“WOW, so you’re the weight loss girl and you’re sitting down to a plate of food that size?”

I encounter comments such as this fairly frequently and it still surprises me how many people believe restriction, discipline AND EATING LESS is the way to get or stay fit and lean.

This time I was at an awesome 2 day internet marketing event and Yes, I was sitting down to a sizeable lunch, however no more than I would eat on any other day of the week.

To excel at anything you fuel rather than deprive right?

Your relationship with your kids or with your partner… it’s putting in the quality time right?

Or growing your business. Or getting good at a new skill.

To excel at being fit and healthy is exactly the same.

Back to the event and as I sat down to enjoy the afternoon speakers I contemplated how similar the over-riding themes of this event and a healthy lifestyle are:

CONSISTENCY. 

This has to be the most UNsexy yet impactful component of the lifestyle you need to adopt if you want to get and stay in great shape.

I’ll take the results of an average eating and exercise plan followed consistently any day over the perfect plan followed haphazardly. The fact is NOONE can stick to perfect anyway.

We have a natural desire for vice – a need to rebel – or simply to experience variety and attempting to stay ‘on plan’ non-stop is tempting an all-out-devour-fest… you’ve been there right?

Now, if you’ve been around the blog a while you’ll know shiraz is one of my most fav vices… so when one of the American companies presenting at the event announced they had 1,000 drink tickets to share with the 150 or so attendees at the close of the event, I was happy to oblige…

TRACKING.

Let’s call this UNsexy impactful component number 2. Although I’m absolutely a fan of NOT counting calories and I subscribe to a one ingredient eat as much as you want approach to food… the fact remains most people lie to themselves with regard to exactly what they eat and how consistently they exercise.

Until you’re locked and loaded 100% consistent with your eating and exercising AND seeing results for your effort it’s going to be valuable to track what you’re really doing.

It doesn’t take much probing for the “I eat healthy” response I initially get from a new client to broaden to reveal the forgotten little extras that add up to a lot of time spent not achieving results.

Equally although you’ve been “training hard” for months… how many times did you skip a work out or cut one short or stroll on the treadmill instead of lifting some heavy weights or down a sugary drink for ‘energy’ before or indulge in a sweet treat as a ‘reward’ after?

Once you know what you need to do to achieve results its going to be fairly compelling to just get it done… perhaps you’ll even find yourself training at 5.45am as I did to squeeze in weights session #3 of the bare minimum of 4 sessions I expect of myself in any week.

SEGMENTATION.

Ok, I think this is kinda sexy, because it means people are treated as individuals according to their specific actions which are a result of their specific wants and desires. It reminds me of those choose your own adventure books – if this happens then… Let’s of course make it super applicable to getting in great shape and Yes I’ll use the event as an example.

This is where discipline really comes into play. At any given point in time you’re either making it easier or harder for yourself to excel at the discipline game.

We all have a daily discipline quota and how you use it is 100% within your control in the same way that how you choose to spend your time and energy are within your control.

Your Lifestyle is one big IF… THEN… 

IF you skip breakie because you’re up extra early THEN odds on you’re going to be way more tempted to indulge in the mini muffins and fried food on offer at morning tea.

IF you pack a quick and convenient protein shake in your handbag (to mix with water) THEN you’ll fine it even easier to skip those less than ideal morning tea offerings.

IF you skip morning tea and don’t have your trusty protein shake and cashews on hand THEN you’re be super tempted to fill up on bread when the vego lunch options are a little light on.

IF you care too much about ‘fitting in’ being ‘normal’ and eating what everyone else is eating THEN you’ll get the results everyone else has.

What is ‘normal’ anyway?

Today is is unfit, unhealthy and unhappy with the way your body looks and performs.

If you don’t want that then you’re going to need to be ok with standing out a little.

My clients often convey their frustration at their lack of discipline however my IF… THEN’s would be very similar if I set myself up for the same discipline challenges!

IF you keep chocolate or nuts or ice cream in the house for ‘just incase’ THEN you will eat it.

What is ‘just incase’ anyway?

Just incase you want it? You will always want it.

Just incase you decide you’re ok with chucking on a lil fat? Really?

Ohhh, Just incase you decide 1 square is enough? Has that ever been the case?

IF you stay up late playing games on your iPhone or watching TV or on social media THEN you will struggle to get up and exercise before work.

IF you say you’ll exercise after work instead THEN you will find it super tough to exercise at the end of the day when you’re tired and hungry.

IF you skip your planned walk because it’s raining today THEN you’ll fine it even easier to skip your walk tomorrow when it’s raining again.

Oh, but you were going to do DOUBLE TOMORROW right?  

How often has ‘borrowing from tomorrow’ worked effectively for you?  Me neither. Whenever I proclaim I’m going to make up for todays lapses with double the exercise or half the treat food tomorrow, I almost always let myself down.

When I reflect on a super valuable couple of days and the parallels between online success and getting in great shape, I realise there is one more sexy, impactful and possibly most important component:

THE PEOPLE YOU SPEND YOUR TIME WITH.

You’ll have heard your results are a reflection of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

These people can uplift, inspire and support you… as you can for them. You can push each other and grow together or stay average and unhappy together.  

Isn’t is so easy to base your criteria for success – for happiness – for contribution on that which you see around you?

IF you choose to spend time, energy and money with people who are enjoying the health and living the life you want to live THEN you are going to make achieving that same quality of health and life so much easier for yourself.

To creating a body and life you love.