Don't be a slave to the plan

How many times have I said that 'consistency is the key', in regards to fitness? Too many it seems but it bears repeating. To be clear, I believe that consistency is different that putting in the time. Just blindly following a training plan wears away some of the best aspects of your what your trying to accomplish, it takes the fun out, it becomes a chore. Blind devotion diminishes the underlying controls you need to learn in order to have long term results. Without them the goal becomes bigger than the lifestyle and as soon as the goal is reached, the body-mind connection craves another goal rather than sticking to a successful routine.

I am applying this to training plans but its just as easy to apply to nutrition. If someones overall goal is to lose 20 pounds, they make sacrifices to their lifestyle than as soon as the goal is reached out comes the food that were 'denied' and the weight comes back on. If moderation was used, using the food that the person already eats but making sure the total number of calories are correct, then the lifestyle is created that its okay to have some of the things that are liked without sacrificing happiness.

Also strive to incorporate joy into whatever lifestyle you are trying to create. Otherwise your just being too hard on yourself.