Why Consistency Wins the Fitness Race

It’s January. Are you seeing loads of New Year Resolutions? “New Year New Fitness Regimes”? Gym membership adverts? Diets and weight loss on social media? Why is it that we think that in January we will make a new start? I’ve never really made any new year resolutions, nor thought that I would start something new ‘On Monday’. If I want to do something different, I’ll start it when I think about it, not wait.

The trouble is, we get super motivated with New Year resolutions, start a new workout routine, go hard for a few weeks or even months, and then, life happens. We get ill, work gets in the way or if you are like many women, the family comes first with you coming last in the list (even after the pet dog!) We miss a few days, then a week, and before we know it, we're back on the sofa, feeling guilty and sluggish and then it’s a long hard slog to get that motivation and energy back to start again..

It's a classic case of stop-start exercise, and it's a sure way to get frustrated and demotivated. But what if I told you there's a better way? What if I told you that consistency, not intensity, is the real key to fitness success? You would probably say, yeah I already know that…… So why do we do it?!

Think of it like the story of the tortoise and the hare. The hare (intense, sporadic exercise) might sprint ahead at first, but the tortoise (consistent, steady exercise) eventually wins the race.

Consistency Beats Intensity

• Habit Formation: When you exercise consistently, even if it's just for 15-20 minutes a day, you're building a habit. And habits are powerful things! They become automatic, something you do without even thinking about it.

• Injury Prevention: Stop-start exercise can put a lot of stress on your body, increasing your risk of injury. Consistent exercise, on the other hand, allows your body to adapt and get stronger slowly and consistently over time.

• Sustainable Progress: You might see some quick results with intense, sporadic exercise. But those results are unlikely to last. Consistent exercise leads to sustainable progress, the kind that you can maintain over years or even decades. Think of your Old Lady Body, it needs regular investment now to allow you to live a healthy old age that you can enjoy.

• Mental Health Boost: Exercise is great for your mental health, but only if you do it consistently. Regular exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost self-esteem.

How to Build a Consistent Exercise Routine

• Start Small: Don't try to do too much too soon. Start with a realistic goal, like exercising for 15 minutes three times a week.

• Find Something You Enjoy: Exercise shouldn't be a chore. Find an activity that you enjoy, whether it's walking, running, dancing, or lifting weights.

• Schedule It: Treat your workouts like any other important appointment. Schedule them in your calendar and stick to them. They will soon become part of your everyday lifestyle.

• Be Flexible: Life happens. You're going to miss workouts from time to time. Don't beat yourself up about it. Just get back on track as soon as you can. Don’t wait for Monday, get back to it the very day that you are able to. And don’t be afraid of trying it but only being able to do some of it. It’s not a failure if you only do a quarter of a workout, it’s a win over doing nothing. That’s absolutely fine and will help you get back to it gradually. In fact it’s sensible to ease yourself back in.

  Remember, it's not about being perfect. It's about being consistent. So ditch the New year all-or-nothing mentality and embrace the power of consistency. Your body (and your mind) will thank you for it.