The Secret to Losing Weight and Getting Into Shape

con·sist·en·cy [kuhn-sis-tuhn-see]  

I like this word and found I have been using it a lot lately with my clients.  Why do I like this word?  Well, it is fun to say, but that is not the reason.  The reason I like this word is, because it is the key to any successful weight loss or fitness goal!

Consistency seems like such an innocent little word, but it's not.  Most people really do not pay much attention to it.  Most likely because we live in a world of instant gratification. We want things now.

Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss and fitness, instant gratification is not going to happen. (Unless you have plenty of free time (and money) on your hand - then you may be able to speed up the process.) But if you are a regular person, with a life, family and a job, you are probably going to be better off looking at your fitness and weight loss goals as long-term goals.

Think about it.  How long did it take you to put on those extra pounds?  How long did it take you to get into the shape you are in?  My guess is that it did not happen overnight.  So if putting on a few extra pounds and getting out of shape did not happen overnight, why would you expect you to lose the weight or get into shape overnight?

I see this happen every year. I walk into the gym the first day of the new year and EVERY machine is full!  What happened?  I was just there last week and it was a ghost town.  The funny thing about it is, by the end of January, it is the same four or five people in the gym that were there in December.

What happens is people come out swinging, saying this is the year I am going to lose the weight or get into good shape.  They work super hard and maybe even go on a "diet."   Then about four weeks into it, they do not see the results they want and they give up and go back to doing what they were before.

The only way you are going to be able to make a permanent change in your weight or fitness is through consistency. The funny thing about it, it is not a lot of work. You do not have to workout like a crazy person seven days a week.  Just start out slow, workout 2-4 days per week, but do it EVERY week.

I promise, if you workout and eat better (by making small changes in your diet), consistently the entire year, you will see significant changes in your body by the end of the year (NOT by the end January).

I did not get into really good shape overnight. I have just been consistent with my food and workouts. Every year, my body composition gets better and every year I am in better shape than I was the year before.  This happens to me consistently, every year now.

Small changes over time do add up! So when you are making your weight loss and fitness goals this year, make sure you include the word consistency and take the easy road to health and fitness once and for all!