Any tips on CONSISTENCY

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.