1. Sustainability
“Train because you want to, not because you feel like you have to” is a big phrase I elude to often. Doing things off the back of a voice in your head saying you ‘have to’ will never produce meaningful, passionate, or lasting actions. You have to start, or continue the process because you want to. You have found something that you enjoy, you can’t wait for the next session, you can’t wait to get stronger and faster than last time, or you just can’t wait to eat that healthy dinner and get an early night because you know it will take you one step closer, rather than the takeaway and glass of wine that will draw you one step back. Starting a plan that is progressive in nature and not flat out from the beginning will also inflict sustainability, a plan that’s not too restrictive and easy to give up. Start small, progress daily.
2. Adherence - stick to the plan.
The body takes time to adapt, it won’t change within days, weeks or even months sometimes. This is no reason to stop, change or adjust workouts or routines. This also comes down to consistency, putting the graft in day in day out. No one ever got anywhere taking multiple days off. Sticking to the plan, being patient and understanding bodily adaptation takes time is absolutely key if you want to see changes. A plan is made for a reason, its not a plan if you don’t stick to it. A plan that works is a plan you stick to.
3. Will power and Slip Ups
The ability to just say no. What you chose to do, eat, say, or not do, is a result of what you value most. It’s easy, don’t eat it, don’t buy it, don’t have it in the house. Many people will have foods that set them off. One piece, one slice, or one mouthful of this trigger food will cause chaos - the domino effect. If you know what these foods are for you, just stay clear of them, and if you do buy them or eat them, make sure there is not an abundance if them for you to continue shovelling them in your mouth. Saying that, if you do slip up, it is not the end. What so many people will do is slip up on a Saturday morning, or even Friday night with binging on alcohol or foods they know is wrong. They will write off the day and not care too much about what goes in next and start again tomorrow. Or even worse, they will tell themselves they will start again on Monday. Next weekend comes around and the same thing happens. This is my way of saying you are spinning your wheels and getting nowhere with your goals.
4. Make routine and habits
A key player in all of the above will routine and structure. Creating specific things you do daily will be the biggest factor in creating healthy habits, good structure and essentially making all the right decisions that correlate with your desired outcome. It may be that you train after work every day, routine. It may be that after a meal you drink a pint of water, routine. It may be that you go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday (including weekends), routine. It may be that you have your greens shake every commute to work, on the train, routine. This all gives your day purpose and structure, that you will habitually do day in day out and it will become part of your day. If your day is made up of specific events that you have created as part of a routine, and these things are healthy changes that take you closer to your goal, this is will the biggest thing towards your end goal.
5. Trust the process - it will happen, you will see benefits, you will see changes.
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Luke French | Health Coach