How to Stay Stay Consistent & Achieve Results

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” -Tony Robbins

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Will Durant

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come” -Dwayne Johnson

Consistency is Critical

Consistency is King. Why do I say it that way? Because, consistency is the number one factor in achieving goals. Yet, it goes unnoticed to most people. Why? I blame the internet and social media. Anyone can become famous in the digital age. Every day individuals become famous for an Instagram post or a Tik Tok video. Someone does something outlandish or controversial. Next thing we know, they are internet sensations. Therefore, this “overnight success” has warped what we see as truly great.

Most People Get it Wrong

This is where diet culture gets it wrong. Many magazines and websites feed off people’s need for shocking results and quick fixes. You see the claims all over the place: “lose 30 pounds in 30 days!’ or “do this for 1 week and the fat slides off!” The problem with these quick fixes? Most of the time, the weight lost is regained! People sometimes regain the weight faster than they lost it. Please do not believe these misleading claims. You are smarter than that!

True success does not come from one timers. In actuality, achieving something actually great takes consistency. Think of some of the greats you know: Muhammad Ali, Derek Jeter, Jerry Rice, or even Tom Hanks. These professionals have established themselves as some of the best in their respective industries. They became great not because of one win or success. Instead, they achieved their status through consistently performing at a high level over time.

A Better Approach

This is especially true in the health behaviors we perform. Our health is determined by the actions we take day in, day out. For better or worse. When we eat well and move more over a consistent amount of time, we will get to a reasonable and healthy weight more sustainably. The progress may be slow. But, it is easier to keep it off in this way. Think about it this way. How long would you say it took you to get to the weight you are now? Is it fair to ask yourself to lose the weight in any less time? Probably not. You will find yourself more discouraged and frustrated than before.

Research agrees. The CDC suggests that you are more likely to maintain get to a healthy, sustainable weight if you lose 1-2 pounds a week. Take that into the context of a year. You could potentially lose 52-104 pounds (if you have that kind of weight to lose.)in 12 months! The CDC even goes to mention that it takes a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise each week to maintain a healthy weight. Not every once in awhile. EVERY WEEK.

How to be More Consistent

So what do you do? Dismiss the desire to make drastic changes and lose the weight fast. You will find yourself miserable and discouraged. Instead, look to make modest changes over time. Some changes you can make include: