It’s 7a.m. on a Tuesday. You wake up still tired from the previous day. You have things to do at home and at work. You lead a life plagued with deadlines, family commitments, business travels, friends, networking meetings and social dinners. You work hard to make time for everyone and everything. You don’t have time for you. You don’t find time for fitness.
You open today’s newspaper or your computer. You see an advertisement for a service or product that promises to burn all your fat within just a few weeks. You’re sceptical at first. But it isn’t too expensive and looks safe. There are testimonials. You decide to give it a shot. You make the call.
You want the magic bullet. You want to go from flab to fab overnight. You want to lose fat and gain muscle all the while practising gluttony and sedantarism. You want the holy grail and you want it served in bed along with your pancakes and syrup.
And I’m going to give you exactly that.
There is a little secret that all fit people have in common and are not telling you. There is something which is more important than how long you work out or how well you eat. There is a weapon that is more powerful than the most famous weight loss product. There is an activity that has the potential to transform your life more than any service ever can.
This is the holy grail and it is called ‘consistency’.
The one way, and the only way, to healthy living is consistency. It doesn’t matter how amazing your workout programme is if you’re not going to stay true to it. It doesn’t matter if you find the most effective diet in the world if you’re not going to stick to it. It only matters that you consistently do what is right for you.
Like education, fitness only works in the long run. It isn’t about that one test you aced. It is about educating yourself, performing and progressing consistently over a period of many years. As much as supplement and equipment manufacturers would like you to believe that fitness is found in a box, the truth is that fitness isn’t something you can buy. Being fit defines a person and is a quality that results from consistently eating a nutritionally sufficient diet and doing an activity that is both physically engaging and mentally stimulating.
So if there is only one thing you will do to get your health and life in control, I say resolve to stay consistent. And what does that mean?
Eat food . Stop starving yourself. Forget crash diets and overnight transformations. Eat a whole food-based diet that is abundant in nutrients, low in empty calories and suits you, your food preferences and your lifestyle.
Move frequently. Start doing an activity, any activity, that excites you and is physical challenging for your current level of fitness. This could mean playing a sport or walking or cycling or training for strength or yoga or a combination. It doesn’t matter as much as you’re made to think it is. Do this consistently for at least three-four months.
At the end of 3-4 months, revisit your choices and measure your results. If you’re still enjoying what you do and are progressing in a way you’re happy with, do nothing different. If either of the two aren’t on track, go back to step 1.
Or to summarize — Eat (wholesome nutrient rich foods). Train (by doing an activity you enjoy). Repeat (as often as life allows you to).
