One of the most popular questions I’m asked is “What is the number one way to get results?”
My answer: be consistent.
Consistency is the path that will lead to long term, sustainable success. Yet often times it’s ignored.
It is CRAZY how many people get so excited for a fourteen day cleanse, exercising each day and eating clean as can be, only to gain everything back come day seventeen. Why does this happen? Because a temporary cleanse isn’t consistent once it’s over. It’s just over. And you go back to your prior behaviors consisting of eating poorly and skipping out on the gym.
And you know what, it’s not your fault.
We are living in a world of detoxes, one month challenges and quick fixes. So it’s only natural for you to think that you just have to be on point for a short time period and you will see results. Most of the time with these “short cuts” we do see positive changes, but they don’t stick with us because we’re no longer taking action, the cleanse is over so we are finished.
Now I’m just using a cleanse as an example, and let’s keep going with it. Let’s find a positive in these types of challenges.
People are usually pretty compliant and consistent during the allotted time period. Why? Most likely because you are being held accountable (maybe you are doing it with a group of friends or have a challenge going on at work), and because there’s a specific timeline. It’s fairly easy to be on your best behavior when you know you only have to be good for fourteen days or whatever length of time the cleanse is running for. You can see the finish line and probably have a date to the nearest Shake Shack planned the second it’s over, so you’re able to stay consistent for a few weeks.
Well, I have news for you. Cleansing is unrealistic. We can’t be on a constant detox in the real world. So we’ve got to find a way to get on that road to consistency that is sustainable.
Here’s the plan:
- Find something you enjoy doing that will help toward your wellness related goal. You have to want to do this activity, it can’t be something you dread doing.
- Create a schedule to do this action. It has to be specific and repeatable. Write it down. Hint: If you don’t have a planner or calendar (a real live paper one, not on a laptop or phone) click here to print one of these out and keep it where you’ll see it every day.
- Do it. For how long? Well since we are creating sustainable healthy habits there shouldn’t be a time frame. What I mean is that if your action is to eat a vegetable with breakfast each morning, I don’t want you to only do this for the remainder of May and be done with it. Eating veggies have a long list of benefits so why would we only do this consistently for a few weeks? You can, however, change the action up a bit as time goes on. The goal here is to become so consistent with this action that it becomes a habit and a part of your day to day so you no longer have to think about it. Sort of like brushing your teeth in the morning.
I’m going to give you a few examples of actions and how to plan them out, but first you need to know this: Start SMALL. You are choosing one single action to incorporate into your day. This is where we all set ourselves up for failure. We think we have to do everything all at once: eat zero carbs, have ten servings of veggies each day, exercise for an hour six days a week, get eight hours of sleep, meditate for twenty minutes each afternoon, attend one yoga class per week—sheesh, that’s exhausting. No wonder we can’t stay consistent. So choose one action you’d like to do on a regular basis, one that you can make time for in your schedule and that you’re happy to do.
Examples:
Goal: Fat loss
Action: 30 minutes of strength training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday before work (Do you see what I did here? We are getting SPECIFIC. The action isn’t just to exercise three days a week).
Calendar: Write down what time you’re going to workout in the mornings, so a simple “7am- workout” listed on each M W F for the month of May will do just fine. When June comes around re-evaluate. If you’re doing well and enjoying the workouts then keep it up. If you feel you can add an extra day in then go ahead. If you feel you can continue to do three days each week and want to add in another action like have protein with each meal, then write that down as well. But don’t overwhelm yourself. Keep it simple and realistic.
Goal: Have more energy during the day
Action: Be in bed reading by 9pm each evening, lights out at 9:30pm
Calendar: 9pm- read / 9:30pm- sleep (each evening)
Goal: Increase veggie intake
Action: Have a green smoothie for breakfast every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Calendar: Breakfast- Green smoothie (Tues, Thurs & Sat) 
You see, your actions don’t have to be grand enough to save the world, they just have to work for you Now before you start planning on what you’re going to be consistent with, one more thing: You are not perfect.
I’m sorry if this is the first time you’re hearing this, but it’s true. None of us are. So it is ok if you miss a workout Monday morning because you overslept, or whatever your action may be. Stress, shame and guilt will not get that workout back. Allow yourself to be human and move on.
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