PREP MAKES PERFECT

Consistency is key to any training plan, and it covers everything from workout frequency to getting your nutrition on point. “Wanting to make something a habit and actually achieving that are very different things,” says Dave Thomas, co-founder of The Foundry. “The key to forming a habit is to set achievable benchmarks, rather than unrealistic goals that you already know you won’t meet.” This is where rituals come in. “Pack your gym bag the day before a morning training session and put your trainers by the front door,” says Thomas. “My fail-proof ritual is to put my running shoes on and have a coffee while listening to a specific playlist. By the time I’ve done that, I’m practically walking out the door on automatic.” Thomas also flips the idea of goal-setting and focuses on emotional triggers. “We ask people why it’s important that they achieve their goals and what they feel they need to do to achieve them,” he explains. “Long-term results are more about consistently sticking to exercise you enjoy, rather than putting yourself in a physical and emotional hole for four weeks to hit an arbitrary weight-loss target.”