Hey Everyone,
Welcome to another Sunday.  Thanks to everyone who has gotten along to the gym in the past week or so – we really appreciate everyone who chooses to come and spend their time with us.  Thanks especially to everyone who came along to our ‘Moving Day’ experiments (turning the clock back to pre-COVID days)…I know it is challenging right now with the gym configured for Cell-Based training…BUT I thought it worked OK.  We are a little restricted with what we can and can’t do of course but will continue to trial this over September/October and then try and develop a ‘go forward’ plan from there.  This week, we will be running the “Moving Day” classes on Tuesday 12th and Saturday 16th.

I’ve been working busily away on the ‘Summer Slam’ challenge (well – challenges since we will have a 30-day, “Healthy Habits” version and a 45-day, “Highway to Hell” version) and the thing that keeps coming back to me is the challenges are really a way to ‘enforce consistency’.  Now as I look at the ‘Healthy Habits’ stuff in particular, it is really striking how the ‘training’ included in the challenge is no more than/often less than a good number of people do each and every day/week/month of the year.  But some of the ‘non-gym’ stuff is just so much more…we all do the challenges and threaten to ‘keep it going’…I guess what we mean by that is we threaten to be consistent ‘all year’.  Well…I guess the challenge for each of us (particularly those like me who are getting older!!) is that so often ‘the grind’ seems so run of the mill compared to stuff we ‘USED’ to do…targeting the spectacular and the ‘great’ versus just being happy with ‘good’.  I guess writing up the challenge packs is reinforcing to me that what matters is to be reliable…and not worrying about being remarkable!

Aiming for performing/completing a remarkable feats might seem enticing – there’s the simple ones (Marathon, Rotto Swim, Ironman) and the exotic (multi-day events, overseas marathons and natural wonders) but ultimately it’s the everyday habits that often make the most significant difference in our overall well-being. Whether it’s maintaining a consistent morning routine, eating well through planning and meal prep, ensuring incidental exercise by consistently getting up from your desk and achieving 10,000 steps each day, dedicating time to a hobby (mental well-being), recommitting to our gym routine or even just establishing a solid night-time routine for restorative sleep, it is simple habits that lead to ‘great changes/outcomes’ when repeated over time.  I just want to quickly try and break this stuff down and focus in on the importance of being reliable, not remarkable, when it comes to your health and fitness journey.

The Myth of Remarkable Quick Fixes

It’s no secret that society celebrates remarkable achievements and quick fixes. Fad diets, extreme workout programs, and miracle supplements promise rapid transformations. While these may yield short-term results, they often lack the sustainability needed for long-term health and fitness. Many individuals dive headfirst into these remarkable strategies, only to find themselves burned out or disheartened when they can’t maintain the pace.  I regularly talk to our new members coming through the Health Check process about how being consistent SHOULD lead to consistent weight loss (the scales are a big driver for a lot of new starters) of around 0.6kg/week for girls and 1kg/week for boys…which means after 3-months, boys can expect to be around 10kegs down (and girls around 7kegs down)…all of which sounds pretty darned good…the reality of the grind and committing to good habits – that is where the challenge lies.

The Power of Everyday Habits

Consistency IS the foundation of lasting success in health and fitness. Here are six key everyday habits that, when consistently practiced, can yield remarkable results over time:

1. Morning Routine: Start Your Day Right

A consistent morning routine sets the tone for the entire day. It can include practices such as meditation, stretching, journaling, or even a brisk walk. For me, it’s up, 10 minutes of stretching and yoga, pack my breakfast and make an aeropress coffee BEFORE I check my emails, review the classes and any PT sessions I have for the morning or worry about any of the other ‘stuff’ the day might hold.  By committing to a morning routine, you create a sense of stability and discipline that can positively impact your mindset and overall well-being – and by prioritising that routine over emails and WORK, I am setting a bit of a ‘standard’ for the rest of my day…work is VERY important but there are elements of my day that come BEFORE work.  You might think this is a load of bunk…but setting priorities early in the day 100% sets the standard for those priorities later in the day.

2. Meal Prep: Nourish Your Body

Eating well  – well, that’s where it starts.  Nutrition is at the bottom of the athletic pyramid and if you can’t get that ‘right’, then you wont feel good and your body composition wont be where it should be…let alone where you want it to be.  Meal prepping – at the very least, meal planning, allows you to make healthier food choices by having things ready BEFORE you need them – not when you are ‘starving’ (and being hungry is the basis of most bad food decisions).   meals in advance. When you consistently eat nutritious meals, you provide your body with the fuel it needs to perform at its best.

3. Hobbies: Nurture Your Passion

Dedicating time to a hobby isn’t just a form of relaxation—it’s also an essential part of self-care. Hobbies provide an outlet for stress, help you unwind, and can even boost creativity and happiness. By consistently making time for your hobbies, you enhance your overall quality of life…you don’t need to make your hobby ‘bigger than space’ either – it might be as simple as completing a crossword puzzle – just ‘something’ that is about ‘you’ and can give you a mental break from between 10-mins and 30-mins each day.  I guess for me I totally get it that ‘golf’ is your hobby…but if that means you need to carve out 5-hours on a weekend, well…that’s not an effective hobby.  You need to find something ‘small’ – that you can do ‘in place’ – in order for it to be truly effective.

4. Gym: Regular Exercise Matters

I mean…I own a gym so what do you want from me??  Doing something ‘PHYSICAL’  is crucial for maintaining a healthy body and mind. Committing to a consistent gym routine doesn’t mean you have to be a fitness fanatic – as I repeatedly say, 3x per week, 52-weeks per year is enough to keep you ‘fit’, reduce stress and help you sleep better.  Something you enjoy is important – a balance between cardio and strength training is ideal…and something that is ‘a little’ out of your control is obviously going to be ideal – things in your control?  Well…you can pretty easily ‘wind them back’ which means that #1 benefit of being ‘physical’ – doing stuff outside of your comfort zone – is lost.  You need to find something where ‘someone else’ is in charge (aka you need a coach) and that coach is going to be prepared to support you and challenge you in equal parts…

5. Night-time Routine and Sleep: Recharge Your Body

A consistent night-time routine and regular, restorative sleep are often overlooked but are equally crucial. Establishing a bedtime routine that promotes quality sleep, such as limiting screen time and practicing relaxation techniques, ensures your body gets the rest it needs to recover and rejuvenate.  I feel like I’ve rubbished on about this enough in past blogs – but if you are waking up tired, well…that’s not great.  Step 1 might be just going to be earlier – but that only works if you have a routine in place that enables you to go to be earlier AND actually get to sleep.  Step it out.  Lights down, screens off etc etc…

6. Incidental Exercise: Move Regularly Throughout the Day

Incorporating incidental exercise into your daily routine is another vital component of consistency in health and fitness. Do all the gym work you like – best case that’s 60-minutes per day.  The other 23 matter.  10,000 steps each day is a cliche of course – but it’s a cliche for a reason.  It is a good number to hit every day to ensure your baseline activity is at a solid but sustainable level. And remember like our 3×52 gym session recommendations, what we are talking about with our steps is 10000 EVERY day, not interspersing 20000 step days with 2000 step days…Consistency in movement helps maintain your overall fitness and prevents the negative effects of prolonged sitting.

The Magic of Consistency

So, why is consistency so powerful? Consistency builds habits, and habits shape your lifestyle. When you consistently prioritize your health and fitness through these everyday practices, you create a framework for success that doesn’t rely on remarkable moments of inspiration.

That’s IT:  Reliable, not Remarkable.

Setting these awesome, ‘REMARKABLE’ goals are so commonplace in our health journey.  No-one wants to worry about losing 5kgs – everyone says 15 and makes the journey seem long and ‘impossible’.  Instead of that, we all just need to focus on being ‘RELIABLE’ – developing some simple but CONSISTENT habits.  Establishing some simple everyday habits – a defined morning routine, preparing your food so you have healthy eats on tap!, taking time out for your hobby – preferably every day, have a structured, 3-times per week gym routine, getting consistent INCIDENTAL exercise every day (10000 step plan) and having a night-time routine that gets you in bed AND ready for sleep each day so you are waking up refreshed.  Consistency is the magic ingredient – reliable, not remarkable – if you want to achieve LONG term (and long lasting) success.

See you in the gym,

Michael.