Affecting a lasting change in life is never about drastic action all at once. True and lasting change is something that happens gradually.

Trying to lose weight quickly by drastically cutting your calories will work… for a while. Your body is always fighting for preservation, so it will interpret the drastic drop in food intake as starvation, and lower your metabolism in response. A gradual and consistent diet will give the body time to properly adjust, and the true benefit is that better eating habits will become a lifestyle rather than a temporary diet.

Skipping ahead and lifting heavier weights than you are prepared for will result in bodily injury—sometimes permanently affecting your ability to work out. Rather than being someone who tries occasionally to make large gains, be the person who is okay with starting small and increasing gradually. Be the person who strives not for record intensity, but for unstoppable consistency.

Any lasting change must take time to sink in. It must become a habit and a lifestyle. It must become part of who you are. And it will only happen when you are ready to settle in for the long haul.