Why consistency is key for success

Consistency is key. Many people will feel motivated by the beginning of the year or the month or a 14 day challenge. The problem comes when they don’t stick to the extreme changes they are trying to make in a short amount of time because it’s not sustainable. The best challenge or program will get you started AND keep you going, helping you to make small changes over time. That’s always the goal with my clients - I don’t want them to just lose those 20 pounds, I want them to build habits that will keep them healthy, give them a better quality of life, feel stronger and more capable than they ever have. They lose those 20+ pounds AND keep it off. I want you to feel empowered to make decisions for your health, learning and understanding what is best for you and your body. Twenty minutes of daily movement will always be better than one week of intense activity and then nothing at all for three weeks. The yo-yo dieting doesn’t work- starting and stopping restrictive food plans. Instead, eating healthy (and cooking at home)  80-90% of the time will always be best. There is saying that it’s not what you do once in a while that makes a difference, it’s what you do consistently. And that goes both ways- if you’re consistent with a poor diet and sitting on the couch watching tv daily and then you go for a walk maybe once a month..  that walk probably won’t make any difference. The poor diet and lack of exercise will make a difference, just not a good one. What you do consistently will determine who you become. Think of who you want to be one year from now or ten years from now. Do you want to be someone who is active, prioritizing exercise daily? Do you want to be someone who weighs 10 pounds less? Do you want to be an example for your children, knowing that your habits will determine theirs? Once you have a vision for that future you, start acting as if you are already that person. Start now by doing what that person would do/how they would spend their day. Don’t give up on yourself, what you need to be successful is already available to you. Here are 5 ways to stay consistent in your health journey.  

1. Know your WHY. The desire to change must be stronger than the comfort of staying the same. Why do you have the goals that you have? Motivation can get you started, but it’s your habits and discipline that will keep you going. What is motivating you to start now? 

2. Daily journaling and visualizing. Take 5 minutes each day to review the day before -what went well and what didn’t? What do I need to do/remember today? What am I grateful for? Remind yourself how you will feel once the goal is accomplished. 

3. Make a plan. Schedule your habits - ideally at the same time each day. For example, you could schedule your workout at 7am each day. One thing I do with my clients is help them anticipate roadblocks or challenges that might hinder their progress and then we plan for how to process or push through them.  

4. Find an accountability partner or coach. Honestly, having a coach AND a friend or spouse on this health journey with you is one way to guarantee success. You are like the people you are around the most and this can be a great thing unless your circle has some not so healthy habits, then you’ll most likely have those habits too. Find people who are where you want to be and spend time with them. A coach provides the outside perspective you might be missing. Friends are great for support, but will they challenge you when you need to be challenged?

5. Know when to pivot. This is another thing a coach can help you with. It’s important to know when you need to change directions. Recognize that what was working for you before might not work for you now. It might be time to level up, challenge yourself and do something different. If you want new results, you’ll have to do something new. Start small with changes, but know when you are ready for more. 

Keep the promises you make to yourself. If you say you will do something, do it. Use these tips to stay consistent in your health journey.. because it is a journey. It’s not a one week diet plan, it’s a lifestyle. You want to feel your best, strongest, most energized and healthy habits will get you there. Acknowledge and celebrate your wins because each time you keep the promise and do what you say you will do, your confidence and motivation grows. And you get a little closer to becoming the person you want to be.

Just as I was about to post, this quote from James Clear came through my inbox and I wanted to share: “In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering. In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don’t have much time? Scale it down. Don’t have much energy? Do the easy version. Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances. Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day. Adaptability is the way of consistency.”  Not every day will be perfect, you won’t hit your goals 100% of the time. Just keep going. Don’t give up. -CS