Becoming more consistent is a common & important goal of most fitness plans...
Here's my 10 tips for improving YOUR consistency...
1. Set Clear & Achievable Goals
Setting goals is key to staying consistent. Clear goals give your workouts purpose and keep you motivated.
Whether it's losing weight, running a marathon, or getting stronger, having goals lets you track progress and celebrate achievements. This strengthens habits and keeps you committed.
Important: Be SPECIFIC and WRITE THEM DOWN!!!
Written goals mean that your end point, and therefore your journey, remain consistent and at the forefront of your mind. Moreover, this reduces the chance of being influenced by short-term changes in mood or minor obstacles that may frustrate you if you lose perspective.
2. Create a Schedule
Plan workouts in advance and make them part of your weekly schedule. Treat them like appointments that you must not miss, or must rearrange.
It's easy to make excuses for missed workouts when there's no sense of urgency. A healthy sense of pressure means things get done!
Consider how long your programme should be and set a sensible deadline. There's a huge difference between;
"I'd like to run a marathon one day"...
vs ...
..."I need to be ready for the marathon that I've signed up for in 12 months".
Plan to be consistent...
...& then stick to the plan!
3. Be Accountable
Who are you accountable to?
Who is watching your progress (or lack of)?
Some people are very good at holding themselves accountable.
Most people are not!
Friends, family, coaches or like-minded people can be a priceless support. Who will encourage you to turn up on the days when you "don't feel like it"?
Remember... motivation is highest at the start of a plan... when you are first setting your goal.
In fact, this high level of self motivation is probably why you set the goal in the first place. Your sense of motivation WILL go up and down.
You may find some support on the low days a massive help.
4. Start Small And Build-Up
Being more consistent requires a long-term mindset.
Start with manageable goals. Even 10-15 minutes of exercise daily can be a good starting point and gives you 'easy wins' which build confidence.
Knowing that you have successfully been consistent means it's more likely you'll continue to be consistent!
As you gradually tick off these "easy" steps, you can then set the next mini-goal.
Before you know it... your ultimate starting goal will become your next mini-goal.
Building up via small steps is not only a powerful way to move forwards...
...but this strategy also holds the key to actually enjoying exercise!
While being positive and optimistic is admirable...
...diving into extremely difficult workouts causes a problem...
...it feels hard!
Especially when getting started, this can be very off-putting!
How many times do you think your consistency has suffered due to a negative experience in a previous workout?
Try making the workouts easy, and setting more comfortable timetables for your progress.
Workouts don't need to be unbearable in order to be effective!
Reducing the pressure to feel exhausted every time you exercise may just be the answer to actually enjoying what you're doing!
5. Make It Fun!
For the same reasons as above... find a way to enjoy your exercise plan.
This can mean different things for different people.
Some people are motivated by their results - the simple fact that you are making progress and getting fitter, faster, stronger etc may be the source of enjoyment.
Subsequently, this means a fairly specific, focussed and repetitive programme may work well.
Other people may find this boring.
Therefore, you might consider having more variety, joining exercise classes, sports/games etc...
The point is, find a way to enjoy exercise. You are then more likely to remain consistent than if you are dreading each workout!
6. Track Progress
Keeping a workout log or using fitness apps helps you stay consistent with your fitness routine.
You can see how you're doing and evidence of progress keeps you motivated.
When you can see proof that you're getting stronger, have more endurance, or are losing weight in your records, it makes you feel positive about the effort that you are investing. These results can encourage you to keep going and you'll look forward to each workout.
It's important to understand that this works best when progress is measurable and can be written down.
For example, losing weight usually occurs despite daily/weekly fluctuations.
Having a written record of mid-term or long-term progress proves that your plan is working.
This is extremely useful on the days where you might "feel" that you are not progressing the way you would like.
Subjective feelings, especially when there is no written proof, can derail a perfectly effective plan, or mask an ineffective one!
7. Reward Yourself For Staying Consistent!
Treating yourself when you hit milestones or achieve your goals is like giving yourself a pat on the back. It's a way to say, 'Hey, great job!'
This can be applied to simply remaining consistent...
...regardless of your results.
While this might seem odd... the idea is keep the focus on productive process goals...
...as opposed to fixating on outcomes.
This little celebration then fuels you to remain consistent.
Why?
Because it adds an element of fun and anticipation to your fitness journey. When you know there's a reward waiting after your hard work, it becomes easier to stay on track.
Plus, it's a boost for your self-esteem – it reminds you that your efforts are paying off!
So, keep those treats or rewards in mind as you work towards your fitness goals; they're a powerful motivator!
8. Be A Pessimistic Optimist
"Hope for the best... and plan for the worst".
Set ambitious goals and have confidence that you will achieve them...
But at the same time;
anticipate setbacks before they happen
and accept that progress is sometimes slower than we would ideally like
Boxers have a great saying...
"Every fighter has a game-plan... until they get punched in the face!"
We have a habit of making plans based on the assumption that everything will go perfectly.
In reality, you may have to endure a few obstacles as you go.
Accepting this fact means you are less likely to go into crisis mode.
While the end goal is obviously the ultimate prize... remember that remaining consistent & making steady progress (especially in the face of adversity) is the route to getting there.
9. Embrace A Growth Mindset
If you haven't already read it...
I'd highly recommend the book "Mindset" by Carol Dweck.
A false belief that you "can't do something" is probably one of the most common reasons for not remaining consistent.
A "growth mindset" embraces the idea that your fitness/health journey is in fact going to be a learning experience.
You might struggle with certain workouts to start with.
You might try things that don't work.
You might learn new information during the process.
Mistakes might be made.
That's ok.
Learning and improving your process is just as important as the end result.
For example, struggling to complete a 5km run doesn't mean you "can't run".
It probably just means you dived in a little to early or simply set off too fast.
Reduce your speed and/or distance... you will get fitter!
Just focus on progress.
Your starting point is irrelevant...
...as long as you STAY CONSISTENT!
10. Prioritise Rest & Recovery
Rest days are just as important as your workouts...
...in fact you could argue that they are MORE important!
One of the keys to staying consistent, is looking forward to each step of your plan as much as possible.
recovering from previous exercise
fuelling your body properly
avoiding negative lifestyle habits
...are all important to ensure you're ready and energetic for the next step.
Also, your rest days are when your body actually gets fitter and stronger.
By failing to plan proper rest and recovery, your results will be badly affected...
...and this will affect motivation.
As with most of the tips above... the point is to think long-term.
Is your plan sustainable?
If not, remaining consistent is simply impossible.
