Small and seemingly insignificant actions, when habitualized, add up to dramatic change.
Each night, while watching television, my father fixes himself a bowl of ice cream. His sundae contains 3 or 4 scoops of ice cream – about 450 calories. One bowl of ice cream as a special treat isn’t a big deal. But repeating that bowl each and every night can have dramatic consequences over the course of one year. In this case, 164,250 consequences in the form of 164,250 calories (which is the equivalent of almost 48 pounds of human fat). Small actions, repeated over and over again, have big consequences. And altering those small repetitive actions leads to big change.
Fortunately, this same principle holds true for exercise.
If you go to the gym once, you won’t see a change. If you go to the gym two or three times a week for a month, you still probably won’t notice a difference. If, however, you are persistent, and exercise regularly for 3 or 4 months, you’ll start to notice a difference in your health and body. The individual trips to the gym – which in and of themselves are small and seemingly insignificant – add up to a big change over the course of time.
If you are willing to make a commitment to fitness, and if you are able to make exercise a habit (rather than an option or possibility), then you will likely succeed in manifesting the changes you desire. This persistence is really the key to success in fitness. It’s the hardest part; everything else is easy.
Whatever you habitualize, be it eating ice cream or hitting the gym, will have dramatic ramifications on your life. Habitualize wisely!
November 20, 2009 at 5:47 pm
I totally agree on this one, I’ve totally changed my life… I exercise every day, and I don’t eat sugar nor salt nor white flour… it’s been like this for about 4 or so weeks, and a difference already can be noticeable very much… btw, have you made FB profile? I’m one of the thousands who wait to add you
November 20, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Well off topic, but, I thought this may interest you as you’re on your way here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4DkbGbxl0
November 20, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I miss my circuits…Fridays, Mondays, Wednesdays…I fractured my big toe. But I fractured more than this…inside…and now…omg I’m so pigging out!!! help!
November 20, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I decided to change my life May 2008 when I saw my weight trying to pass 200lbs; not a big deal in America today. I have never been super skinny, but then I decided to change my life forever. I would start going to the gym. I took a class to really get me started at my local University. I took it again that fall. Ever since I have been going to the gym at least 3 times a week. I take weeks off and I didn’t change my diet, but I lost 15 pounds through exercise alone.
Just a few months ago, late summer 2009, I decided to change my diet radically. I didn’t follow my rules and went back to my eating habits of before, but I noticed a change. I left some bad habits behind for good, but I couldn’t resist potato chips. Now, I’ve reasserted my “only good foods, most of the time” and I lost another 5 pounds.
I’m not a fitness model by any means, but I decided to control my weight and health. How? I knew that this is something permanent. I can never go back to eating pizza all the time, or fries, or chips everyday. Once in a while is fine, but I noticed I can’t digest fatty foods as well as I used to. All the better to avoid them.
Cheers and good luck to everyone. Remember it’s a permanent change, for your health. You can do it, and January isn’t necessarily the best time to decide to change.
November 21, 2009 at 7:54 am
going for a 30 minute walk everyday ive noticed a difference.i try to do this regularly.unfortunately sometimes one must improvise.it seems to rain here in the midwest on and off.relentlessly it constantly does this.i remember the fall season crisp cool nights somewhat warm days and a dry season.boy it sure tests your will.sorry to the blogbuddies in the U.K. and Ireland seems flooding has occured-so sorry.——but this habit of excessive four scoops of ice cream everyday-thats a killer.try some sugar free and only occasionally.
November 21, 2009 at 9:26 am
That is so true. Habituating something you would never do otherwise can be the key to success – and in this case I’m talking about my school-life
November 21, 2009 at 10:54 am
I couldn’t agree more! Two years ago I was 325 plus lbs. I started doing moderate exerecise and dropped to the high 200;s. Last june I took the plunge and joined a gym, hired a trainer and 6 months later I am now 230, only 45 more to go hit the healthy range for my hight. To transform in this way, to see muscle, feel healthy..you can’t imagine how it has changed my life.
I have a saying, “To be yourself is easy, to become something your not is power, alchemy of the first class.”
Go for it!
November 21, 2009 at 12:53 pm
But then I have to get prepared and hire a trainer and get a membership and find the time… let’s face it: Americans are lazy.
November 21, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I know your exercise vids are a great deal, but are you planning on doing a Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s resolution sale on them? I travel ALL the time and need some good workouts for the road.
November 21, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Brilliant Post Davey!
November 23, 2009 at 1:19 am
LOL, hilarious Davey!
I exercise and sweat like a bitch, i also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ice cream..my biggest arguements with my trainer are about exactly this and you echo the conversations we have every session.
I say it’s balance, he says it doesn’t need to be that balanced (ie 1 day exercise= ice cream)..sadly my partner is on his side and yes, i know…. they are both right…but it’s soooooo gooooood!
November 23, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I like that. “Habitualize wisely”
November 24, 2009 at 12:19 am
hey I was just thinking something similar last week as a result of my results in community service. Eventually I summarized it up in one sentence I made up: “climbing a mountain is but a series of small steps.” I hope you like it! & btw you have amazing YouTube videos. I wish I could be kinda like you in 10-is years!
November 24, 2009 at 12:20 am
hey I was just thinking something similar last week as a result of my results in community service. Eventually I summarized it up in one sentence I made up: “climbing a mountain is but a series of small steps.” I hope you like it! & btw you have amazing YouTube videos. I wish I could be kinda like you in 10-ish years!
December 2, 2009 at 10:30 am
Good post, I totally agree!
However, there is another problem I have noticed. People often separate these three things: looking good, feeling good and being healthy. For many of us looking good is the main priority that’s why sometimes you can meet people who look really fit but when you get to know them better there is a completely different story behind the fit “shell”. Muscle mass and body fat levels doesn’t reflect ones physical or mental health.
I always try to do things as natural as possible. You need to listen to your body. Over-training, synthetic supplements, bad exercise form…maybe those people think that it won’t badly influence their success, but in the long-term they will feel the “results”.
Doing things the natural way will take a bit longer to achieve the results you desire, but you need to ask yourself is getting a six-pack in 4 weeks worth screwing up your health? Rapid changes can’t leave a good effect on ones body.
A bit off topic, but I just had to say this