I’ve been exercising for over 10 years now and one common pattern I’ve seen is this….people being on and off with their health routine.

You’ll hear someone say “Man, I need to get back to the gym” or “it’s been a while” or you’ll hear someone say “I had a salad, so I’m definitely doing something right” only to go back to their old routine the next day and of course my favourite…when they make fun of their health, and weight to cope with the fact that they’re out of shape.

Look..health and fitness isn’t as complicated as it seems, you just haven’t figured out what works for you yet …

I’m currently working on an ebook to give you all a step by step guide to stay consistent with your health long term so be sure to leave your email on the form below to get all the next updates

1. Purpose

I used to be a personal trainer at a gym and one thing that was constantly emphasized at our training was getting the client’s “why”

This is key to anything in life really.

Without a why, it’s going to be hard to push forward especially as things start to get challenging.

Well that happened and then my purpose changed after I experienced constant sickness while on a 6 month trip in West Africa. It wasn’t until I started running early in the morning after the prayer that my body started to get stronger and I no longer got sick.

And before that, before I started to ever work out in my teens I had my why.

My motivation? Well I was tired of being skinny and I didn’t feel like I was able to attract the opposite gender so I wanted to gain some mass to build up my confidence and just my overall physical looks.

Now, my purpose has changed. I take care of my health so that I can be as optimal as possible with mentally, my career and also my overall fitness goals.

Looking better and confidence is now simply just a consequence of that purpose.

Your purpose will change as you stay consistent …But it has to be compelling enough to get you started.

Just saying you want to exercise to build muscle isn’t enough…

Nor is saying I simply want to lose weight..

It’s still very vague and it isn’t measurable.

However a doctor saying you need to prioritize your health otherwise you’ll have more health problems would be a stronger compelling reason…but we want to avoid that.

Here’s just some ideas for you:

• You want to build your confidence for future opportunities (business, relationship, friends)
• You’re tired of people making fun of your shape
• You constantly feel tired anytime you do anything
• You got rejected or you’re going through a breakup – *Bro science 101*

Everyone has a different purpose, just make sure it’s something personal to you and that it’s strong enough to make you persevere through those challenging times.

There will be times where you might not want to exercise (For some of you, that’s all the time)

Once you’ve found a compelling purpose, it will make it that much easier to stay on track of your goals and it will help you push through the tough times…

So take out your journal and write a strong sentence with your intention and why you want to achieve that goal.

Look at that journal anytime you feel like giving up.

2. You go too hard at the start

Have you ever felt this?

You decide to finally start exercising.

You either go to the gym or at home and you start to do some exercises.

You feel a little burn, you’re feeling like you’re getting something out of it.

You leave, you feel really good.

But the next day, you wake up feeling so sore.

You want to take a break but you told yourself you have to go.

You don’t have a specific schedule but you want to push yourself to stay consistent and then figure it out from there.

This goes on for a few weeks until you finally decide to stop…well not you…but your body decides it…

And then we have some who will literally cut everything unhealthy off from their diet and go full cold turkey.

They call it dieting, they do this and suffer until they get to their desired goal only to go back to that starting weight once again quickly after the goal has been achieved.

They relapse and go back to their old habits and sometimes, they end up feeling worse than when they first started.

If this is you, I understand…

If this isn’t you, then you can either keep reading or go to the next step.

Numbers and numbers of people swarm the gyms on January 1st only to stop going after a few weeks.

And then we have some who will literally cut everything unhealthy off from their diet and go full cold turkey.

When you first get hired for a job, does it start by taking you to step 10 or do you start with some training first?

Even if you’re an expert, you still need to go through an on boarding process to understand the company and what you’re working with.

If your work just brought you straight on without training and you were able to handle it , then hey…props to you…

But most people for the most part will ease in to their new careers and keep learning and adapting along the way.

Fitness is the same way, you have to ease into it.

The problem is most people that come and go think that they need to push their bodies to the limit every time they go.

And they’re right to a certain extent, they may need to push a little harder to start building some muscle.

But you’re trying to build a habit.

If you haven’t gone in a while or if it’s your first time, you want to make sure that this is something you can adopt as a lifestyle.

You can start off by going for walks, by drinking water, maybe by cutting down on sodas.

Here’s what I recommend:

1. After your purpose, dedicate at least 2-4 days a week to some sort of physical exercise
2. Focus on movement and get accustomed to wherever your active area is (You can go as small as going for walks)
3. Little by little, keep improving. Don’t just go all out on day one
4. Once you’ve gotten used to the active area and your routine, now you can find different ways to improve
5. Focus long term, this is a lifestyle…
6. Gradual progression and sustainable habits
7. Make sure you’re getting proper rest

3. You want instant results

I’ll say it now so you can stay focused…Social media is fake…

That dream body that you see online might not be what you think it is.

Social media is a highlight reel.

That clip or photo might be a result of great lighting, being in a fasted state in the morning, maybe they rested a while for that super cool exercise routine, and of course there’s a chance that they aren’t even natural (You know what I’m talking about).

I know how frustrating it can be to go to the gym for months and see minimal results…I’ve been there.

I was frustrated for about 3-5 years going into it however what I failed to ackowledge is the fact that I was actually improving with my fitness

Patience and Delayed Gratification:

• You won’t see results right away, and if you do it’s simply going to be noobie gains and you’ll still have to work to maintain it
• Everything in life takes time. We all have different body types and metabolisms. Some might see results quickly and some it may take time
• Keep learning, focus on yourself and stop comparing yourself with the next person beside you
• Embrace whatever progress you get, celebrate your wins and look back at how far you’ve come. If you’ve lost 5 pounds, you’re 5 pounds lighter than you were before

4. You have no plan

Have you seen the guy at the gym who seems so consistent, and yet they’re still always out of shape?

Alongside people who don’t exercise are people who just wing it with their health journeys

They just start going to the gym and lift anything.

Or they just kind of eat whatever is in front of them.

Although it’s great that they’re starting, what happens is it leads to the person who always look and feel the same after years of working out.

Now this can be discouraging especially if you’ve spent a lot of time only to get no results.

Although I recommend starting off slow and just getting accustomed to things, once you’ve built consistency, it’s the best time to take it to a different level.

There’s trusting the process and then there’s changing your overall game plan and approach.

Once you’ve found some consistency with your fitness routine…

Focus on measurable results that are realistic. Aim high but also don’t be delusional. Focus on attainable results.

What I like to do is jot down my weight every week to measure the progress I’ve made.

Below is how I bulked up back in 2019 while working a 9-5 full time job. I tracked my calories on MyFitnessPal and wrote down my weight consistently until I got to a weight I was happy with (I’m now between 155-160, so my weight has changed a lot but I still use the same concepts)

This is when I saw the most progress, when I actually started to measure my results.

Remember this is a life journey, you’ll get there….You just have to find what works for you

I’ll have more in a future book so be sure to sign up to the email list to stay updated (Opt in is below :))

5. Sacrifice

A content creator said something that always hits me.

If you don’t sacrifice for your goals, your goals become the sacrifice.

There’s always another one below

The hardest part of working out is going and really finding your rhythm

I know the pain sucks after your first workout…that doesn’t last forever

I know being new in a space where everyone looks like they know what they’re doing is intimidating.

I know, we’ve all been there.

There was a time when I was so scared to workout that I had to always go with a friend.

I remember when I couldn’t lift a bar.

I remember more experienced guys coming up to me giving me advice on how to lift.

When you get a new job, you’re not an expert yet.

Even if you’re an expert in your field, you still need to get accustomed to the culture and environment at the new workplace.

When you go to a gym or fitness area, you get comfortable there and it becomes your home gym so going to a new gym might feel uncomfortable.

But again….all this is temporary.

Where most go wrong is that they quit when the going gets tough or when they feel discouraged.

Don’t quit yet, you’re already making progress.

You may just have to adjust your routine, or go with a friend, maybe you need to hire someone to help you.

Look I’ve done all of this.

So embrace the journey, your future self will thank you for it.

I’ve been self conscious of my health journey since 2013 and I’m so glad I went when I went because it has truly changed my perspective and my body is thanking me for the trial and error that I’ve experienced.

If you need extra help, you can reach out to me on my personal instagram ==> @ibrahimacisse

It might not be free and my time is limited, but if I can help you take your health journey to a new level, then my work is competed 🙂

Conclusion:

Consistency in fitness is not achieved overnight but is rather the result of purposeful commitment, gradual progression, patience, and embracing the journey.

By understanding the underlying reasons for inconsistency and implementing practical strategies to overcome obstacles, individuals can cultivate a sustainable fitness lifestyle that promotes long-term health and well-being.

Remember, the journey to consistent fitness is not always easy, but with dedication and perseverance, it is entirely achievable.

You’ve got this, and your future self will also thank you for this as well.

Keep going

References

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