You know what you should do.

Eat more protein. Drink more water. Get more sleep. Move your body regularly.

So why can’t you just… do it?

Let me tell you something important: it’s not because you’re lazy. It’s not because you lack willpower.

The real reason you struggle with consistency has nothing to do with your character — and everything to do with how you’ve been taught to approach weight loss.

The All-or-Nothing Trap

Most diet programs operate on a simple premise: follow the rules perfectly, and you’ll get results.

The problem? Life doesn’t work that way.

Research shows that the average person makes over 200 food decisions per day.

Nobody makes perfect decisions 200 times in a row, every single day, for months on end.

What this means for you: When your plan requires perfection, you’re set up to fail from day one. And every time you “mess up,” you’re reinforcing the belief that you can’t trust yourself.

Here’s what this looks like:

You start strong on Monday. By Wednesday, you have a work lunch where you eat bread. You think, “Well, I already ruined it,” so you stop trying for the rest of the week.

That’s the all-or-nothing trap. And it’s not your fault — it’s how these programs are designed.

Why “Just Being Disciplined” Doesn’t Work

I need to tell you something: willpower is a limited resource.

Studies on self-control show that your ability to resist temptation gets depleted throughout the day. It’s called “decision fatigue.”

It’s why you can turn down donuts at 9am but can’t resist ice cream at 9pm.

By the time you get home from work — after making hundreds of decisions, managing stress, and navigating a million small frustrations — you’re running on fumes.

What this means for you: Relying on discipline and willpower is like trying to run a marathon on a phone with 5% battery. It might work for a little while, but it’s going to die before you reach the finish line.

You need systems that work WITH your brain, not against it.

Think about it: You don’t rely on willpower to remember to charge your phone — you just plug it in at night because it’s a habit.

Weight loss works best the same way. When healthy choices become automatic, not battles of willpower.

The Consistency Myth That’s Keeping You Stuck

Here’s what most people think consistency means: doing everything perfectly, every single day, without fail.

But that’s not consistency — that’s perfection. And perfection isn’t sustainable.

Real consistency means showing up MOST of the time, even when it’s not perfect.

A study in the International Journal of Obesity tracked people’s eating habits for a full year.

The people who had the most success? They weren’t the ones who were “perfect” during the week.

They were the ones who ate similarly on weekdays AND weekends.

What this means for you: You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be steady.

When you eat in a supportive way 80-90% of the time, your body responds. When you swing between extremes, it doesn’t.

Here’s an example:

Imagine you’re trying to save money. Would you rather save $20 every single week for a year (that’s $1,040), or save $100 for two weeks, then spend $200, then save $50, then spend $150?

The consistent approach always wins.

The Missing Foundation: Trust

Here’s what nobody talks about:

The reason you can’t stay consistent isn’t because you don’t know what to do.

It’s because you don’t trust yourself to follow through.

And why would you? If you’ve tried and “failed” five, ten, or twenty times before, of course you don’t believe this time will be different.

What this means for you: Before you can build lasting consistency, you need to rebuild trust with yourself.

And trust isn’t built through big, dramatic changes — it’s built through small, doable actions that prove you can count on yourself.

Think of it like this: If you’ve been late to meet a friend 10 times in a row, they won’t trust you to be on time.

But if you show up on time consistently — even if it’s just 5 minutes early instead of 30 minutes late — you gradually rebuild that trust.

Your relationship with yourself works the same way.

What Actually Creates Consistency

Let me share what the research shows really works:

Start Embarrassingly Small

A study from Stanford researcher BJ Fogg found that the key to building lasting habits isn’t motivation — it’s making the behavior so small that you can’t fail.

Want to drink more water? Don’t commit to 8 glasses a day. Commit to ONE glass when you wake up. That’s it.

Want to eat more protein? Don’t overhaul your entire diet. Add one protein-rich food to one meal today.

What this means for you: When you start small and succeed, you build proof that you can trust yourself. That proof creates confidence. And confidence creates consistency.

Real example: One of my clients couldn’t stick with any exercise routine. We didn’t start with 5 workouts a week — we started with putting on her workout clothes every morning. Just getting dressed.

After two weeks, she naturally started adding short walks. Within a month, she was working out 3-4 times per week because the habit was already built.

Focus on Addition, Not Restriction

Here’s a game-changer: instead of focusing on what you CAN’T eat, focus on what you’re ADDING IN.

Research on behavior change shows that “approach goals” (goals that move toward something positive) are more sustainable than “avoidance goals” (goals that move away from something negative).

What this means for you: When you focus on adding nutrient-dense foods — more protein, more fiber, more water — your body naturally crowds out less supportive choices. Without you having to white-knuckle your way through restriction.

Here’s what this looks like:

Instead of “I can’t have dessert,” you think “I’m going to eat protein and veggies first.”

Often, you’ll find you’re satisfied without the dessert. And if you do still want it? You can have a smaller portion and feel good about it because you’ve already supported your body.

Connect Actions to Identity

Here’s something powerful:

Research shows that when you tie your actions to your identity (who you are), you’re far more likely to maintain them than if you tie them to outcomes (what you want).

Instead of “I’m trying to lose weight” (outcome), try “I’m someone who takes care of my body” (identity).

What this means for you: Every time you make a choice that aligns with this identity — even a small one — you reinforce it.

Over time, consistency stops being something you DO and becomes who you ARE.

Example: Someone who identifies as “a person who takes care of their body” doesn’t agonize over whether to have vegetables with dinner — they just do, because that’s who they are.

It’s automatic.

The Role of Self-Compassion

This might surprise you:

Research shows that self-compassion is one of the strongest predictors of long-term weight loss success.

A study in the Journal of Health Psychology found that people who practiced self-compassion (being kind to themselves after setbacks) had better weight loss outcomes than those who used self-criticism.

Why?

Because self-criticism keeps you stuck in shame. And shame makes you want to hide, give up, or numb out with food.

Self-compassion says: “I didn’t follow through today, but that doesn’t mean I’m a failure. What can I learn from this? What do I need to do differently tomorrow?”

What this means for you: The voice in your head matters.

When you talk to yourself with kindness instead of criticism, you create the emotional safety needed to keep showing up, even after hard days.

Compare these two responses to eating more than planned:

Self-criticism: “I have no self-control. I’m never going to lose weight. I might as well give up.”

Self-compassion: “I was really stressed today and used food to cope. That’s human. Tomorrow I’m going to try having a protein-rich snack ready so I have a better option when stress hits.”

Which version is more likely to get back on track?

What Consistency Actually Looks Like

Let me paint you a picture of what real, sustainable consistency looks like:

Monday: You meal-prepped on Sunday, so breakfast is easy. You have your protein smoothie and feel good.

Wednesday: Life happens. You didn’t prep lunch, so you grab Chipotle. Instead of thinking “I ruined everything,” you make it work: burrito bowl with double protein, fajita veggies, and a reasonable amount of rice. Not perfect, but solid.

Thursday: You sleep through your alarm and skip your morning walk. Instead of spiraling, you take a 10-minute walk at lunch. Still counts.

Friday night: You go out with friends. You enjoy pizza and wine. You don’t stress about it because you know that one night doesn’t undo five days of consistent, supportive choices.

Saturday: You’re back to your normal routine.

That’s consistency. It’s not perfection. It’s showing up most of the time and getting back on track quickly when life happens.

Your Next Step

If you’re tired of the all-or-nothing cycle and ready to build the kind of consistency that actually lasts, I have something for you.

The 5-Day Confident Body Challenge is designed specifically to help you build trust with yourself through small, research-backed actions that support your metabolism and create lasting change.

Over five days, you’ll:

• Learn the #1 factor influencing your weight loss each day
• Practice one doable habit per day that builds proof you can trust yourself
• Get simple protein strategies that make consistency easier
• Add stress and sleep habits that support your body instead of fighting it
• Learn how to rewire negative self-talk so you stop sabotaging yourself

You’ll get daily email lessons, actionable challenges, a habit tracker, and 15+ metabolism-supporting recipes — all for just $17.

This challenge is the foundation. It’s how you stop fighting yourself and start building the consistency that makes everything else easier.

Join the 5-Day Confident Body Challenge here →

Because consistency isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being steady.

And you’re more capable of that than you think.