So… What Does Building Habits Actually Look Like?

You know when people say, “Just be consistent”?

Cool, but… what does that actually mean?

And more importantly—how the heck do you become someone who’s consistent when your life already feels full?

Let’s talk about it.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up.

You don’t need to hit 10/10 every day.

Real consistency looks more like this:

• You planned to train but slept badly, so you go for a 20-minute walk instead.

• You prepped healthy meals all week, but grabbed sushi on Friday because life.

• You forgot your gym session… but still hit your steps and drank your water.

It adds up.

The goal isn’t to never miss.

It’s to never quit just because you missed.

Building habits isn’t magic—it’s repetition

Here’s the science-y bit (promise it’s quick):

Habits are built through a loop—cue, action, reward.

But in real life?

It’s more like:

• You leave your sneakers by the front door, so you remember to walk.

• You feel good after a short session, so you’re more likely to do it again.

• You repeat that enough times, and boom—it’s part of your week.

It’s not motivation. It’s momentum.

Okay, but how do I actually start?

Let’s make this practical. Here’s what I’ve found works (and what I do myself when I fall off the wagon):

1. Start smaller than you think

If you say, “I’ll work out 5 times a week,” but you’re currently doing zero… that’s a setup.

Instead:

• Aim for 2 workouts.

• Walk 10 minutes after dinner.

• Cook one healthy meal.

Small wins give you evidence: “Hey, I can do this.”

2. Make it easy to succeed

Real talk: you’re not lazy. You’re probably overwhelmed.

So… remove the friction.

• Set your gear out the night before.

• Train at home if the gym feels like a mission.

• Prep your lunch while dinner’s cooking.

We don’t need to hustle. We need systems that fit into real life.

3. Stack habits with things you already do

• While the kettle boils? Mobility.

• After brushing your teeth? 10 bodyweight squats.

• On school drop-off days? Go for a 15-minute walk.

Link it to something already baked into your day.

Example time (because theory is boring without it)

One of my clients started with one 15-minute strength workout, twice a week. That’s it.

Now? She trains 4x a week, running every day, and doesn’t even think twice about it.

My friend kept skipping workouts because she waited to “feel motivated.”

We switched her to doing a short EMOM workout before school drop offs, while the kids eat breakfast. Now it’s just routine.

Me? I stopped trying to do big weekly meal preps. I just make double dinners. It’s less glamorous but way more doable.

One last thing…

If you only remember this:

You don’t build consistency by being disciplined.

You build it by making it easier to show up again tomorrow.

Yeah, I know—some influencer with abs told you discipline is everything.

But they’re not raising kids, working full-time, and reheating coffee for the third time.

You don’t need to be a machine.

You need systems that work on your worst days.

Strong coffee. Stronger mind. Steady progress.

Ané