You walk through the grocery store checkout, and Cosmo's telling you how to lose 6" in a month. Their previous issue told you Oprah's '50 pound miracle diet secret'. Beside it is a men's workout magazine talking about one easy trick to gain 5 pounds of lean muscle a week.
After years of working out and trying these tips and tricks, I've come to realize that there's only one good approach to getting the body you want. And that's consistency. Lead a healthy lifestyle on a day-to-day basis, and your body will gradually reshape itself. I know this is nothing earth-shattering or novel... yet it's where most of us miss out on.
We come to a breaking point where we decide we need to change... now. The scale, the mirror, a bad photo - whatever the catalyst is, we decide to change for the better. We have the most enthusiasm we're ever going to have about this new goal, and we want to pour it all in and see results immediately. Unfortunately, that kind of excitement won't last. So pick small goals - little things that you can do on a daily basis, and soon form into habits.
Look at your lifestyle and use common sense. Odds are you know where your big problems lie. Maybe it's the fast-food lunches, always skipping breakfast, the 2 AM dessert prowl, or always procrastinating going out for a walk/jog. You use your lack of a workout partner as justification for seldom working out. Regardless of what it is, the first few major adjustments are usually obvious.
Write down your weaknesses.
Pick one.
Write down the solution.
Now, do it.
It's that simple.
I emphasize writing these goals down, because after your initial drive wears off, you need reminders. That's where the follow-through comes from. The consistency.
