Many of us joke about doing a tough core workout and expecting to see six-pack abs in the mirror afterward. While we know this isn’t possible, on some level we all still hope for quick results when it comes to our health and fitness. This is why we often jump from one thing to the next, hoping we will yield results faster. The truth is the key to reaching your health and fitness goals (and any goals in life) is consistency.

Consistency is the accumulation of small changes steadily over time. It is the foundation for creating long-term success. While motivation may have led you to start, consistency will help you reach your goals. Here’s how:

1. Consistency creates habits: No matter how big or small the changes you make, over time these habits become second nature and part of your daily routine. What started out as mindful efforts turns into automatic actions. This is where true change happens.

2. Consistency allows measurable progress: Creating consistent healthy habits allows you to properly track your progress. In turn, it will allow you to more easily see patterns, success and areas to improve. You can’t track progress if you’re going from one extreme to the next.

3. Consistency improves mental discipline: It teaches your brain to stay committed when motivation is lacking. It creates a sense of responsibility and accountability to yourself and helps maintain focus when faced with challenges or setbacks.

4. Consistency builds momentum: Momentum is important when you feel discouraged and nothing seems to be happening. Consistency through small repeated steps over time accumulates and builds momentum, which in turn helps push through those plateaus and to the other side where results exist.

All of us can be impatient and want to see those results as soon as we start making healthy decisions. We want to know that the steps we are taking to be healthy or fit are working. It’s natural to want to hit fast-forward on our goals. Instead, we need to show up for ourselves each day. Consistency helps build our relationship with self-trust. It takes time, but consistency creates a foundation to achieve your goals and have longer-lasting results. 

Dana Hall is the ad strategist for Stroll Biltmore Park and a certified fitness trainer at Burn Boot Camp in Asheville.