Consistency is key, right? You need to consistently eat well and train to get results. Consistency is defined as the quality of always doing something in a similar way–keeping the same. For example, training at least three times a week and only having two treat meals a week might be what you need to consistently do to get results. There’s a problem with consistency, though. It gets derailed easily.
Here is an example of great consistency getting derailed.
You’ve been having only two treat meals a week for a couple of months and are feeling great. Your body fat percentage is down and the headaches from too much sugar are even gone. And then you have a social event to attend, a Christmas party. So you ‘let your hair down’ and have a bender. A b.e.n.d.e.r! You feel sorry for yourself on the next day so you comfort yourself with more drugs bad food. Monday comes and you haven’t prepared any food because of the weekend’s activities. You buy some “healthy” convenient snacks and meals, and that’s what you do for the rest of the week because you’ll only have time for shopping on the weekend.
You make it to the supermarket on the weekend, but by then the taste of cocaine sugar is back. You’re off the rails.
It might sound a bit dramatic, but it’s a scenario I’ve witnessed far too many times in my 15 years in this industry. Consistency gets you going. Persistence is what keeps you going.
Persistence is defined as continuing on the course of action in spite of difficulty. It’s getting right back on track after having a bender, and after all the setbacks and detours that life will throw at you.
Our definition of fitness is increased work capacity across many activity types and durations through life. Lifelong health and fitness. So you are able to go snowboarding in your 70s, play sports with your grandchildren, and get yourself out of bed until the day you die.
A few six week challenges or one year of good training isn’t enough to get you there. Persistently working on your health and fitness–your nutrition, training, recovery and lifestyle habits–will.
