Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Consistency is Key

Being a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, many people ask me what the key to success is when it comes to weight loss. The biggest tip I can give is that you must be CONSISTENT. Just like with most habits, if you are not consistent then you will end up on the hamster wheel running the continuous cycle of starting, quitting, and starting over again. The quickest way to get and maintain your health and fitness results is to just be consistent. It doesn't matter if you are a fitness expert or just beginning your journey to better health, consistency applies to everyone when it comes to results and results that last.

Consistency seems like a simple and easy method to apply, but I’m sure as you know when life gets busy and hectic your new fitness and nutrition habits are likely to blow out the window. Because we are all human and need to know how to prevent the cycle to failure, here are some tips you can apply to keep you progressing towards a healthier life and success.

1.       Get an accountability partner. This could be a workout buddy, a friend or family member you check-in with regularly, a personal trainer, a life coach, etc.

2.      Keep a journal. In a notebook or phone/tablet app write down/record what you eat & drink and what you did for a workout each day.

3.      Schedule your workouts. You can do this by either hiring a personal trainer, signing up for a fitness class like boot camp, or just scheduling an appointment with yourself in your calendar. Do not cancel on yourself! Make sure this appointment is just as important as a meeting with your boss. Your health depends on it!

4.      Write down your goals. Transfer your outcome goals (“I want to lose 15 lbs.”) to behavior goals (“I will exercise for 1 hour a day 5 times per week”). You have direct control over your behavior goals, so focus on that. You cannot control your outcome goals, which can lead to frustration and ultimately giving up.

5.      One thing at a time. We all want everything NOW, but for results to last we must be patient. Change can be difficult and it’s easy to say we are going to change, but the doing part (the important part) is another story. So, do yourself a favor and only focus on one change at a time. Our clients are encouraged to only make one change and work on it for 2-weeks before moving on to another change. Why? Because it works time and time again. Don’t overload yourself with several changes; it leads to failure every time.

6.      Keep it simple. When you are coming up with habits you want to develop (eating healthier, working out daily, etc.), start with the simple habits and then slowly progress forward. This will make everything easier on you and you will be more successful.  A good place to start is to come up with one habit that only takes 5 minutes a day. A 5 minute habit we have clients focus on is taking a multivitamin and Omega 3’s every day.

I hope these tips help you become consistent with your health and wellness plan, so that you successfully reach your goals. If you would like more help and information about our fitness and nutrition programs, schedule a complimentary consultation by calling us at 561-880-5799.