Skip to main content

CONSISTENCY IS SOOOO BORING

"Title said in my best annoyed teenager voice"



When it comes to weight loss, Consistency is BORING.

But it’s true, it’s necessary, and it’s the best way to improve your health, lose weight, and get LASTING results.

There is always “another” diet. South Beach. Atkins. Keto. Paleo. I’m old enough to remember the Grapefruit Diet!

There’s always “another” fitness craze. CrossFit. P90X. V-Shred. TaeBo. I’m also old enough to remember Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda’s workout videos!

There are always weight loss programs. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. Noom. Nutri-System.

But.

The only way these things work is if you do them CONSISTENTLY. If you don’t stick with it, not only will you stop losing weight, but most likely you will gain it back.

This is why it’s MORE important to develop Healthy HABITS than to jump on another diet, fitness, or weight loss program

I said what I said.



One of the reasons that health coaching is not only growing in popularity, but also being incorporated into medical practices across the country is because patients/clients who work with a health coach are more likely to have, not only weight loss and improved health conditions (blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes), but to SUSTAIN lasting results.

Why? What makes health coaching so different from a diet, a fitness program, or a weight loss program?

Well, a few things. Consistency, obviously.

Behavior change. It’s not just about following a set of rules for 30 days. It’s about changing your behaviors, your habits, and your routines so that healthy choices and activities become an everyday part of your life.

Accountability. Showing up for appointments (in person, over the phone, or online) and going over the choices you made during the week. No judgment! Just an honest look at what worked and what didn’t. And the ability to regroup and try a new tactic when things aren’t working.



Support. Again, no judgment. Acceptance of where you are, how you’re doing, and what you need to keep working toward your goals. Do you need a pat on the back? A kick in the pants? Someone to honestly tell you, “You CAN do this!” even when it’s hard? Health coaches have your back!

And the ever-important, but often ignored, Celebration. No one understands the importance of celebration when it comes to habit change and long-lasting health. It’s only been studied over the last decade or so, and there’s still more to be looked at. But what IS known is that participants in studies at Stanford who added CELEBRATION to their routines, behaviors, and habits increased their likelihood of success.

Even though it’s easy to look at consistency in your weight loss efforts as BORING and not very exciting, if you’re trying to lose weight for the long haul, it’s a great place to focus your energy. And adding a health coach to your team can drastically increase your chances for meeting your goals.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT TO DO WHEN CREATING HEALTHY HABITS BECOMES A CHALLENGE

As you’re working on your health, wellness, or nutrition journey, you’re going to face daily challenges. It happens. Obstacles. Setbacks. Faltering Motivation. Resistance. It’s frustrating to hit a roadblock. But hopefully some of the tips compiled here will help you navigate around these challenges and continue on your way to a healthier you. Focus on Your Behaviors, Not Your Outcomes .  I know I’ve talked about this before, but it’s actually a critical step of creating healthy habits. Outcomes vary. If you’re trying to lose 10 pounds, but the scale hasn’t moved past 5 pounds, it’s easy to get caught up in the number on the scale and fail to give yourself credit for the habits you’re creating like riding your bike 4 times per week, cooking healthier meals at home, and losing inches from around your waist. It’s important to praise and celebrate each habit you do, rather than only giving yourself credit when you hit a certain milestone, like the number on the scale. Take a...

NAMING THE PROBLEM

I love working with clients. I love walking them through the process of their health concerns, what their goals are, and how those goals can be achieved. But there is inevitably a glitch in the process where clients get stuck. For me, as well, when I’m working on my own personal goals. They hit a point where they feel like they’ve stalled in their progress. Or they feel like they don’t know where to start. Or how to navigate through an issue. And when these obstacles happen, the secret ingredient that health coaches use to help clients through these barriers is to Name The Problem . In my own personal experience, I have a tendency to get overwhelmed when I’ve made a goal too big. I get sucked into the vastness of the “forest” and I struggle to recognize the individual “trees” around me. For example, let’s say you’ve set a goal to “ Eat Healthier” . That is a very broad goal, and it could cover hundreds (if not thousands) of options. But you’ve made some changes that work for yo...

A BUSY MOMS CAUTIONARY TALE: SPORTS MOM EDITION

I had a conversation with a friend the other day, and it got my brain stuck on this topic, so I thought I’d write it out today. I’ve always had kids who were into sports. From the time my sons were 4 years old (and they just graduated from college), until now with my daughter in her senior year of high school. A large majority of my friends also have kids in sports. Recently, our coaches have been talking to the players, as well as their parents, about nutrition. The players are running out of fuel for their bodies long before their events have ended. The result has been kids getting quite sick in one way or another during or immediately after their event. The majority of the issues are coming from a lack of proper nutrition and a lack of hydration. The coaches are taking it all VERY seriously, and have taken a lot of steps to help remedy this situation. The conversation with my friend brought up this point (which is the one that stuck with me), as we were discussing how much ...