Ryan's 9 Tips To Being More Consistent

If you're unable to be consistent with exercise and healthy eating then it's unlikely you'll ever reach your health, fitness and physique goals, let alone be able to maintain them.

Consistency is the key to long term success!

In this blog post I'll share my 9 top tips to help you be more consistent with healthy living so you can not only reach your goals, but maintain them for life...

1. Have goals that motivate and inspire you:

Be crystal clear about what it is you want to achieve for yourself.

Write all your goals down, being as specific as possible.

2. Ask yourself "why":

Identify all the reasons why you want to achieve each goal.

Write those down under each goal.

3. Make sure your goals excite you:

Your goals should be challenging enough to light a fire under your butt!

But not so unrealistic that they'll paralyse you into inaction with stress and overwhelm.

4. Create a plan:

Start with the end in mind and work backwards from there to determine a reaslistic timeframe.

For example: if your goal is to lose 3 stone in 3 weeks then you'd need to lose 14lbs each week - that's NOT realistic! Whereas losing 3 stone in 6 months would mean losing 1.75lbs a week which would be perfectly achievable and realistic.

5. Set short term targets:

Setting shorter term goals and targets will help to keep you motivated.

For example: half a stone (7lbs) weight loss each month. Then break this goal down into even shorter term targets such as losing 1.75lbs a week. This will help keep you accountable and on track for your long term goal.

6. Set daily habits:

Figure out what has to happen on a daily basis for you to achieve these short term targets.

For example: how many workouts a week will you need to do; what type of exercise will need to get done; how many minutes will your workouts last for; how much food will you need to eat; what type of foods will you need to eat; how frequently will you need to eat; what else will you need to do, or not do in order to hit your weekly target.

7. Allow for flexibility:

The best diet and exercise programme is the one you can stick to! So your plan needs to be flexible in it's design so as to allow for all of life's curveballs.

This is why traditional diets and weight loss programmes don't work long term - they foster an "all or nothing" mindset - so when you're feeling all motivated and 'on it!' all is great but as soon as work gets extra busy, the kids get sick, or you're simply. having a bad day then the diet and your workouts are the first things to go out of the window because you can't be "perfect" so why bother at all - "I'll just start again next Monday...!"

8. Progress not perfection:

So instead, look for a more flexible and forgiving approach so you can adopt more of an "always something" mindset.

This way you can be more consistent with your healthy habits to some degree or another, remembering that 100% commitment does not mean 100% compliance - you don't have to be perfect! Ditching the "all or nothing" mindset and adopting the "always something" attitude is an essential step to being more consistent over the long run.

9. Ask for help:

There is no shame in asking for help. Asking for help isn't giving up. Asking for help is refusing to quit!

If you're constantly falling off the wagon and struggling to find a more realistic, flexible and sustainable approach to healthy living then get in touch today and let me share with you how we implement all the above strategies in my Online Coaching Programme to achieve long term success with our members.

Ryan Phillips is a Personal Trainer in Brighton and an Online Fitness Coach Worldwide, and has been helping clients from all walks of life and from all over the world take control of their health and fitness since 2004.