You see it all the time on weight loss forums, and perhaps you’ve even asked it yourself. As soon as someone posts their mind-blowing transformation pictures, everyone asks the same thing: What’s your secret?
If you’ve been following a weight loss plan for some time, you’ll know that you need to make healthy choices and train regularly. That much is obvious. But why do some people achieve dramatic success, while your journey always stalls? Beyond clean eating and exercise, what’s the secret?
As it turns out, it’s one simple word. Consistency.
Yes, the secret’s out. Healthy, sustained weight loss isn’t just about what you put on your plate and what you do in the gym – it’s about how long you do it for, and how quickly you correct your mistakes after making them. It’s not a sexy solution and it’s not one that’s going to sell a lot of books, but it’s one that will help you achieve the results you’ve always wanted in the long run.
What does consistency mean?
Firstly, it means picking an eating plan and sticking with it. Unless you have any medical issues that need professional guidance, healthy eating is less about choosing a specific plan, and more about keeping to it. It doesn’t matter if you’re tired, lazy, if it’s the Christmas holidays, or any of the other million and one excuses you’ve used before. If you want to achieve success with your eating plan, you need to stick to it, without chopping and changing every week or so, or binging when your weigh-in doesn’t go your way. No excuses – it’s that simple.
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The same goes for your training. While weight loss is generally considered to have a stronger link to good nutrition than exercise alone, being mobile and active is important for your fitness and strength, particularly as you grow older. So that means choosing the forms of exercise that you love the most, planning your workout days and sticking to them, rain or shine. Sure your energy levels are going to be lower on some days than others, but then you work with the energy you have – you don’t lie in bed hitting the snooze button ten times in a row. No excuses, remember?
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Developing healthy habits and sticking to them day after day after day. That’s what consistency is, and that’s what makes the difference between a mind-blowing transformation, and losing the same 5 kilogrammes over and over again. It’s your secret weapon – now go out there and kick some ass!
Looking for more advice for living healthily? Check out this restaurant survival guide and this 30-day summer workout challenge.
