For Alex Neilan, founder of Sustainable Change Ltd, lasting health transformation doesn’t begin with a perfect plan, the right diet, or even the best exercise routine. It begins with one simple decision: to take the first step.
Why do we put off change?
Many women come to Sustainable Change after years of waiting for the “right” moment. They’ve told themselves they’ll start after the holiday, after work settles down, or when life feels less stressful. The reality? That perfect time never comes.
“Life will always throw obstacles at you,” Neilan explains. “The key is learning to build change within real life, not outside of it. If you only succeed when things are easy, it won’t last.”
It’s a message he’s shared widely. In a recent feature with Forbes, Alex Neilan described procrastination as “the same as saying ‘I quit.’” His point is simple: waiting for the perfect time to change is really just giving yourself permission never to start.
Start small, sustain big
Neilan’s approach is rooted in habit science and empathy. Instead of asking women to overhaul their lives overnight, his team helps them focus on small, repeatable actions – whether that’s two hours a week of structured resistance training, or gradually improving nutrition without rigid restrictions.
“It’s about progress, not perfection,” he says. “The smallest step forward beats waiting for a huge leap that never comes.”
The cost of delay
Procrastination doesn’t just hold back weight loss – it chips away at confidence, health, and independence. For women over 40 and 50, the stakes are even higher. Hormonal changes during menopause can slow metabolism, making progress more challenging the longer it’s delayed.
“That’s why self-care has to move up the priority list,” Neilan explains. “If you don’t act now, the next five, ten, or twenty years of your life will be shaped by that choice.”
Stories that prove its possible
Sustainable Change has supported more than 4,500 women across the UK and Ireland, many of whom arrived after decades of procrastination. They came convinced they had “tried everything.” What they found instead was a supportive team – dietitians, psychologists, physiotherapists, and coaches – helping them take action they could finally sustain.
“Some of our most inspiring members are the ones who spent years doubting themselves,” Neilan reflects. “Once they took the first step, everything changed – confidence, mobility, even careers and relationships. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it never happens at all if you keep waiting.”
A mission of momentum
With a 90,000-strong community, a 4.9-star Trustpilot rating, and more than seven thousand subscribers on Youtube (Alex Neilan – Sustainable Change) Sustainable Change is more than a programme – it’s a movement against delay, doubt, and quick fixes.
Neilan’s mission remains bold: to help one million people live longer, healthier, and happier lives. And his message is simple: “Don’t wait for the right time. Start now. Even the smallest step can set you on a path you’ll thank yourself for in years to come.”
