USING THE FRESH START EFFECT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Right now, we’re in one of those funny transition months. August can feel like standing in two places at once — still in summer mode, but already feeling the pull of routines, schedules, and new responsibilities on the horizon. Maybe your kids are going back to school soon. Maybe your work calendar is about to get busier. Maybe you’re just craving a little more structure after a looser season.
Whichever direction your life is flowing, this late summer/early fall time period often initiates a natural shift, and there’s something about a clean slate that just feels good.
Picture it: A Monday. A new month. The first day of school. The start of a new season. We love these natural turning points — and for good reason. Psychologists even have a name for this: it’s called the Fresh Start Effect.
SO…WHAT IS THE FRESH START EFFECT?
The fresh start effect is a behavioral science concept that describes how people are more likely to take action toward a goal after a “temporal landmark” — or a moment that feels like the start of something new (helloooo New Years resolutions!👋🏼). These fresh starts help us mentally separate our “past self” from our “current self,” and that gap creates a feeling of possibility. We think: That was then, this is now. And it becomes easier to believe we can do things differently.
And while we often associate this with January 1, the fresh start effect can happen weekly, monthly, seasonally — even daily. What I want you to take away here is that a fresh start doesn’t create change. It creates a window. A moment of opportunity. A door that opens. And it’s what you do with that moment that matters.
FRESH STARTS AND NUTRITION
In nutrition coaching, I see this all the time — both in the most helpful ways, and in ways that can lead people astray.
Someone might tell me:
“I’ve got a girls’ trip this weekend, so I’m going to wait and start on Monday.”
Or: “I’ll get back on track after Labor Day.”
Or even: “I already messed up lunch, I’ll just start fresh tomorrow.”
And while the intention behind that thinking makes sense (you're not wrong for craving a clean break!), it can sometimes turn into a waiting game — where we put off action in the name of a better starting point, and lose a whole lot of practice time in the process.
We know there is no best time to start something – you have to take the first step, and then the next, and then the next, and then the next. And yet, research shows us that there are benefits to starting during a time that has meaning for you – like the start of a new season, taking a new job, or even moving. These landmarks can kickstart some motivation (that we know can be a fleeting feeling); we are more likely to adopt new habits/make changes during times of transition or upheaval. When life is already shifting, it creates an opportunity to build new routines instead of forcing change during an otherwise stable time.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR NEXT FRESH START
PLAN AHEAD, JUST A LITTLE: The fresh start won’t do the heavy lifting for you — but if you pair it with a bit of prep (like getting groceries or outlining your goals), you give it legs to stand on.
START SMALL: It’s tempting to overhaul everything all at once, but real change is built on small, manageable actions. Think: “I’ll get protein at breakfast this week” instead of “I’m going to eat perfectly every day.”
REFLECT INSTEAD OF RESET: Instead of “starting over,” what if you thought of it as starting again — with the knowledge and insight of what you’ve already tried?
As we launch into August, the fresh start effect can work in your favor — not because you need to “start over,” but because you can lean into the natural shift that’s already happening and decide how you want to move forward. So whether you're still soaking up summer or already in “back-to-school” mode, know this: you don’t need a perfect plan or perfect timing to move forward. You just need a little momentum and the willingness to begin.
Got some shifts coming up in your life and want to make the most of them but it feels hard to do alone? Nutrition coaching can help with giving you some extra guidance. (And applying doesn’t have to feel scary – filling out this form puts us in touch so that we can have a (free!) conversation and get to know each other to make sure we’re a great coach/client fit!)
