My Consistency Story<\/h3>\n
Before I get to some practical ways to staying consistent with your workouts and nutrition, let me share a bit about myself. A few years back, in Oct 2016, I suffered a slipped disc<\/a> injury. It was so awful that I wasn\u2019t even able to walk more than 200\u2013300m and lifting anything beyond 2\u20133 kgs was quite a challenge. I was on partial bed rest and daily physio for eight weeks. It took me about <\/span>18 months of consistent effort to build myself up and get to where I am now. It was like starting from scratch. I just kept going and did not GIVE UP. It was during this time I realised the power of consistency and self-belief.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is me (see photo below) three years later, hanging out at a movement facility<\/a> in Aug 2019. The only reason I have been able to not just recover but thrive after a chronic injury is because I was consistent throughout. Through this article, I will share some practical tips, with examples, to help you stay consistent with your exercise regime and nutrition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Staying consistent with exercise and diet may seem daunting especially to those who are not fitness enthusiasts to start with. It is similar to how I find it difficult to motivate myself to stick to a book and finish it. I want to read it because I know reading will benefit me. But I find it hard because the thought of reading one book for so long makes me go to sleep. So, I procrastinate for days until the guilt swallows me whole. Let me explain what others like me, who are not avid readers, go through.<\/p>\n Do you realise what’s happening here?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n On the contrary, voracious readers go through a completely different experience. <\/span><\/p>\n Something similar happens when you try to stay consistent with your exercise and diet. Most people start with an expectation to transform their body and achieve amazing results quickly. The motivation is at its peak in the beginning. As time goes by and things get harder, it gets difficult to trust the process and keep going. Here are three practical steps to keep yourself accountable and stay consistent with your exercise and diet.<\/p>\n The first step towards being consistent with exercise and diet is to clearly define your purpose and set goals that you can track regularly. Ask yourself why you are doing this and if you are prepared for the long term game. The people who achieve long-lasting results are the ones who have a definite purpose in mind.<\/p>\n You are not lazy, you are just procrastinating because you lack purpose and well-defined goals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I usually get my online coaching<\/a> clients to define their purpose and set goals initially. Here is an example of purpose from one of them:<\/p>\n “I want to develop a system that I can follow for the rest of my life. A system that will allow me to take charge of my health and stay consistent with my workouts and nutrition. I believe results will be a by-product of that system.”<\/em><\/p>\n Once you have a clear purpose, the next step is to set goals that will guide you towards your purpose. Read this article<\/b><\/a> to learn about setting SMART goals that you can track to stay consistent and constantly have something to look forward to.<\/p>\n Make exercise and healthy eating habits part of your daily routine. It should be like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, non-negotiable and embedded into your lifestyle. As an example, if you know that your usual diet doesn’t have enough vegetables, make it a point that you eat one big salad every day.<\/p>\n Motivation is what gets you started, long term habits and routines will keep you going<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n How do you build habits and routines consistently and stick to them?<\/p>\n By taking small steps towards building a habit. Here is a simple example of gradually building an exercise routine for someone who has not exercised for a long time:<\/p>\n The key is to break down each goal into smaller, attainable goals and consistently achieve them. Accomplishing those small goals regularly and acknowledging the small wins will also help you release dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitters) which will, in turn, motivate you to stay consistent.<\/p>\n Devising a system is critical to ensuring continuity and holding yourself accountable at every stage. One cannot have a single plan and work with that forever. You have to keep iterating and modifying your plan as you achieve your small goals and make newer ones. That is where hiring a good coach can make a world of difference in setting you up for long term success. You may not need to work with a coach forever, but it helps during the initial learning phase. Here are few things a coach can assist you with:<\/span><\/p>\n Having a structured plan will give you the confidence to trust the process and focus solely on execution. With time you can identify what works for you and create a system for yourself. So, work with a good coach or an experienced trainer who can help you prepare a structured plan, so there is no guesswork and you can focus on building long term habits. <\/span><\/p>\n While I was recovering from my <\/span>slipped disc injury<\/span><\/a>, my physiotherapist was my coach who guided me throughout the recovery journey. He gave me a progressive rehab plan to work with and I followed it to a tee. It gave me the patience to stay persistent and focus on execution.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes when you get derailed from your usual routine for more than a couple of weeks, you may find it hard to get back on track. You may encounter phases when you feel that you have plateaued and anything you do leads to the same results with close to zero progress. It is normal to get into a downward spiral of inaction during those times.<\/p>\n\n\n When this happens, take a break for few days and then work on getting back on track<\/a>. Remember, action precedes motivation. Get out of your comfort zone and get going. If you have your purpose and smaller goals in check, then taking actions will, in turn, motivate you to be more consistent.<\/p>\n Taking action leads to progress that motivates us to take more actions. And the cycle of taking consistent actions continues. Execution leads to motivation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Motivation is overrated, the secret to long term health is in staying consistent with your exercise and diet. Clearly define your purpose and set goals that you can track regularly. Work towards building long term habits, and make exercise and healthy eating habits part of your daily routine. Hire a coach and work with them to devise a system, through experimentation, that you can follow long term. A well-planned system will give you the confidence to trust the process and focus on doing the work. <\/span><\/p>\n If you ever get derailed from your consistent routine, try to get back on track by getting out of the downward spiral of inaction. Remember, taking action leads to progress and that motivates us to take more actions. Stay consistent and nothing can stop you from reaching your fitness goals.<\/span><\/p>\n Feeling tired all the time even though you sleep enough? Read this<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Thanks for reading this article. Get regular blog updates and stay up to date on upcoming coaching resources. Subscribe here<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The number one question I get from my online clients and social media followers is this – How do I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9183,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73,75],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abhimanyubhargava.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Bodyweight-movement-training-Abhimanyu-Bhargava.jpg?resize=544%2C644&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Consistency Dilemma<\/h3>\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n1. Define Your Purpose and Set Goals<\/h3>\n
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2. Develop Long Term Habits and Routine<\/h3>\n
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3. Devise a System That Works for You<\/h3>\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nGet Out of the Downward Spiral of Inaction<\/h3>\n
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Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n
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Looking to integrate exercise and healthy eating habits into your lifestyle? Check out 1:1 online coaching<\/a> and book your discovery call NOW<\/h4>\n
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Follow me on Instagram<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> and Facebook<\/a><\/h5>\n
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My recommendations for protein supplements: <\/h5>\n
Whey Protein – Option 1<\/a><\/h6>\n
Whey Protein – Option 2<\/a><\/h6>\n
Vegan Protein – Option 1<\/a><\/h6>\n
Vegan protein – Option 2<\/a><\/h6>\n
Protein for Women<\/a><\/h6>\n
Other Option – Sattu<\/a><\/h6>\n
Other supplements I recommend (Confirm with your doctor before consuming):<\/h5>\n
Fish oil<\/a><\/h6>\n
Magnesium<\/a><\/h6>\n
Multivitamins<\/a><\/h6>\n
Multivitamins for women<\/a><\/h6>\n
Vitamin D3<\/a><\/h6>\n
Iron<\/a><\/h6>\n
Read these amazing books to learn about mindset, what motivates us and how to form good habits, and break bad ones. <\/h5>\n
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us<\/a><\/h6>\n
Atomic Habits<\/a><\/h6>\n
Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha<\/span><\/a><\/h6>\n
Mindset<\/a><\/h6>\n
7 Habits of highly effective people<\/a><\/h6>\n
30 Days<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n