Why your health & fitness motto should be progress not perfection

My motto and the motto for my 28 program is progress, not perfection. You might be wondering, what does this mean? It means taking mistakes in our stride, embracing your flaws, accepting that you are human and not letting a bad meal or a missed workout be anything more than they really are. Just that, one workout and one meal. It’s about how you bounce back after an error, celebrating the ‘little wins’ and taking note of the milestones we reach along the way.

Too often people strive for the ultimate goal and are dissatisfied until it is finally achieved. There is progress everywhere and I promise you, the journey will be so much more enjoyable if you acknowledge the little wins that take you one step closer to that final destination. I know this motto works, it’s the motto that over 100,000 28ers have learned and live by with overwhelming success because it’s real. With that in mind, here are my top five tips to get on board the progress not perfection bandwagon:

TRY AND MOVE EVERY DAY 
Moving every day is key. 30 minutes is all you need, 28 is even better! Find a workout you enjoy, schedule movement into your day and make it a non-negotiable. I’m not saying you need to do a strenuous 30 minute HIIT session Monday through to Sunday, but you should be aiming for some element of activity every single day. This will help keep your positive momentum going even when motivation is dwindling.

EAT REAL FOOD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Real food makes us feel good from the inside out. This doesn’t mean you can’t go to a café or your favourite restaurant, just try to make healthier choices more often than not. Do not, I repeat, do not restrict the things you love. Limit your alcohol, snack smart and remember that food is to be enjoyed, not counted.

LOOK FOR CHANGES THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE
Extreme, turn your world upside down overnight approaches more often than not don’t work. We then yo-yo into the opposite direction, unlikely to return. The most successful health and lifestyle changes are the ones that fit into your life. If you want these changes to be long lasting, they have to be sustainable. This means you might fall of the horse a few times and that’s okay. You just want to be ‘pretty good’ most of the time.

You’ll need some structure and definitely some accountability, but as long as you’re realistic and your process is sustainable- you’re on the right track.

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
If your friend slipped up, would you tell them to throw in the towel? Didn’t think so. It’s not about if you fall down, it’s about how you pick yourself up. We all fall down from time to time, we’re only human. Be your own best friend, pick yourself up and keep on going. The wagon never stops coming around so jump back on as quickly as possible.

FOCUS ON YOU
You are on your own journey. The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday. Don’t focus on what other people say or do, it’s a waste of energy that you can use when you need it the most. Set your own benchmarks and remember- everyone goes through peaks and valleys and your time will come too.