Exercise Consistency

Why is it important to have consistency in our exercise routine?

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
- Aristotle”

I think of training whether it be for endurance sports or general health as a game
of upwords. You have to build a good base before you can build up, and once
you have that base there are many options you can then take. There is no one
specific way that works for everyone, there are so many other pieces that factor
into good health and fitness.

One success factor that I’ve both observed and am personally working on is
consistency. It is what we do each and every day over and over again that allows
us to achieve our goals. I can attest to this being true as I’ve seen it in my clients
over the last 13 years of training, and also in my own training.

The good news is that consistency is something we have control over, there are
no skills or talents required to achieve consistency. Instead of skills or talents you
just need to start with the following habits that will help you increase your
consistency.

Plan and Schedule Your Workouts

Scheduling workouts on the same day every week will help consistency. For
example, every Wednesday, Friday may be your strength day. Tuesday and
Thursday are your cardio days. Then you save outdoor activities like hiking
for Saturday and/or Sunday, and finally rest day on Monday. By creating a
repeating schedule that works for you, you minimize the chances of missing
a workout.

Be Purposeful

Each and every workout should have a purpose. Putting unnecessary volume to
your schedule increases your risk of injury, over training, or burnout. Instead,
focus on the workouts you need to do and consider the quality, not quantity, or
each session. In doing so, you free up time to do everything else that you need
to do rather than create unnecessary conflicts.

Follow Your Plan as Best as You Can

For most of us who do not make our living as professional athletes, the reality is
that we may not be able to complete 100 percent of our workouts each week. A
good target is to complete 75-85 percent of your planned workout in a given week.
Take note of the most important workouts during the week and focus on getting
those workouts in. You’ll receive the desired training effect while allowing more
flexibility in your life. After a month or two reevaluate your workout schedule and
make adjustments based on what days and workouts you have been doing and
create your schedule with those in mind. 

If You are Short on Time, Do a Shorter Workout

This may seem obvious, but I’ve been guilty of skipping workouts altogether rather
than getting in a quick 30 minute session. Rather than feeling down about not getting
in the full workout, be positive about the fact you just got out there and did
something good for your body.

While these are pretty simple steps to follow, they are so important to gaining that
healthy lifestyle you have been trying to attain that has seemed just out of your reach.