Have you noticed that all the gym lockers are taken in the first week of January, yet most of them are empty again by the third week?
Most people struggle with achieving their fitness goals. That’s why every year, they look at their weight loss goal like it’s Groundhog Day.
What’s missing?
If you know my approach, you know I’m all about consistency.
The question is, how do you say consistent? How do you get yourself to do what you know you should do even if you don’t “feel like it?”
We need to tap into the power of creating a habit. After you have established a habit, actions happen automatically.
It probably took your parents quite a bit of coaxing to get you to brush your teeth when you were a kid. Now, you’re doing it twice a day without even thinking about it!
When you build a habit, you create momentum. It's the secret weapon you need to overcome the hurdle of inconsistency.
Imagine a spaceship going into space. It needs the most fuel during liftoff to achieve escape velocity. After leaving the Earth’s gravitational pull, it no longer needs much energy to travel.
The same thing happens when you’re establishing a new habit. It takes a lot of mental and physical energy to gain momentum. Leaving the gravitational pull of your old ways is hard work—it takes commitment and dedication.
The truth is - There’s no easy way to do it.
Force yourself to work out no matter what. Block it out on your calendar like it’s the most important appointment.
Do it for 90 days and turn going to the gym into a habit. Then you won’t have to feel like you’re having a Groundhog Day moment with your new year resolution again.
After working with many clients, I know that this is the most effective approach. It’ll take a lot of mental toughness, and it’ll suck for 90 days. (That’s why having someone to hold you accountable can make a huge difference.)
But it’ll be the best investment you make on your health and fitness because once you have built the momentum, you’re on autopilot. How cool is that? Your spaceship is in space, and you’ll be coasting. Going to the gym will be like brushing your teeth—you don’t have to think about it. You don’t need to rely on limited willpower to get you to the gym. (And you can use that willpower for something else!)
But you need to bite the bullet and get to that point.
“What if I’m not feeling 100%?” You may ask.
Work with your trainer to adjust your intensity, but keep your appointment. You can’t afford to miss a workout when you’re trying to achieve escape velocity. Otherwise, all your hard work that went into building momentum will be for nothing.
The first 90 days are critical—don’t turn off the engine!
When working out has become a habit, you’ll appreciate the journey. Just like the astronauts admiring the beauty of the Earth from space, you’ll marvel at the transformation you and your body have made.