What I Learned From 156 Consecutive Weeks Of Working Out

At the end of 2022, I made a simple promise to myself: I was going to work out every week for an entire year. No breaks. No dramatic goals. Just 3–5 days a week, every week.

That one-year commitment quietly turned into three years straight.

Through that consistency — through the seasons, the off days, the winter mornings, and the weeks I barely wanted to show up — I learned a few lessons that have proven themselves to be undeniably true.

1. Unfortunately, it’s true what they say. If your diet is shitty, the workouts won’t mean anything. 

I’ve learned this lesson every single year and I’m hoping this year is the last year I have to remind myself of this. This year, I did well, I had 6 months of consistent caloric deficit and workouts and felt and looked the best I’ve looked in the past 3 years. And then transition hit in August. The kids went back to school, work got busier, and I lost sight of my routine. I was 10 lbs heavier by November. It isn’t anything I can’t get back to but it’s frustrating to take 3 steps forward and 10 lbs back. 

2. Mind over matter is a real thing. 

There were so many days I didn’t want to go to that gym or go on that walk but I reminded myself that if I didn’t do it this time, it was just a gateway to give myself a reason not to do it the next time. I know myself and I know that when I convince myself I don’t need to do a thing, I’ll find other reasons to convince myself and then I’ll be right back where I was when I started. I stuck to my goal because I stayed disciplined even when I didn’t want to. 

3. It’s much harder to get out of bed in the winter months 

This is pretty straight forward. When it’s warmer outside, it’s a little easier to get up and go. Getting out of bed at 5am when it’s 27 degrees outside is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I’ve had to create a plan for myself in the winter months (like doing at home workouts) and even change up what time of the day I go to the gym. This year, I’ve been letting myself get there around 7:30am instead. This helps.

4. I didn’t give 100% everyday and 100% wasn’t required. 

There were days I didn’t finish my workout either because I didn’t have enough time or because I was too tired. There were even days I was sick and didn’t push my body beyond what felt safe. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t giving 100% every single time, because consistency for me meant showing up and giving my best — even if that was 60%. 

5. Sometimes you need help. 

For about 6 months, I was making up my own workouts before securing a virtual trainer. I didn’t have a trainer in mind, but I didn’t want that to hold me back from my goals so I just started doing stuff. I found my trainer through an IG post from an old high school classmate and I’ve been with her for two years now. Her workouts are 100% more effective than mine 😩. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing at first, show up. I’m sure my workouts weren’t doing much but I didn’t give up, I just kept showing up which gave me the chance to get into the routine and get my body moving even if I wasn’t doing it “right”.

And I’m constantly reminding myself of the time it took for me to see results in my body. Because the same applies with my art and everything else in life. Progress won’t always come quickly. It may take months or even years to see the results you’re expecting but the more you keep going, the more you’ll see progress. And if you stop, or give up, you’ll have to start again. You might as well keep going and give yourself the time to see the results you want to see.

All in all, there are levels to these things, and when we’re working on something new, or changing something in our lives, we have to give ourselves time to see the change happen. 

What I learned most from 156 consecutive weeks of working out is that discipline can be applied anywhere. By the end of the second year, I realized that if I can apply this discipline to my body, I can apply it to my art. And my home, and my marriage.

I learned that consistency isn’t loud. It doesn’t announce itself with dramatic before-and-after photos or perfect routines. Most days, it looks like showing up tired. Adjusting the plan. Letting go of perfection. It looks like starting again after losing your rhythm. It looks like choosing yourself even when the results aren’t immediate or linear.

I learned that progress isn’t fragile — but routines are. And when life shifts, seasons change, or motivation disappears, the real work is rebuilding without shaming yourself for the pause. Three years taught me that falling off doesn’t erase the work you’ve already done. It just reminds you that you’re human.

Most importantly, I learned that momentum is created by showing up before you feel ready, before you feel disciplined, and before you feel confident. You don’t need the perfect plan, the perfect diet, or the perfect trainer to begin. You just need to start — and keep starting.

156 weeks later, I’m still learning. Still adjusting. Still recommitting. And that, more than anything, feels like a win.