The Consistency Report – Volume 23

The holidays are a great time of year. Family, friends, good food, and a chance to slow down. All of that is important and worth enjoying. But if your goal is to stay consistent with your fitness, this stretch of the year can also be the most challenging. The routine that keeps you grounded the other ten months of the year gets disrupted fast.

Most people hit this point in November and think, “I’ll get serious in January.” I’ve heard it for fifteen years. And the truth is, waiting until January rarely works. By then, you’re not only starting from zero, you’re digging yourself out of a hole created by six or eight weeks of overeating, missed workouts, and less activity. That’s a tough position to climb out of, and it’s why so many people spend every new year trying to “get back on track” instead of actually moving forward.

The alternative is simple. Don’t slow down.

You don’t need a perfect plan or a flawless streak. You just need enough structure to maintain momentum during a season where most people lose it.

One big meal doesn’t matter. One holiday party doesn’t matter. What matters is everything around it. Progress comes from your weekly average. Which means the non-event days matter more. Be consistent. Be intentional. Keep things simple. That’s how you can make progress this time of year without feeling like you’re dieting through every holiday gathering. And if maintenance is your goal, even better. Most people gain weight during this stretch. If you simply maintain, you’re already ahead of 90 percent of the population.

Here is what I have for you this week.

Fitness

Your Level of Fitness Is Determined by Your Habits

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my years of coaching is that most people don’t struggle because they don’t know what to do. They struggle because they can’t do it consistently. They’ll have a perfect Monday, crush Tuesday, stay solid on Wednesday… and then fall off the rest of the week. A few great days don’t move the needle. Progress happens when your routine holds up week after week.

Consistently good beats occasionally great.

When someone tells me they’re not seeing results, the issue is almost always consistency. They’re starting and stopping. They’re relying on motivation instead of habits. They’re trying to piece together a few perfect days instead of building a routine that carries them through the messy parts of life.

This is where habits matter. The small things you do every day don’t feel impressive, but they stack. They build momentum. They create an identity you grow into:
“I’m someone who trains.”
“I’m someone who gets my steps in.”
“I’m someone who eats protein at every meal.”

Once your identity shifts, your behavior follows.

The best way to build that identity is to create a weekly routine you can actually stick to. Pick your training days and lock them in. Set your step targets. Keep your meals simple and repeatable. Have a fallback workout for busy days instead of skipping completely. The goal isn’t to build the perfect week. The goal is to build a repeatable week.

And make the habits as easy as possible to start. Lay out your gym clothes the night before. Keep a water bottle with you. Have a few go-to meals that take no thought.

If you want real, sustainable results, focus less on having a few great days and more on stacking solid, predictable weeks. That’s where the progress happens.

Mindset

Don’t Let Anyone Discourage You

Your goals should be big enough that they not only scare you, but scare other people, too. I’m convinced discouragement has stopped more people from ever starting than failure has.

People will project their limits onto you. Their doubts. Their insecurities. Their version of what’s “realistic.” But here’s the truth: “Be realistic” is usually code for “Don’t aim higher than I did.” You don’t need that energy in your life.

If your goals stretch you, challenge you, and make you a little uncomfortable, good. Growth should feel like that. Even if you fall short, big goals force you to rise to a level you wouldn’t have reached otherwise.

The key is to protect your vision. Don’t announce it to people who won’t understand it. Don’t expect encouragement from people who aren’t chasing anything themselves. Surround yourself with people who take ambition seriously.

Aim high. Miss. Adjust. Aim again. That’s how you grow. Not by shrinking your goals to fit yours or someone else’s comfort zone.

What I’m Into

The American Revolution by Ken Burns
If you know me, you know I am an American Revolution nerd. I can’t get enough of it. Ken Burns, one of the great documentary filmmakers, just released a six-part, twelve-hour documentary on the American Revolution. You can watch it for free on PBS. I’ve been working my way through it every night.

Jutes
I’m always hunting for new gym music. Lately, I’ve been into Jutes. If you like Bad Omens, Blackbear, Sleep Token, BMTH, etc., you’ll probably like him. Start with Limerence and It Takes Two. Both are bangers.

This Week’s Podcast

John Rusin – How to Train Pain Free for Life | EP 536

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. John Rusin to break down what it really takes to lift for a lifetime. We cover smart exercise selection, how to train around pain, practical mobility work, and what an effective warm-up actually looks like. It’s a dense, actionable conversation that will keep you healthy and strong for the long haul.

Listen here:
https://kylehuntfitness.com/john-rusin-how-to-train-pain-free-for-life-ep-536/

Final Thought

Remember: the holidays are full of distractions, but so is life.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

– Kyle

PS – Ready to take the guesswork out of your training and nutrition?
Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle building, or getting strong without wrecking your joints, I’ll build you a plan that fits your life and keeps you consistent enough to see real results.

Apply for Hunt Fitness Coaching