Many people believe that to feel stronger, healthier, or more energized, you have to go “all in.” That means a perfect diet, perfect workouts, and flawless execution.

On the flip side, others believe the opposite extreme: that a cover-model body can be achieved quickly and easily.

Both of these views are unrealistic. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle.

Perfection Isn’t the Goal—Consistency Is

Perfection is both unnecessary and unsustainable. True transformation comes from consistency—not from doing everything perfectly. And science backs this up.

Just Show Up and Do Something—It Really Works

In a study of over 1,000 clients across 12 months—drawing from nearly a million data points—even those who were less than 50% consistent still lost 5–6% of their body weight (roughly 2.3–5 kg).

They didn’t follow extreme routines or rigid diets. Small, steady changes—like replacing a few fast-food meals with healthier options—led to meaningful results.

And that 5–6% weight loss? It may not sound dramatic, but it can significantly improve heart health, sleep quality, inflammation levels, and mood.

The Sweet Spot: 50–79% Consistency

This range delivers great outcomes:

• Men lost ~2.7 kg more than those below 50% consistency
• Women lost ~0.5 kg more and saw over 10 cm reductions in body measurements
• Waistlines shrank, a key indicator for reduced chronic disease risk

Interestingly, there was no significant difference between being 50%, 60%, or 70% consistent. Simply being in that middle range makes a difference.

You Don’t Need to Be Flawless

Even at 80% consistency, you still have flexibility. Eating 22–23 nutritious meals out of 28 per week allows room for 5–6 indulgent meals. You can enjoy treats without derailing your progress.

Your Circumstances Aren’t Your Barrier

Busy work schedules, family obligations, travel, and stress don’t determine success. What matters is showing up in creative, flexible ways:

• Repeating simple, healthy meals
• Swapping workouts for a walk
• Asking family for support
• Playing with your kids when you can’t make it to the gym
• Doing a set of bodyweight squats every 45–60 minutes at work

Small actions like these add up—especially when built into habits.

What Science Says About Habits

• Habits take time to form—on average about two months, but the range varies.
• With repetition, your brain rewires itself, integrating the behavior into your daily life.
• Nearly 43% of our daily actions are already habitual, so the goal is to gradually shift those patterns in your favor.

For example, if you want to build the habit of exercising regularly, start by doing just 5–10 minutes of movement each morning—like stretching, a short walk, or bodyweight squats. Tie it to an existing routine, such as right after brushing your teeth or before your morning coffee. Keep it so simple that it’s hard to skip. Over time, this small, consistent action builds momentum, making it easier to extend the duration or intensity as the habit becomes part of your daily rhythm.

Consistency Builds Confidence—and Life Change

Even those maintaining just 40–60% consistency reported:

• Feeling more aligned with their ideal self
• Gaining confidence in healthy routines
• Tackling new challenges—workouts, social goals, even life adventures

As noted by Harvard Health, sustainable weight loss isn't just about food—it's about building lifelong, manageable habits.

Where You Can Start

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start. Small steps, repeated often, create lasting change.

Is 40%, 60%, or 80% consistency realistic for you? Any of those levels are enough to make a real difference. Your best effort—whatever percentage it is—truly matters.

If you’re ready to explore what your version of consistency looks like, I’m here for that. This is the work I do with clients every day — one habit at a time, building real change that lasts.

Bibliography

1. Precision Nutrition, Canada
2. Gardner, P. et al. Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis (Health Behavior; 2025)
3. Wood, W. & Neal, D. Healthy Through Habit: Interventions for Initiating & Maintaining Health Behavior Change (Behavioral Science & Policy; 2017)
4. Gardner, B. et al. Psychology of Habit Formation Advice (PMC; 2012)
5. Lally, P. et al. How Long Does It Take to Build a Habit? (VeryWell Mind; 2022)
6. Phillips, et al. CISSN Coaching Program Data (Internal Analysis)
7. Amir, Afkhami & Scott. Habit Stacking Effectiveness (Health.com; 2024)