Consistency is defined as the achievement of a level of performance that does not vary greatly in quality over time. Sounds simple enough right? Then why does it become so complicated when applying it to our lives? The phrase, "easier said than done" comes to mind.Life is busy, so there will always be days when you really are maxed out for time and it really is impossible to fit a workout in. That is, unless you wake up at 5am and sacrifice sleep. Exercising some forgiveness for your schedule is necessary at times, but it should never be an excuse for neglecting consistency.
If you can't make it to the gym one day, then be more diligent with your food choices and make adjustments to your routine such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator (yes, even if it's 8 flights!) and parking your car farther away. Small strategies like this will not make up for a missed workout, but they will help.
That being said, it is very important to remain consistent with your diet and your workouts. This principle doesn't just apply to those trying to lose weight or hit a fitness goal, but to everyone. Living a healthy lifestyle is exactly that - a lifestyle.
I must remind myself of this each and every day. Especially first thing in the morning when I'm scheduled to wake up early for a workout and all I want to do is sleep. Morning workouts have never been my favourite, but that's what works with my schedule at the moment, so I've gotta deal!
Consistency becomes even more difficult when you're not seeing results. I can completely relate to this as my body takes a little more time to show results than the average person. I can be working out hard for a month and not see any changes in weight or inches. When this happens, I try not to get upset (although it can be unavoidable), and I remind myself of my reasons for doing this. Lifestyle first, wedding weight loss second. I know that with consistent hard work, my lifestyle will lead to changes in my body. I just have to be patient.Keeping your true priorities in mind will help in overcoming obstacles. Just keep talking to yourself and reminding yourself of why you are doing this and consistency will result.
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This is my biggest problem, staying consistent, I think that writing your goals down would help since you are actually working towards something, not just working out for general fitness.
ReplyDeleteTrue, that would be a great way to kick start things, but you would have to keep adding new goals to keep yourself going. Plus, if you didn't reach a certain goal for whatever reason (like setting the bar a bit too high) then it may be discouraging. Whereas, iff you are thinking general fitness/active lifestyle, then you are exercising for the benefit of exercise.
DeleteThanks for the post Sam. I can really relate to a lot of the things you've mentioned... Morning workouts are not my thing either, but it works with my schedule and I feel like I've accomplished something for that day...
ReplyDeleteExactly! One day at a time.
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