felt more dynamic and fun. That shift helped me reconnect with why I enjoy moving my body in the first place.
And at some point, if I want to go back to lifting and focus on that again, that’s totally fine too. Fitness doesn’t have to look the same forever. It should evolve with your interests, your lifestyle, your energy, and what’s going on in your life—whether that’s work, kids, or anything else.
You can’t expect to do the exact same thing forever—it has to move with you.
Life comes in waves, and your fitness routine should move with them. For example, if you’re a new mom and sleep is all over the place, your goal might shift from lifting weights to getting outside for a 30-minute stroller walk. Or if you’re a college student juggling finals, maybe that week it’s less about high-intensity workouts and more about winding down with a couple of nighttime yoga sessions. When work picks up, it might mean squeezing in quick bodyweight circuits at home or stretching between meetings. The point is, your routine can (and should) evolve with what’s happening in your life. What matters most is that you keep moving, adjusting, and showing up in a way that feels doable.
Ready to take the next step in your fitness journey? Connect with Payson or a Spooner Personal Trainer near you by calling 480-551-4960. Let’s build habits that actually stick—together.