Consistency is Fundamental.

The New Year is here and with it comes the immense pressure to recreate yourself, start an entirely new routine, and expect results in 5-10 business days. The motivation is there at first but soon you find yourself lacking the time and energy to keep up.

Motivation is the initiative to start a task. Including a person’s reasons and desires for engaging in a particular behavior to achieve a goal.

Motivation might get us through the first 10 weeks of the year, but what about the other 42 weeks? What do we need to be successful?
We need consistency.

Consistency is steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.

How to we become consistent? Consistency requires behaviour change. Why do we fail to be consistent? It is hard! Being consistent not only requires modification to our behavior but requires a new mindset, a new identity.  You cannot create a new life while still holding onto old behaviours and habits. A lot has to change. It’s like an alcoholic who gives up drinking. They can’t just say I’ll stop drinking, they have to change everything about their life. The same is true of nutrition and exercise – you must give up some old habits.

Making changes and reaching our goals is not about willpower or motivation. Both will come and go. We have to ask ourselves “what do I want and what are the actions that are required to get what I want?” And if our actions do not line up with what is needed and the amount of work that is needed, it’s very simple: We are not going to get what we want.

We have to create a new mindset. 
Internal dialogue: I have to exercise so I can be fit. → I am someone who exercises consistently. I am a fit person.

Fitness programs or dietary changes don’t fail because they aren’t the “best” out there. They fail because we aren’t consistent with them. 
Lets pretend it’s a snowstorm and you can’t make it to your 1 hour fitness class.
All or nothing mindset: I can’t workout today, binges Netflix and snacks on chips.
Consistency mindset: I can do a short at home bodyweight workout, shovel some snow, and make a nutritious meal before sitting down to watch some TV.

Goal Setting:

Know what you want and make sure it’s measurable.
Vague goal: Be more active.
Measurable goal: Walk 120 minutes every week.

Start small and make your goal attainable.
Set up for failure: Start going to the gym every morning at 5am.
Set up for success: Go to the gym 2 days per week at 5am.

Name your why!
Think about it, question it, write it down, and don’t forget it.

Trying to reach your health and fitness goals through 8 week challenges or extreme dietary or physical changes is like trying to become a millionaire overnight. It just doesn’t work. Most millionaires became millionaires through saving more than they earned, conscious financial decisions, and long-term consistency.

When setting a new goal we need to make it attainable. Work on your goal until it becomes a habit, like brushing your teeth before bed. You don’t have to think about it, you know it’s good for you, and you do it daily no matter what happens.

So this January when you feel the pressure to make changes consider what permanent changes you can make to your behaviors and mindset that will benefit you for years to come. When we make small changes daily, we build the lifelong foundation for success.

Check out some additional resources on consistency here:
Is Consistency or Intensity More Important? | Street Parking
#183 - James Clear: Building & Changing Habits - Peter Attia (peterattiamd.com)
CrossFit | Mechanics, Consistency, Intensity: What Does It Mean?