Sustainable, long-term results are achieved through consistency. If you are consistent with your nutrition and training 70% of the time, you are going to get 70% of the result you want.
Let’s define consistent “acting or done in the same way over time”.
This is where I have seen many people, myself included, get tripped up. You have a goal, so come up with a fantastic exercise program and eating plan. You follow it to a tee for the first week or so and then you start to become slack. You start skipping a workout here and there, and start adding in more and more cheat meals. Come week 4 and you are wondering why your progress has slowed if not stopped completely. It’s because you haven’t acted in the same way over enough time, you haven’t been consistent.
You didn’t wake up one day with the body you have now, it has taken years of your lifestyle to shape what you see in the mirror today. Similarly, it will take months and years to re-shape your body into what you want to see when you look in the mirror. So when I say be consistent, I am talking months at least. If you chop and change your exercise and nutrition on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, how will you know what works and what doesn’t?
Here’s how to guarantee your fitness goals. Record where you’re at right now, whether that be through fitness testing or body measurements. Then, come up with an exercise plan and solidify your eating habits (I’m here to help if you need). Do this consistently for one month.
As an example, if you choose to not eat carbs after 3pm for one month, do not eats carbs after 3pm every single day for an entire month. If you stay true and are consistent, you can now retake your fitness testing and body measurements. If there is a positive change, great! Keep at it and try adding in something else. If there is no or little change, try something different. Whatever the next step is, make it consistent.
It can be tricky to be consistent I know, life gets in the way. That’s why when choosing what you will be consistent with, make sure it is something manageable. For example, I meet many first time gym goers who say they want to hit the gym 3 times a week. I always say that I love their enthusiasm, but let’s try twice a week for the first month. If you can nail that, we’ll look at upping the ante. Remember that consistency is over time, if you don’t think you can achieve it over time then it’s probably best to find a more reasonable alternative.
Now it’s your turn, pick something you want to be consistent with, actually stick to it for at least a month, and see what happens.