2nd Law of Exercise: Consistency

By Tony Horton

Improvement and change occur when you do things often. Stopping and starting all the time will kill any momentum you need to succeed. You must find ways to stay in the game. Done consistently, moderate forms of exercise provide far better results than the occasional full-body pummeling. A lifestyle that includes doing multiple forms of exercise 5 to 6 days a week guarantees results.

There are certain things that rise to the surface when it comes to staying consistent. One of them is staying motivated. How does anyone sustain anything without motivation? You bought one of my programs because you're committed to making huge changes in your life. Being consistent is critical. But being consistent and staying motivated can be difficult at times. It's easy to create reasons not to do P90X or Power 90, especially when you're feeling weak and puny, and my jokes aren't funny anymore. We travel, get sick, get tired, and often get discouraged. We work too hard, we under-sleep, and we get stressed out. So what do we do about it? It can be overwhelming. What about the people who don't quit? Who are they? Are they super android robots from a galaxy far, far away? What the hell makes them so special? Why are these robot people consistent and others aren't? The answer is that successful, consistent, and motivated folk have tricks . . . Aha! They have found a way to do it anyway.

Here's my list of tricks that will help you stay motivated and consistent.

Stop beating yourself up if you can't sustain and/or maintain your "perfect" plan. It's okay to miss a workout once in a while. It doesn't mean that your process has gone to hell in a handcart. It doesn't mean you have to start over. Life happens. Priorities shift. So what? Big deal. Just start up where you left off. If you're doing Power 90 or P90X®, just add the missed days to the end of the program. I decree the burden lifted! Of course, you must recognize the difference between a missed workout or two and a missed week or two. If you miss 2 weeks of exercise, it will take at least that long to get back to where you left off. If you miss one workout once in a while, you lose nothing. The extra day off can even do the body good.

Don't freak out if you don't see results in the first 45 days. "What?! No results in the first month and a half?!" See, I knew you'd freak out. The reality is that we all have different starting points. The 90 in Power 90 and P90X stands for 90 days, not 90 minutes. Some folks will see results the first week—bastards! Others will have to wait a little longer, based on age, body weight, how out of shape they are when they start the program, flexibility, balance, athletic background, etc.—this is normal. The variety of workouts in P90X and Power 90 purposely plays into your strengths and weaknesses. Both programs were created to have a 30- to 50-day "adaptive phase." This phase is shorter for some and longer for others. Be patient. Your body will adapt, and you will be amazed at how you look and feel.

Peace,
Tony H.