Since Jan. 1, the most popular phrase I’ve heard from people is this: “I’m motivated to change, but my biggest problem is being consistent.”

My response is always the same: “It’s common. Don’t beat yourself up. But let’s figure out how to be consistent in the future.”

New Years Resolutions, while often mocked, are a good thing. They get you excited to make a change, and that change is almost always rooted in good.

You want to get healthier. You want to lose weight. You want to get a gym membership and work out. You want to eat more vegetables. You want to drink less alcohol.

The list goes on.

These are very popular resolutions, but very often they go unfulfilled. And right around this time of year (late January/early February) is when things typically start to unravel.

So how can you avoid that? Where is the proverbial “switch” located, and how can you flip it to be consistently consistent?

Here are some places to start.

Accept That This is a Lifestyle, Not a Quick Fix

Getting fit, losing weight, eating healthier, building muscle… Whatever your goal is, first and foremost we’re talking about a lifestyle change.

You’re not doing this just to go right back to the old you when you lose a certain amount of weight or eat a few vegetables. Or at least, you shouldn’t.

If you do that, you’re going to end up right where you are now. You’ll be in a perpetual cycle of yo-yo-ing between healthy and unhealthy habits.

A huge part of successfully becoming consistent with fitness and nutrition is understanding and committing to the fact that this is your new normal.

This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

If you look at a resolution or goal as some type of fix, you might as well quit now. You can’t “fix” a problem that revolves around healthy habits. Losing 20 pounds and then going right back to your normal, unhealthy routine won’t work.

This goal or resolution you have is a new lifestyle. We should attack it piece by piece, day by day (more on this in a second) and build healthy habits that fit your lifestyle.

The goal is to be healthy forever. Understand and accept that.

Now, let’s dig a little deeper.

Have a Narrow Focus

This is a great first step, and no, I’m not telling you to be narrow-minded. Rather, you should be focused on the tasks at hand TODAY. Take care of those things now, and then worry about tomorrow when it comes.

Yes, you should have an overarching plan. You need to have a goal, a starting point, and a defined course of action to get you to that goal in the end.

But we can’t focus on “the end” every minute of every day. It’s too daunting. It will consume you, and with the first bit of adversity you’ll wonder how you can ever get to that end point.

So focus on today, because if you don’t take care of what you have to do today, tomorrow won’t matter.

This will help you be more consistent. The small things you do each day lead to a higher level of discipline, and that higher level of discipline leads to be consistent.

If you focus on 3-6 months into the future, or more, you’re going to overlook what needs to be done RIGHT NOW and you’ll miss out on the small victories that make being consistent so fulfilling!

Stop Focusing on the Scale

OK, this one might seem counterproductive. Let me explain…

You commit to eating right and exercising. You step on the scale each morning to track your progress, and just a few days into the routine your weight goes up.

Or, it doesn’t budge.

Or, it goes down initially and then spikes up and stays there.

You’re doing everything right, but you’re not getting the results you believe you deserve.

I’ve got news for you…

The scale is one barometer of progress. It is not THE barometer of progress.

When stuff like this happens, ask yourself: “how do I feel?”

Despite however your weight is trending, do you feel better than before when you were eating crappy and laying on the couch all day? Are you more energized? Do you truly believe that exercising and eating healthy is good for you?

The answers to these questions are almost always, most definitely YES.

Our weight will always fluctuate, no matter what your goal is. Progress isn’t linear — it’s not a straight line in one direction — and you should expect ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys.

It can depend on:

• Hormones
• Hydration
• Sodium
• Your latest bowel movement (funny, but true)
• Stress
• Working out (yes, this can cause your weight to go up!)
• When you ate today
• When you ate yesterday

And on, and on, and on. Regardless of your weight, these things are also happening:

• Your clothes fit better
• You have better endurance
• You are building muscle
• You have more energy
• You feel confident
• You’re getting blood flow throughout your body
• You’re getting stronger
• You’re eating a higher volume of food

And on, and on, and on.

Don’t let your mind get the best of you. Don’t quit because you get discouraged. Understand that progress takes time.

You’re doing the right thing. Being consistent will get you where you want to be.

That right there is a case for being consistent, and anybody who has achieved anything with fitness and nutrition will tell you it took a LOOONNNGGG time.

Focusing on the scale and what it says each day is a big time barrier for people. Once it goes up unexpectedly, people quit.

Don’t quit.

In fact, when that happens don’t step on the scale again for a few days. Keep working hard and being diligent.

Buy a Planner & Write in it Every Day

This is one I used to laugh at. “Why do I need a planner? I’ll put it in my Google Calendar on my iPhone.”

There’s something more intentional about writing down what you’re doing each day. Whether it’s making a to-do list, or identifying the actions you need to take, having a planner and writing in it each day will increase your level of commitment and ownership to everything you do.

When you write in the planner, outline the workouts you’re going to do each week. Make note of busy days and lazy days. Plan accordingly and map out your schedule each week.

If you have a work lunch or dinner, make note of it and adjust your diet that day, or throughout the week.

Write down what you have to do to work towards your goal, and then cross off items as you complete them.

There’s a certain level of satisfaction that comes with making lists and crossing items off those lists. It’s very real, and very motivating.

Invest in Your Sleep

We make awful decisions when we’re tired.

There is actual research into this topic that shows we tend to move less and eat worse when we’re sleep deprived. You’re also much less likely to go to the gym if you’re tired from the previous day.

On those days you do get to the gym, you won’t be fully recovered due to poor sleep. If you get poor sleep again that night, you’ll again fail to be fully recovered.

This process can compound on itself and derail your goals.

To go along with writing in a planner every day, this is another item that can increase your level of satisfaction.

Cross those items off the list. Get to bed on time. Wake up refreshed. Rinse. Repeat.

Add in healthy eating and getting your workouts in, and you’ve solved the problem!

Obviously, it’s not that easy. Sleep will move you in the right direction, though.

Quality sleep will encourage you to be more consistent, whether you realize it or not. Read my article on 5 Tips to Improve Your Sleep for more on this topic.

Hire a Coach

We all need someone to hold us accountable. A coach is even better, because he or she can put a program together that is tailored to you and specific to your goals.

A coach can be your support system as well as a shoulder to lean on when you run into barriers, whether they be emotional or physical. You are a team, working to accomplish your goals.

In any other aspect of your life, you probably have someone to talk to for support or guidance. Maybe it’s your husband or wife when times get tough, maybe it’s your parents when you need a little guidance, or maybe it’s your friends when you need encouragement.

A coach is all of that and more when it comes to pursuing goals with health and fitness. Not everyone gets or even supports the goals you have with fitness and nutrition.

Your coach does.

Check out my coaching page for more on the coaching relationship.

With a coach by your side, you have someone to hold you accountable and keep you consistent. Work with a coach until you believe you can be consistent on your own. By then, you’ll have learned so much that you can manage your own program and progress in stride.

Coaching Cues

There’s no perfect way to establish consistency. There’s no “easy button.” If there were, we’d all be supermodels and live to be 100 years old.

Some of these strategies may help you, though.

A large part of being consistent will also depend on your own level of buy-in.

How much do you want to achieve your goal? How bad do you want to get more fit, or lose weight, or build more muscle, or anything else health and fitness related?

On a scale of 1-10, you need to be close to that 10. That will mean you’re determined, not just motivated.

Motivated means you want to put the work in today. Determined means you’re committed to putting the work in each and every day until the job is done.

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Thanks for reading! I hope you found this article helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Navigating something like this can be challenging, and oftentimes having a coach to guide you through the process can be beneficial. If coaching is something you’d be interested in, check out my coaching services page and fill out a coaching application form to begin the process!

CGF