Consistency

Example 1: If you have a goal of losing weight.

If you consistentlyeat well and make healthy choices then you will lose weight and achieve your goal.

If you consistentlycarry on with bad habits and make no attempt to change them, you will not achieve your goal.

Example 2: If you want to be healthier and change your current bad eating habits.

If you seek help, break a habit and then consistentlyrepeat good habits, you will achieve your goal.

If you consistentlyeat bad food and make poor food choices, you will probably put on weight and not achieve your goal.

Example 3: If you have a goal to put on muscle.

If you consistently go to the gym, perform weight training and make the correct food choices you will achieve your goal.

If you consistentlydo not go to the gym, eat the correct food and continue with poor choices, you will not achieve your goal.

You get the right idea... If you consistentlydo something, you will eventually reach a goal.

To get yourself from making a goal to achieving your goal, there has got to be 'actionable steps' to help you along the way.

It does not have to be all at once or huge changes, it starts with making small changes day to day and this results in big changes over time.

Two people could have the same goal of going to the Olympics. The first person is training hard, eating well and taking care of themselves. The second person is going out, drinking alcohol and eating bad food. Although they both have the same goal, the first person is much more likely to get to the Olympics because of the actionable steps that have been taken, their process and system is better for achieving the goal.

Why is it SO hard to stay consistent?
In modern day society, there tends to be a 'quick-fix solution' mentality. Fads and a new craze diet sweep social media and everyone jumps on the bandwagon, thinking they can lose one stone in one week. We all know this is impossible but most people are looking for the easiest way to lose weight. It is not easy, it takes time and dedication, but the rewards far outweigh the downsides.

Ask yourself WHY you want to want to change, every time you feel old habits creep in, answer your own question of WHY. This can help you keep on track as well as make you think about your actions rather than just be on autopilot.

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Setting yourself up for success

How do you create better habits?

First of all, you need to look at what you surround yourself with at work and at home.

We usually fail because we try and change too many things at once. For instance, if you try and change your nutrition for the better and add in exercise, you tell yourself:

''I am going to go to the gym before work then have a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner and no junk food today''

Monday morning comes:

The alarm clock goes off, you snooze it, then you get to work, are presented with cake and have some, it is classed as failure in your mind.

This then becomes disheartening and you end up giving up altogether.

In reality, trying to change more than one element of your life drastically does not work.

Change one thing at a time, maybe instead of trying to introduce exercise and eating healthy at the same time, it is, going for a 10-minute work around the block before you start work.

It will put you in a better mindset and is not too far out of your comfort zone. Usually, by the time you get back too, you do not necessarily feel like the fry up you usually have or the big sugary bowl of cereal.

Take little steps!

In your kitchen, if you can, remove temptation. Do not buy the things you would usually deem 'junk' if it is there you will usually end up eating it. If it is not, you cannot eat it.

If you have children or this is not an option then just put it in a cupboard and stay away from that cupboard. Something I have found useful with clients in the past in buying little red stickers and putting them on the food you are trying not to eat. It gives you a visual of a red flag and will make you think twice about eating it. Although things like this are ok in moderation, they are not the types of food you want to eat often.

If at your desk you have a drawer full of temptation, you are setting yourself for failure again. Make your desk tidy, have some pre-made snacks in there and make your own life easier.