Consistency beats intensity

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 67, No. 1, January February 2025, Editorials
By: Caitlin Dunne, MD, FRCSC

As we step into 2025, the start of a new year offers a natural moment to revisit our health and fitness goals. Although change is possible at any time, there’s something about turning the calendar that inspires fresh aspiration. However, overly ambitious resolutions often backfire. More than half of adults abandon their resolutions,[1] with 23% giving up before the end of January.[2] If you’re looking to build strength and improve fitness, consistency beats intensity every time.

Health and fitness are long games, not quick fixes. As physicians, we routinely recommend healthier habits to our patients—quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, cut back on sugar, and move more. Yet even for us, sometimes the advice is easier to prescribe than to follow. Change is hard. On average, it takes 66 days to solidify a new behavior into a habit.[3,4] SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound) provide a helpful framework, but achieving them demands perseverance.

Intensity can be the enemy of sustainability. If a workout is too demanding, it can be harder to maintain and can increase the risk of injury. In studies on distance running, for example, the 80/20 rule suggests that the optimal balance is 80% low intensity and 20% high intensity.[5,6] Elite athletes understand this, and so should we. There’s no need to push your limits every single day.

My 2024 resolution was to complete an Instagram-purchased daily hip-stretching course (a goal that may not have been smart or SMART). With 18 days down and 348 to go, its efficacy remains to be seen. But stay tuned: 2025 is going to be much more flexible.

If you have resolved to move more, remember, every bit counts! Research shows that the benefits of moderate to vigorous physical activity apply whether it happens sporadically or in sustained bouts.[7] Reflecting this, the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines removed the 10-minute minimum bout requirement to achieve the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity.[8,9] This change acknowledges that short, frequent bursts of activity make health goals more accessible and achievable for more people.[10]

Setbacks are inevitable, but perfection isn’t required. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, reassures us that “building better habits is not an all-or-nothing process.”[4] Progress comes from small, consistent actions. Focus on manageable behaviors that create momentum and, over time, lead to meaningful, sustainable change.

The most enduring resolutions are internally driven—“I want to run with my dog”—versus externally motivated—“Everyone in my office is doing the Sun Run.”[11] Internal motivation fosters a sense of ownership and accomplishment, increasing the likelihood of long-term success.

Even smaller pursuits, like a lunchtime stroll or taking the stairs while doing rounds, can contribute to wellness. If we choose activities that bring us joy and fit seamlessly into our lives, we’ll create sustainable routines, proving that consistency, not intensity, is the key to exercise results.
—Caitlin Dunne, MD, FRCSC

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References

1.    Norcross JC, Mrykalo MS, Blagys MD. Auld lang syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. J Clin Psychol 2002;58:397-405. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1151.

2.    Lark A. New Year’s resolutions statistics and trends [2024]. Drive Research. 18 November 2024. Accessed 16 December 2024. www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/new-years-resolutions-statistics.

3.    Lally P, van Jaarsveld CHM, Potts HWW, Wardle J. How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur J Soc Psychol 2010;40:998-1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674.

4.    Clear J. How long does it actually take to form a new habit? (Backed by science). James Clear. Accessed 16 December 2024. https://jamesclear.com/new-habit.

5.    Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2010;5:276-291. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.5.3.276.

6.    Witts J, Bozon J. What is 80/20 training? Runner’s World. Updated 22 March 2023. Accessed 16 December 2024. www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a27718661/what-is-80-20-running.

7.    Saint‐Maurice PF, Troiano RP, Matthews CE, Kraus WE. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and all-cause mortality: Do bouts matter? J Am Heart Assoc 2018;7. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.007678.

8.    Clarke J, Janssen I. Sporadic and bouted physical activity and the metabolic syndrome in adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2014;46:76-83. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31829f83a0.

9.    Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for adults aged 18-64 years: An integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Accessed 16 December 2024. https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/adults-18-64.

10.    Prince SA, Roberts KC, Lang JJ, et al. The influence of removing the 10-minute bout requirement on the demographic, behaviour and health profiles of Canadian adults who meet the physical activity recommendations. Health Rep 2022;33:3-18. https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202200800001-eng.

11.    American Psychological Association. Speaking of psychology: How to keep your New Year’s resolutions, with Pauline Wallin, PhD. 1 January 2020. Accessed 16 December 2024. www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/new-years-resolutions.

Caitlin Dunne, MD, FRCSC. Consistency beats intensity. BCMJ, Vol. 67, No. 1, January, February, 2025, Page(s) - Editorials.


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