Without a consistent routine, getting results from your exercise, no matter what type you choose, will feel like being a hamster on a wheel.
You will put forth a lot of effort for not much result. If you want to see results, a routine with structure needs to come first. It doesn’t need to be five or six days a week to get a result. Your routine can consist simply of two days a week of a structured program to start, and you will get a result.
My philosophy has always been to start small and build on it. Create a routine you know you can stick to instead of overreaching and feeling like you failed when you can not sustain it. We underestimate what two days a week can do when it is consistent and focused.
How to achieve sustainability
If we lengthen the timeline we set for achieving results from a few weeks to a few months or even a year, and give ourselves more time to establish the routine into our normal lifestyles, the more sustainable it will be.
Once it feels like a natural part of your lifestyle, then it’s time to consider adding another day or even two. Its all about consistency.
Its unfortunate in this industry that we hear the message ‘more is better’ and the faster you can do that the quicker you will get the result you want.
The message is only about the result, not about the journey to get there. There are many ways to get a result that doesn’t mean it will be healthy or sustainable. It is important to recognize that.
The truth is, if you take your time and make the habit and routine stick, it will become a natural part of your daily life. And when you get to that point, it no longer feels overwhelming – it feels right and a priority.
Our health is important. It should take priority over so many things we place above it. I think part of the reason we put it to the bottom of the list is that we feel like becoming healthy is unattainable or too much work.
I believe we need to slow things down and allow ourselves time to let things set in and take root. Establish a system then add layers. A systematic approach is a sustainable approach.
Give yourself time. Give yourself the gift of sustainability.