Importance of Consistency in Fitness

Consistency and Intensity

Two twins in the fitness world if you ask me. You’re dead in the water without one or the other. As a matter of fact most good things in this world that provide rewards require these two guys. You have to set that goal, be consistent, and go after it with intensity. If it’s one thing I’ve learned in almost 40 years on this planet, it’s that your goal is not going to come to you. You’ve got to make it happen.

How do we do it? How do we get that lean sexy body, or anything else for that matter? By being consistent! I want to pound it in your head! Too many people miss this step, one of the most detrimental, if not THE most detrimental steps to “fill in the blank”. In this case, a better body.

I know to some this may seem like common sense, but trust me as a trainer for 20 years, it’s not. I have seen many, many inconsistent clients come through my gym; members as well as clients who have paid good money and spent 10 plus years inconsistently working out to look, if they’re lucky, the same as when they started. It’s sad, it makes me want to shout and scream, or something, when I see this. So for now I’ll just blog my frustrations. I’m frustrated just as a spectator, it’s not even my life. Somewhere along the line this fundamental step was lost.

Excuses:

Either the client or newbie gym member wasn’t told this by the trainer or salesman in the beginning, or did not know. The other and more probable reason is excuses. Now if you haven’t heard the old saying, excuses are like well…, basically it’s a part of your body that begins with a or b and ends in e and everyone has one. Catch my drift? Essentially I can come up with all kinds of reasons why I shouldn’t or can’t go to the gym today:

• “I don’t have enough time.”
• “I’m sore.”
• “I’m tired.”
• “My car is broke.”
• “I worked a lot this week.”
• “My something another hurts.”
• “I have 3 kids and no babysitter.”
• “My house needs cleaning.”
• “My daughter has something at school today.”
• “I’m just too busy.”
• “I can’t get off work.”
• “My dog ate my gym shoes.”

I’ve heard all the excuses 1000 times each and ALL obstacles I have overcome. Except the dog gym shoes thing. That never happened to me. A cat once peed in my shoes and I still made it to the gym, but that’s another story for later, lol.

Solutions:

How do we overcome these obstacles? Well I am glad that you asked, shows you’re thinking in the right direction. Let’s see here:

• “I don’t have enough time.” – Well just how much time do you think you need? I’ll bet it’s less time than you think. You might be surprised at how much time you actually need. I explain this further down, but it’s roughly 2 hours or less a week. You may have to move some things around but you can make it happen. I once had a job fresh out of high school that had me working a hundred hours a week and I still hit the gym. Stay consistent!
• “I’m sore.” – Easy. Train a different body part. Stay consistent!
• “I’m tired.” – Good. Adding lean muscle to your body increases energy and metabolism. Problem solved. Stay consistent!
• “My car is broke.” – Ever heard of Lyft, or the bus? Stay consistent!
• “I worked a lot this week.” – So did everyone in America. We covered this. Stay consistent!
• “My something or another hurts.” – Most times that you have an injury it is very specific and can be worked around in a pain free range of motion. For instance, your shoulder hurts on a bench press, but not on an incline press. If it’s so bad that you can’t press at all, avoid that movement all together. Do legs, see a doctor, problem solved. Stay consistent! Next.
• “I have 3 kids and no babysitter.” – So… Bring them, that’s right, sign up at the gym that either trains kids, or has a kid’s club, or get up or plan ahead and know when you’re going to work out. Get a babysitter. Worst case scenario let them sit up at the front and quietly take turns playing Angry Birds on your phone, or come when they are at school. Either way, make it happen, be a good role model. I have 3 kids myself. Most importantly, stay consistent!
• “My house needs cleaning.” – It always will and if you think like this you will always be out of shape. Clean it later, hire a maid, or get a nanny. Come to the gym. Stay consistent!
• “My daughter has something at school today.” – So?! Come before school, or come after, but whatever you choose, make sure you stay consistent!
• “I’m just too busy.” – Alright that’s awesome, come to the gym.
• “No I’m busy! Did you hear what I just said?” – Yes I did. Did you know strength training helps with mental clarity, memory, strength, endurance, stamina, and flexibility? So whatever you have to get done it can be done quicker and more efficiently when you’re in shape. Get to the gym. Stay consistent!
• “I can’t get off work.” – Again, go before work if this happens. Go to bed earlier. Problem solved. Stay consistent!
• “My dog ate my gym shoes.” – Um, go buy some new ones, or grab a different pair. If you can’t afford new ones sell your dog. I don’t know, just get to the gym, first and foremost. Stay consistent!

So I’m writing this blog, hoping that this advice can at least help someone reach their fitness goals. I hope you’re starting to see the light here, but if not keep reading and you will.

Setting the Record Straight:

Just what is consistency and how much does it take to reach your goals? Consistency is showing up for your workout no matter what is going on in your life. How much does it take? This is a very broad answer depending on your goal. I hope I can shed some light on this. Please give yourself realistic expectations. If you’re 40 years old and you haven’t been active since high school and you’re 40 or more pounds overweight plus it’s March, no, no you won’t have a six pack by June so don’t ask. It’s going to take more than 3 months to undo 40 Years of bad habits, and bad habits take longer to change than fat does to burn (a topic for another day).

The amount of consistency to reach your goals is all differentfor each individual. However, as I stated in my earlier blogs, based on my years of training clients and checking them every week with my bio electrical impedance systems, I have found that you can make a difference in your body training intensely just two times a week with weights for half an hour and two times a week of cardio for 20 to 30 minutes. Following this routine in combination with the meal plan that my clients follow,I have seen a loss of up to 2 pounds per week. You can be fit and still have plenty of time for everything else. You just have to make it an absolute priority in your life. I have seen good results training anywhere from 3 to 5 times per week, 30 to 60 minutes each doing resistant workouts,in combination with 2×20-45 minute cardio sessions. Assuming the clients in this case are drug free and staying on my meal plan. That will be discussed in my future blogs. But for now, if you’re just starting out, start with the minimum. Stay consistent and you will see results.

Motivation:

So now that you see what role consistency plays in you reaching your goals and you understand the minimum of what the laws of physics will allow for you to reach your goals, I have to ask you: How bad do you want it? What are you willing to arrange so that you can get it? Are you willing to settle for less, or do you want everything I mentioned in my previous blogs to become a reality? Do you think the people in the fitness magazines come looking that way? Do you think they never had a job, a kid, a problem, abroke down car, are not busy, have injuries, a dirty house, or a dog? I can’t tell you the answer to the first three questions, but I can tell you that the majority of them worked their tails off to get to the level that they are at. I can also tell you that they have just as many problems as you do, but the thing that separates them apart is that they don’t see life as a roadblock to their goals. Rather they command life to be their road map to their goals. So the only question left to ask is: Which path will you choose?

Thanks for reading my blog and join me next week where I’ll be talking more about intensity.