Hey there, Mamas! Summer is here. More time outside usually means tank tops, shorts, and swim suits. If that makes you nervous, don’t fret! I have the secret weapon to reaching your goals once and for all this summer: Consistency.
It may seem boring, but you’ll never reach your goals without it. When we take action to do things consistently, those things eventually become habits. Once we have a habit, a few things happen.
- Habits are second nature to us. It doesn’t take brain power to accomplish it.
- On the other hand, once we have a habit, it’s not that big a deal if life gets in the way and we slip up a day or two. We know we’ll be able to pick up where we left off.
{For more on developing habits, check out this RDNmama article.}
For example: consider brushing your teeth. I would say for most of us, it’s a pretty ingrained habit. (If not, read up on this RDNmama article about the importance of dental hygiene and diet.) If you have ideal dental hygiene 99% of the time, it’s unlikely you’ll get a cavity the one time you forget to brush. Whether it’s falling asleep studying for an exam or when you’ve finally gotten your newborn to sleep… on your chest… and don’t want to move and risk waking them, you just jump right back in the next day. While you may have some gnarly breath the next morning, there’s probably not any permanent damage. On the other hand, if you have bad brushing habits, but manage to brush your teeth for one week perfectly, that’s great for that week, but your predominant habits are what will determine your likeliness of developing cavities.
Another example is studying. If you consistently study for a class, a pop quiz is no big deal. Even if one week you had to work late and it ate into your studying time, overall your grade should look pretty good. Conversely, if you start out studying great, but then let other things get in the way of your study time, your grade probably won’t look too hot at the end of the semester.
Nutrition and exercise are the same.
If you’re consistently eating nutritious foods and exercising, you will get great results! So much so, that it won’t be that big of a deal if you go away for a girls weekend or a five-night cruise. It will be habit to get back on track and not beat yourself up about it. You learn that it’s okay to enjoy yourself. Also, hopefully some of the healthy eating and exercising stuff has become so ingrained that you’ll want to do it even during vacations and holidays (well, at least a little bit…).
However, if you decide to crash diet and exercise for several hours a day out of the blue, you’re going to get burnt out really quickly. {Read more on fad diets here, here, and here.}
Using consistency to reach your goals is all about combining structure with balance.
It’s really important to carve out time to work on achieving your goals. Whether it’s time at the gym, grocery shopping, or meal planning. Results don’t just fall into your lap. That’s why the fitness and diet industry makes such big bucks.
I once heard it stated: Treat changes in your diet like a marriage, not a one-night stand.
This is the perfect analogy! You’re in it for the long haul. Start off slowly, making little manageable changes. Stick with it long enough and they will eventually become habit. You won’t have to even think about doing them – they will come naturally! Then you’ll be able to add another small change. Before you know it, your entire lifestyle has shifted to a new healthy medium!
I am a huge fan of tracking things. I love crossing things off my to-do list and checking boxes off my calendar. It helps keep me accountable. If you’re like me, there are so many apps that can help you build new habits. One of my favorites is HabitBull.
Best of luck achieving your summertime goals, Mamas!
Tell me, Mamas: What are some ways you help yourself stay consistent?
Photo Credit:
“Calendar” by David Castillo Dominici downloaded from freedigitalphotos.net.