Consistency = “consistent behaviour or treatment”.
When it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals, being consistent with the positive changes you make to your lifestyle is the key. Check these ikaria lean belly juice reviews.
In this article, I’ll explain why consistency is so important and reveal my top 5 tips to help you become more consistent…
So you can successfully achieve your health and fitness goals, permanently.
Firstly, Why Is Being Consistent So Important?
Let’s say your goal is to drop 20 lbs, improve your fitness levels and generally tone up. Fairly standard fitness goals.
To achieve those goals, you would have to change your eating habits, your exercise habits and parts of your lifestyle. You would also have to be consistent in those changes over time to see results.
In other words, whatever positive changes you made would have to be repeated consistently if you wanted to make any significant changes to your health, read more.
Unfortunately, this approach is somewhat rare in our modern ‘quick-fix solution’ society. It seems many (most) people follow more of a ‘yo-yo’ or ‘on-off’ approach to their health and fitness…
Periods of “being good” or “getting back into it” when you exercise more often and generally look after yourself better are often followed by longer periods of “being bad” or “falling off the wagon” when healthy living takes a back seat.
In this situation your body simply has no time to adapt…
And the result is little (if any) progress towards your goals and perhaps even ending up in a worse place than when you started.
Truthfully, this yo-yo approach can also cause issues with your hormones and metabolism in the long run. And this makes it increasingly difficult to lose weight and improve your health after every ‘yo-yo’ cycle.
Now clearly this isn’t ground-breaking research. Most of us already know that consistency is important and that the ‘yo-yo’ approach doesn’t work, yet this awareness doesn’t seem to be enough…
Why Is It So Hard To Be Consistent & Stick To My Exercise Routine & Healthy Eating Plan?
We now know how important consistency is, but clearly, as humans, we find it difficult to be consistent.
That initial burst of enthusiasm and excitement we experience when we first start a new exercise routine or eating plan soon fades, usually after disappointing results or perhaps a dip in motivation.
I believe the battle to remain consistent first starts in the approach to achieving your goal.
For example, I believe the aforementioned ‘yo-yo’ approach is often paired with the ‘quick-fix’ mentality. People are searching for fast solutions to their body problems.
The health and fitness industry doesn’t exactly help with this. Messages of ‘rapid transformation programmes’ and ‘7 day weight loss detoxes’ are shoved in our face daily.
Now, these programmes are not necessarily bad or wrong, they simply don’t promote a change in habits and behaviours. And this, ladies and gentleman, is exactly why being consistent is so hard.
Conversely, an approach that IS based around promoting a change in habits and behaviours is the ONLY proven long-term solution I know of to develop the behaviour of being consistent and achieving safe and lasting results.
So until living a healthy lifestyle becomes habitual, it’s very unlikely you’ll be consistent. And as you now know, and may well have experienced, without consistency there will be no results.
The Key To Consistency Is To Create Habits
Changing your habits is about establishing a ‘new normal’ so that healthy living becomes your way of life rather than something you either do or don’t do.
To demonstrate my point, let me first ask you some questions:
– Do you have to think about brushing your teeth? Or do you simply make your way to the bathroom to do this before you go to bed?
– Do you have to think about your break-time cup of coffee? Or do you simply head to the coffee machine at 10.30am for your caffeine boost?
– Do you have to think about having a shower in the morning? Or do you simply switch on the hot water and jump in before you get dressed?
Well, of course we think about these things, but we often give them very little thought, and do these things more or less automatically, on autopilot.
It’s just something we do.
But can you say the same about your exercise and eating habits? Probably not.
For most people, these things are not automatic. They require a lot of conscious thought. And with a lot of conscious thought comes a lot of reasons and excuses not to do them!
October 9, 2015 - No Comments!
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How to Start Exercising and Stick to It
Making exercise an enjoyable part of your everyday life may be easier than you think. These tips can show you how.
Overcoming obstacles to exercising
If you’re having trouble beginning an exercise plan or following through, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle getting out of the sedentary rut, despite our best intentions.
You already know there are many great reasons to exercise—from improving energy, mood, sleep, and health to reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. And detailed exercise instructions and workout plans are just a click away. But if knowing how and why to exercise was enough, we’d all be in shape. Making exercise a habit takes more—you need the right mindset and a smart approach.
While practical concerns like a busy schedule or poor health can make exercise more challenging, for most of us, the biggest barriers are mental. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps you from taking positive steps, or your motivation quickly flames out, or you get easily discouraged and give up. We’ve all been there at some point.
Whatever your age or fitness level—even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life —there are steps you can take to make exercise less intimidating and painful and more fun and instinctive.
Ditch the all-or-nothing attitude. You don't have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into monotonous or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits of exercise. A little exercise is better than nothing. In fact, adding just modest amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.
Be kind to yourself. Research shows that self-compassion increases the likelihood that you'll succeed in any given endeavor. So, don't beat yourself up about your body, your current fitness level, or your supposed lack of willpower. All that will do is demotivate you. Instead, look at your past mistakes and unhealthy choices as opportunities to learn and grow.
Check your expectations. You didn't get out of shape overnight, and you're not going to instantly transform your body either. Expecting too much, too soon only leads to frustration. Try not to be discouraged by what you can't accomplish or how far you have to go to reach your fitness goals. Instead of obsessing over results, focus on consistency. While the improvements in mood and energy levels may happen quickly, the physical payoff will come in time.
Excuses for not exercising
Making excuses for not exercising? Whether it’s lack of time or energy, or fear of the gym, there are solutions.
How much exercise do you need?
The key thing to remember about starting an exercise program is that something is always better than nothing. Going for a quick walk is better than sitting on the couch; one minute of activity will help you lose more weight than no activity at all. That said, the current recommendations for most adults is to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. You'll get there by exercising for 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Can't find 30 minutes in your busy schedule? It's okay to break things up. Two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective. Try out Revive daily.
How hard do I need to exercise?
Whether an activity is low, moderate, or vigorous intensity varies according to your personal fitness level. As a general guideline, though:
For most people, aiming for moderate intensity exercise is sufficient to improve your overall health. You should breathe a little heavier than normal, but not be out of breath. Your body should feel warmer as you move, but not overheated or sweating profusely. While everyone is different, don't assume that training for a marathon is better than training for a 5K or 10K. There's no need to overdo it.
For more on the types of exercise you should include and how hard you should work out, read Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss.
Getting started safely
If you've never exercised before, or it's been a significant amount of time since you've attempted any strenuous physical activity, keep the following health precautions in mind:
Health issues? Get medical clearance first. If you have health concerns such as limited mobility, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before you start to exercise.
Warm up. Warm up with dynamic stretches—active movements that warm and flex the muscles you'll be using, such as leg kicks, walking lunges, or arm swings—and by doing a slower, easier version of the upcoming exercise. For example, if you're going to run, warm up by walking. Or if you're lifting weights, begin with a few light reps.
Published by: davefletcher in The Linking Mechanism
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