How do I Stay Consistent with my Exercise, Nutrition, and Healthy Lifestyle Habits?
Let’s be realistic here - you’ve probably tried at least some sort of stuff to stay in shape.
Common efforts for women seem to be:
-weight watchers
-MyFitnessPal
-Juice cleanses and detoxes
-Paleo, Keto, other popular diets
-8 week fitness challenges
Now let’s start off by saying none of these are inherently “bad” options. For some people, they do sometimes work out.
BUT for the majority of people, these tend to be difficult to stay consistent with. You may have the best of intentions but you just seem to struggle to ‘stay on track’.
Why is this? Why do you try and try so hard only to feel like a “failure” once again?
Because usually these types of programs and diets don’t actually account for YOUR life.
They don’t help you with the step-by-step changes that will actually help you move forward towards your goal.
They often have you doing a lot of things, all at once… and then tell you to do that forever (yikes!).
You as a human have a real life.You have a job and a commute to work around. Maybe kids or a family that takes up your time and energy. Maybe you’re a caregiver, or go to school, and all that other stuff.
Real people have real lives and real struggles.
Most 8, 10, 12 week challenges don’t offer you the support, care, or accountability that coaching does.
So how can you solve your consistency problem?
#1: Find a program that really works… and hold yourself accountable.
How do you know if the program will work? Well ideally you want one that:
You can customize to your lifestyle (so when life gets busy you can still stay consistent)
You actually enjoy doing (if you don’t enjoy it - you won’t stay consistent and that's just a fact.)
Focuses on your strengths and skills that you already have (rather than tearing you down and making you feel inferior)
Makes you actually feel positive, supported and hopeful throughout the whole time
Is doable for a long time - like for the rest of your life (obviously you can try new things but ideally you want to find something that supports your life in a positive way so you can keep doing it as long as you want/can)
Supports your deep reason for wanting to change (e.g., you want to be healthier for your family but then go on an 8 week challenge that puts you on 1200 calories - does that really support your true want for change?)
Ok great! But now you want to know how to be certain that a program will help keep you accountable.
Well here’s what seems to work best:
Having the ability to customize the plan based on your skill level, goals, and time available (maybe you have to work late this week because of a work project - can’t make it to the gym but do you have 10 minutes to sneak in some exercise right when you wake up? How about a 10 minute walk at lunch? Or maybe just 5 minutes before bed, while you’re cooking dinner, while watching Netflix, etc. It may not be the workout you’re used to but that little something wherever you can fit it in will be good enough for what you can do when you’re busy).
Having a plan that gives you structure AND flexibility (flexibility to do what you can whe you can is important. Not every week is going to be a great week where you hit every workout and smash it feeling on top of the world. This is where being flexible is important. Can’t make it to the gym? Go for a walk. Exercise at home while dinner is cooking, move it to a different day of the week, etc).
Having daily and weekly support/reminder to practice your nutrition, exercise or lifestyle habits that you’re trying to work on.
One last thing I will add is that having a coach is great for accountability.
I get you want to be independent and capable on your own - and you will be … if you get the right coaching and support from someone who can help you learn and understand how to make a program and behaviour changes that actually work FOR you and your life - not against.
Can’t afford it? I get it, it’s not for everyone. Instead try to find one or more people who can support you, help you, guide you, and maybe give you that occasional loving encouragement (or kick in the butt) when you need it.
The important thing to remember here for accountability is that it’s usually much easier to stay accountable when you have somebody to hold yourself accountable to and get the help you need.
I’m sure you have a lot going on in your life already, so instead of trying to do SO much more, why not let someone else help show you the way so you don’t get overwhelmed and frustrated?
