One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get fitter is believing they have to do everything perfectly.

They decide they’re going to train five days a week, completely change their diet, walk 10,000 steps every day and never miss a session. It might work for a week or two, but when life gets busy, the whole routine can quickly disappear. The truth is, when it comes to your health and fitness, consistency beats perfection. You don’t need to exercise every day to make progress. Two or three good sessions every week, repeated consistently over months and years, can make a huge difference to your strength, fitness and overall health. The same applies to walking. If you can’t manage an hour, go for 20 minutes. If you don’t have time for a full workout, do 10 minutes at home. Something is nearly always better than nothing.

It’s also important not to let one bad day become a bad week. Missing a workout doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Having a takeaway or enjoying a night out doesn’t undo all your progress. Get back to your normal routine the following day and keep going.

Try setting yourself three simple targets for the week:

• Move every day – even if it’s only a short walk.
• Strength train twice – at home or in a gym.
• Do something you enjoy – walk with a friend, cycle, swim, play sport or attend a class.
• Keep it simple and make it achievable.
• Your fitness journey isn’t about what you can do for the next two weeks. It’s about building habits you can maintain for years.
• There will be busy weeks, holidays, celebrations and days when motivation is low. That’s normal.
• You don’t need to be perfect.

Keep showing up, do what you can, and remember that small efforts repeated consistently can lead to big results.

Jonathan Davis is a personal trainer and owner of BodyActive Fitness in Skibbereen. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he is passionate about helping people of all ages and abilities become stronger, healthier and more confident. His approach focuses on making fitness simple, enjoyable and sustainable for everyday life.