Consistency Is Key When It Comes to Exercise
Now that we’ve covered a general talk on the importance of diet, it’s time to address the topic of exercise.
Exercise is not the easiest habit to maintain especially when you’re just starting out in your fitness journey. It requires discipline to set aside time out of your day to exercise, and more importantly, it demands consistency if you want to achieve actual results.
As people look to exercise as an integral part of weight loss (to which it is), it’s important to know how to be effective at it in the long run. After all, it is a lifestyle choice.
First thing to understand is that doing “extreme workouts” isn’t the only method to lose weight. This mentality is skewed and can lead to a lot confusion. “The go hard or go home training mentality may be good at times or for some situations, but going hard all the time is not a recipe for optimal health. Consistency is the key to sustainable weight loss, muscles/growth maintenance, and overall health.” (2)
It sounds pleasant when you think about doing more of a particular exercise especially if you’re looking to increase its efficacy but remember, be more concerned with doing it for the long-haul and that means you should aim to progress at a slow, and consistent rate.
I’m not discounting your ability to follow a high-intensity workout on a regular basis. If you feel that you’re capable of consistently doing so, then you’re free to follow a regime that works best for you. As for the majority of people looking to make exercise as part of their everyday routine, take it slow and progress from there.
Remember, “commit for life to some form of exercise! That means staying consistent and not worrying about intensity, duration, and the amount of working out that you do.” (3) A great way to start is finding a form of exercise that you thoroughly enjoy.
With that said, we created a 21-day walking plan to help you jumpstart your fitness journey towards losing weight. This 21-day walking plan is meant to assist you in your first steps but you should aim to incorporate exercise in your everyday routine as a lifelong journey. Do not stop after you complete the 21 Days. Continue the momentum.
