Consistency is the often ignored, vital ingredient in
any health and wellbeing approach. Here’s how it can
help and hinder your goals when it comes to weightloss,
fitness and health.
We’re into February and for many those New Years
Resolutions to “get back on track”, “lose weight” and
“get fit” are dim and distant memories already.
We’ve had Blue Monday and even “National Sickie Day” ,
washing away our good intentions as the dark mornings
seem to persist, the credit card bills from Christmas
extravagances require payment and “dry January” comes
to an end.
Real life hits home and it gets harder to remain
consistent with your plans.
Ironically though, this is one of the main ingredients
you need to succeed at implementing any form of change.
Consistency.
This is why, when implementing changes, it’s important
to ensure they are something you believe in enough to
stick to them. Not just for a day, a week or even a
month….but consistently for the long-term.
“We are what we repeatedly do” is part of a famous
quote by Aristotle. This applies through all areas of
life, including your health, fitness and wellbeing.
Change is a journey. It takes time. Making each
change a success requires you to repeatedly implement
that change, until it becomes a habit.
However, this is where consistency can literally bite
you in the bum!
Say you’re on it. Your nutrition is “on point”, you’re
“nailing the workouts”. You may even be making great
improvements in your hydration, sleep quality and
stress levels. Great! That’s fantastic.
Then you regularly binge drink on a weekend. Or
frequently add in “cheat meals”. You might
increasingly skip your activity sessions.
And surely that handful of
nuts/Haribo/chocolates/sweets or biscuit with your brew
won’t really make that much difference will they?
As a one-off, no they probably won’t. If however,
you’re doing this every day….or even every time you
make a brew – it does make a difference. Maybe you
consistently nibble at the ingredients when making a
meal without realising that you’re doing it.
Perhaps you consistently underestimate the amount you
are eating and/or drinking at meals, or in between
meals. Another latte to go?
You become consistent at deviating from implementing
your chosen change(s).
“But I was good all week!”
That’s as may be. However, if, through “being good”
you accumulate a 1,000kcal deficit during the working
week but then have a 1,500kcal blow out every Friday
night…you’ve blown your positive consistency out of the
water.
Einstein hit the nail on the head when he said “We
cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we
used when we created them”.
The answer to your weightloss and health issues is not
to keep hopping onto another diet, buying another detox
product or choosing a meal replacement approach.
The answer does include being honest with yourself
about where you are now and how you got there. Being
realistic about one change you can implement right
now….you don’t have to wait til Monday!
Then implement it consistently.
Consistency is better than rare moments of greatness.
What you do every day matters more than what you do
every once in a while.
All clichés that come with pretty pictures on the
internet….but they’re true.
Just as I talked about looking at your overall week
above, it’s important to give yourself room to enjoy
life.
Consistency is important but you don’t have to be
perfect. Health is about an overall direction – Kriss
Carr
Choosing the approach that will support You in the
long-term and implementing it can be harder than it
sounds. For coaching that focuses on You and the life
you lead, contact Lisa