Slow and Steady wins the Race - Why Consistency Matters

The definition of Consistency is a ‘consistent behaviour or treatment.’

‘Slow and steady wins the race’ means that slow, productive progress leads to success. So, in turn, consistency comes into play here too which is defined as a consistent behaviour or treatment. If consistency is a key to achieving our goals, then why do people find it so hard to be consistent?

In this blog, I’ll discuss some current trends in the health and wellness industry. As well as their impact on consistency. Why slow and steady wins the race and why consistency matters.

Current trends in society and the health and wellness industry:

Trends within society and the health and wellness industry change over time. 

Currently there are a few trends that may impact on the ability to achieve results. These trends are important aspects to consider if consistency is something that you struggle with.

The Yo-Yo & Start/Stop

This yo-yo and on and off approach are often detrimental to results. It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about, ‘I’m back on the diet’, ‘I’m being good’ or ‘I’m in a diet phase. ‘

With this type of on/off and yoyo-ing plan, the body just doesn’t have enough time to adapt to the changes. However, sometimes a small result will occur. Other times the person ends up in a worse situation than when they started.

From a weight loss perspective this yo-yo, on/off method, plays havoc with your hormones. In turn, it affects your metabolism in the long run.

From a fitness perspective, the yoyo on/off approach may put you at more risk of injuries. Because of the stop-start aspect, it's hard to know what level you are at when ‘jumping’ back in. Many overdo it and injure themselves.

The Quick Fix

One thing that society loves is quick fixes. Uber-eats, duct tape, fad diets and pills to lose weight. Often these temporary solutions fail to address the underlying cause or problem. The problem continues to persist. Another thing that society loves is avoidance. The 'Stick your head in the sand' and pretend it’s not happening mentality. Avoidance perpetuates the cycle of quick fixes. Many seek out another quick fix rather than address the underlying issues. This also happens in the health and fitness industry also in gyms, studios, and classes.

These days, the approach to many aspects of life is a quick fix solution.

It can be seen in:

• What pill can I take to lose weight?

• What quick diet will help me drop 5kgs?

• What training plan is the current celebrity doing?

The Excitement or ‘Next Big Hit’

In society these days many are driven by the next hit. The 'hit' being the next event, the next challenge, how many likes on social media, the list goes on. Just as we live in a yoyo, on/off society, we also live in a fast-paced, instant gratification and seeking approval from others society. Just going to Pilates or Yoga consistently, doesn’t fit into any of those categories. It isn't fast paced (possibly depending on what you are doing). It doesn’t provide instant gratification. You aren’t getting validation from others.

What happens when all the trends come together: The Challenge

The challenge often is that the yo-yo, start/stop, quick fix & the hit trends are often paired or combined. People are looking for fast solutions that give them a hit and if they don’t get results, they move onto the next one. Bam…. all three mixed together. Quick fix, they get their excitement and energy hit and if it doesn’t work, they yo-yo or start/stop again.

The health and wellness industry doesn’t necessarily help this challenge either with ‘amazing transformation,’ ’12-week challenge’ & ‘5-day detox’ plastered all over advertisements in gyms as well as all over social media.

Whilst these programs are not necessarily bad or wrong, they don’t address the underlying causes which are often the habits and behaviours that make staying consistent so hard.

Over time all these trends stop you from achieving your goals as there just isn’t any consistency and therefore minimal or no results. It really is small steps added together that get results. This part isn’t necessarily sexy or marketable as a new trend or fad, it’s just step by step by step, repeated to get results. Being consistent matters as it creates the building blocks to your goals.

How to be consistent with your health and wellness routine: 

Below are some key aspects to be consistent with your health and wellness routine.

1. Goal setting and knowing your why.

Firstly, knowing what your goals are is important. That way you have clarity on where you are going and what you need to do to get there. Knowing your why ties back into your motivation. The bigger the ‘why’ or reason for achieving your goal and the more emotion attached to it the more likely you are to be motivated to do it. For example, brides and their wedding day. Their ‘why’ is they want to lose weight and look incredible on their wedding day. This is their why and what drives them to stick to their training and nutrition goals in the lead up to the big day. Knowing your why, can help you get out of bed on those cold winter mornings. Or motivate you to go to your class after work instead of going straight home.

2. Set small habits or behaviours in place to help you achieve these goals. 

It’s these small habits over time that add up to results. That way the big goal doesn’t seem so big because it is broken down into small chunks. It’s much easier to achieve small habits over time and consistently than big, huge goals that are easy to skip. The book Atomic Habits by James Clear teaches small changes that will transform your habits and deliver exceptional results. It is a great read if you are struggling to put habits in place and stay consistent. Habit stacking which, James Clear teaches, is the practice of stacking two habits together. A habit that is often already cemented in place along with another one that you want to be more consistent at. Brushing your teeth is always a good example of a cemented habit. So, by adding a newer habit to it (stacking) you are more likely to do the newer habit as it's added to an already cemented one. With my clients when they are practicing balance moves, I encourage them to add them to their teeth brushing habit. That way they are more likely to do the balance moves as the teeth brushing is already a habit and in place.

3. Accountability. 

Having an accountability buddy can help you stay on track with your habits, stay consistent and therefore achieve your goals.

4. Keep a habit tracker log.  

Tracking habits can be motivating and encouraging in itself. There are plenty of calendars or apps these days that allow you to visually see your progress. Having something you can refer back to that shows you how far you have come can help keep you motivated too. Especially on day where you are feeling discouraged, too busy or tired.

Overall, consistency does make a difference to your results. Stay consistent and you are much more likely to achieve your goals and see results. In relation to Yoga and Pilates, being consistent with your classes and home practice means that you continually adapt and therefore get fitter, stronger and more flexible.

Create your own habit stacks to follow the “slow and steady wins the race” approach to more easily reach your health and fitness goals.