
I have had a lot of conversations with clients recently about consistency. When looking at the changes they have made, it has not been dramatic, but has been a gradual process.
Especially as we get older it is so important to keep the body moving and keep it strong, so that it can remain that way. We lose muscle mass as we age and more importantly we lose muscle strength at a greater rate, so we need to offset this, not just for a few weeks ,but it needs to be consistent year on year.
This is the same with mobility, I am sure we have all gone to do something and realised that we are not as mobile as we used to be , often arthritis or previous injuries contribute towards this - but if we keep moving, stretching and mobilising this will help us to counteract this. It does not need to be a lengthy daily routine, just doing a few simple stretches most days will all add up over time , and continuing to do them will make a big difference in the long run.
It is the continuing to do them that is the important part. it does not mean that every day has to be perfect , It is about the small daily actions that all add up. Consistency is more important than perfection.
With our training we often feel pressured that we have to train 3 or more times a week. But for some of us this is just not practical - life and work gets in the way , but rather than thinking we have "failed" and there is no point , it is about looking at that consitency over a month . When there is a week that life just gets in the way and it it is hard to find the time to train ( and you are not failing by not getting up at 4am to train at 5am !!) your training is not going to fall apart, you just need to the following week get the routine back. Setting realistic goals for training is so important, planning ahead so each week you put the training sessions into the diary helps to do this - some weeks it maybe 1 session, others 3 or 4 , the important thing is to find a way that fits into your life so that it is sustainable and can be continued for months not just a few weeks.
This is the same for our nutrition as well , quick fix diets never work long term, and eating "faddy" or "diet" foods is not something sustainable or desirable for the long term. But making small changes to the way we eat to make our day to day nutrition better will over time.
Consistency is the cornerstone of success, especially when it comes to our health and longevity. It may not be exciting and it wont get those quick fixes , but what it will do by showing up every week, is allow you to achieve results and to keep the body strong and mobile. Slow and steady wins the race !
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” – Tony Robbins
Comments