Does this sound like you?
“I don’t have time to work out.”
“I have no idea what to do at the gym.”
“I can’t afford a bootcamp for $120 a month.”
“I don’t know how to stay motivated.”
These are all valid excuses, and in fact the realities of most people when it comes to exercising. The moment something doesn’t work in our favor, we give up. The moment we lose motivation, we give up. However, you can either let your excuses win or you can be stronger than your excuses.
All it takes is a change in mindset.
Will Smith once said, “You don’t set out to build a wall. You don’t say ‘I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s ever built’ – you don’t start there. You say, ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid’. You do that every single day and soon, you have a wall.” His words can be applicable to multiple aspects of life but there are two clear underlaying messages that are relevant to your fitness journey:
Consistency and Patience.
Consistency doesn’t equate to exercising twice a day, six times a week and eating chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Consistency can be achieved in various forms when it comes to your fitness goals. It can be as simple as working out 3 days a week for 20 minutes. Smith says, “You can do that every single day and soon you will have a wall”. This line implies that small changes in your weekly routine can lead to bigger outcomes, and in this case, reaching your fitness goals. The same way Rome wasn’t built in a day, your body’s composition will not change overnight.
Consistency goes hand-in-hand with patience. According to a CityLab article, the general public drops off after their third week of exercising from lack of motivation*. Where does the lack of motivation come from? Not seeing immediate results. This is where patience comes into play in your fitness journey. While you’re working on your goal(s), it is important to keep in mind that your results will eventually come, but only if you remain patient. You will not see physical changes until 6-8 weeks into your workout routine. This is why consistency and patience go together in your fitness journey. You can’t expect to see changes if you’re consistent with your weekly routine but lose patience mid-way due to the lack of physical change. On the other hand, you can’t expect to see results if you’re patient but only commit to exercising twice a week for 15 minutes. I’ll give you brownie points for the effort, but if you’re looking to make a serious change in your lifestyle, you will need to commit to an effective routine and follow-through with it.
Most individuals start their fitness journey with high and unrealistic expectations; they go into it focusing on the end result and disregard the discipline it takes to achieve that result. This leads to dropping off a few weeks into their routine and feeling uninspired and demotivated. Everyone talks about the physical journey, but no one talks about the mindset behind the journey. Achieving your fitness goal(s) comes down to consistency and patience. When you have these two rooted at the back of your mind, you have the power to achieve anything.
The Struggling Graduate 
Wow ! Great tips and inspiration .
Staying consistent at the gym has been a struggle for me but seeing posts like these definitely helps to understand what it takes and develop new habits .
Thank you Ellie !
LikeLiked by 1 person