Any tips on CONSISTENCY

Changin4Me44

Hey I’m new to MFP and I have tried different things in the past but the one thing that I cant get the hang of is my level of consistency. Any tips or advice I will be very greatful for. Thank you

kommodevaran

Think about (and share here) what exactly it is you want to be consistent about, and go into some detail as to why you can't be consistent.

tinkerbellang83

I think the place to start is work out why you struggle to be consistent and tackle those issues.

Is it the logging you have an issue with, is it the calorie deficit/way of eating you struggle with, etc.

h1udd

find a routine ..... if you can get into a routine for when and how you exercise, when and how you eat .. then consistency is a given.

also to start off with, follow a program. whether thats a lifting program at the gym or whether its pre-planning all your meals at the beginning of the week having a plan to follow saves you having to think and keeps you on track

Log and blog - put everything you do down in words on the app or site .. accountability drives consistancy

Habit - even when you dont want to do something, try anyway, if you can mae stuff a habit then you will constantly repeat that ... consistancy

Changin4Me44

kommodevaran wrote: »

Think about (and share here) what exactly it is you want to be consistent about, and go into some detail as to why you can't be consistent.

Hey so for example one time I didn’t have the eating down but I would go to the gym for like 3 weeks and then I just stop like I loss the will and the want to and motivation to go. Another time I tried to eat clean but nothing ever last past the two weeks mark. This time around it just feels so different like I have goals in place that I want to achieve and I don’t want to get to a certain time stamp and stop. I wanna keep this drive that I have now to keep going.

Dootzy1

That IS the biggest problem for those of us who want to drop weight.......I say, get out of your head with rationalizations, grab some "fake it til you make it" attitude. Let the success, (and maybe redefine what you previously called success?) take you into the next meal/day/challenge!!! For example, I used to be say "drop so many pounds by such and such a date"- which is still loosely in my brain. Now, I am sticking to my daily plan, and confident that the long-term goals will take care of themselves!

liflores88

I think what helps me the most is prepping food on sundays to get me through Thursday. Friday is my random meal for lunch and i take a rest day at the gym to prep a meal to last me through Sunday. I don't get too bored with my food so i generally eat the same thing for lunch every day. for dinners, i prep the protein. sometimes i switch it up by doing different things with the protein in the evenings. for example if i grill chicken for dinners on sunday, then i can have a grilled chicken sandwich, a chicken wrap, chicken and broccoli, and then just grilled chicken with rice and a vegetable.

With the gym, my rest day is Fridays. Fridays can go either way so thats my inconsistent day but other than that, routine is super important.

jmr5681

For me immediately logging in food intake helps to be consistent. Friends also help a lot with their encouragement.

aemsley05

It takes time to build habits. Lots of people jump right in and try to change everything at once (reduce calories, change foods, increase exercise etc.) but that makes it hard to stick to as you're trying to overwrite all your habits at the same time. You may find it easier to make small changes, one at a time, to build towards a healthier lifestyle.

LiftHeavyThings27105

Consistency is key. It is the "showing up everyday - no matter" that is going to lead to success (or, conversely, failure). So, props to you for recognizing that consistency is important and that you are struggling.

Work just became real....will return to finish my thoughts...

Changin4Me44

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

I think the place to start is work out why you struggle to be consistent and tackle those issues.

Is it the logging you have an issue with, is it the calorie deficit/way of eating you struggle with, etc.

Hey thank you for that I will sit down and see where my consistency falls through the cracks.

Kim_S_G

I am not sure what your goals are (weight loss, build muscle, run a marathon etc), but I am going to assume you want to lose weight. First, exercise is not necessary for weight loss, but it is beneficial. I think you need to find exercise and a diet that is sustainable for you. IMO, if you stop going to the gym, it is probably because you don't really like it. So, find something that you do love - for me it is walking outdoors. As far as diet goes, again, find something that is sustainable. From what I have read, it is safe for me to lose 1.5 pounds per week. However, that put me at ~1240 calories per day, and I knew after a week or so at that level of calories that I could not do that long term. I was tired and hungry. So, I reduced my weight loss goal to 1 pound per week, and I am finding that very doable. I eat pretty much the same foods that I did before restricting my calories, just in different amounts. Find what works for you. Something that you are comfortable with. Then you will be more likely to stick to it.

tinkerbellang83

Changin4Me44 wrote: »

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

I think the place to start is work out why you struggle to be consistent and tackle those issues.

Is it the logging you have an issue with, is it the calorie deficit/way of eating you struggle with, etc.

Hey thank you for that I will sit down and see where my consistency falls through the cracks.

From what you said above in the other post, you seem to be maybe making changes you can't stick to because you don't really want to (and to be fair they aren't necessary).

Start small, set yourself up with a sustainable deficit (suggestions posted below but don't be afraid to take it slower), log your normal diet accurately for a couple of days without worrying too much about calories, just be honest about what you're eating.

Once you have a couple of days of information, review it and see where you can make small changes to reduce your intake to the calorie goal MFP has set, this could be things like:

• using less or no oil in cooking
• cutting down on empty calories in drinks by switching to water or other zero/low calorie drinks instead
• being more mindful about portion sizes (food scale is a great tool to understand proper portion control)
• being more mindful of extra calories from condiments/dressings/etc
• switching out higher calorie items to lower calorie version e.g. using semi-skim instead of full fat milk, etc.

Make small changes over time and you will probably find them a lot easier to stick with.

Same with exercise/activity, just start making some more active choices, take the stairs instead of a lift, park a little further away if you drive or jump of the bus a stop earlier. Find some exercise you like even if it's just walking and you'll find it far easier to stick to than just forcing yourself to do things just for the sake of it.

Diatonic12

Pay as you go. Don't wait until the end of the day to track your day's food. When you go out to eat you must pick up the tab and pay. You can't run out the door or you'll end up in the back of a cruiser. Pay for your way. Every day.

try2again

Absolutely agree with other posters- consistency is built on habit, and habits are more successfully built 1 or 2 small things at a time. Trying to completely overhaul your diet & lifestyle all at once is asking for trouble.

I read an excellent article on building new habits a while back, and the 3 main points were:

1. Be realistic. Only choose 1 or 2 specific, achievable things you'd like to work on at a time
2. Manage your environment. Make it as easy as possible for you to do the right things, and harder to do the wrong things (i.e., if ice cream is your weakness, don't keep it in the house).
3. Take a long-range view. Habits take time to build. Don't view 1 relapse as a permanent failure. Try to learn from your mistakes, and focus more on the times you were successful and how you can repeat those.
   

LiftHeavyThings27105

Well, it does not really look like I have anything to add that has not been said already! So, what they said! :-)