Ep. 34 – The Simple Method to Stay Consistent with Exercise (and see great results)

Welcome to the 34th episode of Vegetarian Health and Longevity from Hurry The Food Up and Sports Nutritionist James LeBaigue.

We all know exercise is good for us. But why is it so hard to stick to?

In this episode, I talk through the difficulties surrounding staying on track with your exercise plan, and how you can set up your routine for success.

By the end, you’ll know the common pitfalls to avoid and how to create a plan that will leave you fulfilled, enjoying your exercise and mostly importantly, staying consistent over time.

You can find it on YouTube below or you can listen to it here on your favourite provider.

If you missed last week’s about whether high GI foods are bad for you or not, then you can listen to or read it here.

Start with a Sustainable Foundation

Think of exercise as something that should add to your life, not drain it. The first part of the system is setting up an exercise routine that starts with fun, enjoyment, and realistic expectations.

Too often, people dive in hard and fast—motivated by an ideal of what they think they should be doing. I’ve seen so many people start sudden, intense exercise regimens, and seem so incredibly motivated. 

Within a couple of weeks, it’s starting to drop off because they can’t sustain the routine, and they realised they didn’t actually enjoy any of it, they just thought they should.

Step 1: Focus on Enjoyment First

One of the most powerful shifts you can make in your exercise routine is moving from a mindset of obligation to enjoyment. This doesn’t mean ignoring the physical benefits of exercise; instead, it’s about reframing exercise as something you want to do instead of something you feel you should do. 

When you choose activities you genuinely enjoy, you’re far more likely to keep returning to them over time.

Too often, people start with what they think they should do—like running because it’s popular or lifting weights because they want to build muscle. They push themselves into routines that might look good on paper but feel draining or just don’t click with them. 

What ends up happening is what I like to call the “tough it out” phase, where every workout is a mental battle, something to tick off the list, or even worse, something to dread.

Instead, consider what type of movement brings you joy or a sense of fulfilment. Are you someone who loves the energy of a group setting? Maybe you’d enjoy a group fitness class, a running club, or a dance session with friends. 

If you thrive on quiet, solo time, perhaps hiking, cycling, or walking could be a great fit. Some people love the structure of a class; others prefer the flexibility of deciding on the go.

As a quick side note on the whole is walking exercise debate, the answer is it depends. You do need to get slightly out of breath for it to start having an effect, so a simple dog walk where you potter around the park just won’t cut it. But if you can go out a walk some hills, or a fast walk and get a little bit out of breath? Awesome.

Anyway, to help uncover what you enjoy, ask yourself these questions:

• What type of movement makes you feel good, regardless of the physical benefits?
• When did you feel genuinely engaged or energised during physical activity?
• Do you prefer solitary activities where you can clear your mind, or are you energised by others?

Finding enjoyment can be a process of trial and error. Consider trying a few activities each month to see which ones feel good. Start small—go for a walk, try a yoga class, join a free community fitness session, or check out a local sports team. Experimenting lets you explore what clicks without committing right away, which can help you find the activities that naturally fit into your life.

If you find yourself energised after listening to music, try a Zumba or dance class. If a calm, repetitive movement relaxes you, swimming or rowing might be a good fit. Enjoy the outdoors? Try trail running, hiking, or cycling. These are just ideas, but the main takeaway is that it should feel like something you want to return to, not something you’re dragging yourself to complete.

Of course, it won’t feel amazing every single time, and you might not always be ready to pull on your shoes, but the majority of the time, you should be excited rather than dreading it.

Finally, remember that it’s okay to switch things up over time. What you enjoy now might change as you get fitter or as your interests evolve. The point of centring on enjoyment isn’t to box you into a routine but to give you a foundation you look forward to building on. 

Exercise doesn’t have to look one specific way, and when it’s enjoyable, you’re far more likely to see it as a welcome part of your life. 

Step 2: The Two Pillars of Exercise

It’s helpful to understand the two primary types of exercise: cardiovascular (cardio) and resistance (strength) training. Each serves a unique purpose in keeping you healthy and fit, and together they provide a well-rounded approach to exercise that can support you through different stages of life.

If you’re aiming to create a lasting habit, understanding how these two types of exercise complement each other—and finding a way to fit both into your week—can set you up for long-term success. 

Cardio: Move More, Breathe More

Cardiovascular exercise, often just called “cardio,” is any activity that raises your heart rate and gets your blood flowing. Think of it as exercise that challenges your heart and lungs, improving their efficiency over time. This type of exercise is particularly beneficial for heart health, lung capacity, and overall stamina.

The beauty of cardio is that it’s incredibly flexible—it isn’t just running that gives you the benefits. Cardio can be anything that elevates your breathing rate, whether it’s brisk walking, cycling or dancing. Here’s how to start thinking about cardio in a sustainable way:

1. Choose a Starting Point – If you’re new to cardio, start with low-impact options like walking or swimming. These are gentle on the joints and easy to scale as you build fitness. 
2. Mix Moderate and Vigorous Intensity – Aim to have a mix of easy and vigorous cardio sessions each week for a balanced approach. Easy cardio could be a brisk walk or an easy jog, where you’re breathing has only changed a very small amount, and you can still hold a conversation. Many people work too hard here, so don’t fall into that trap. 

Vigorous cardio, on the other hand, might be a short, intense interval session where you’re pushing your limits for brief periods. If you’re a newbie, go careful with this.

Resistance Training: Building Strength for Life

The other core pillar of exercise is resistance training, which involves using your muscles against a form of resistance to increase strength and endurance. While many people associate resistance training with weightlifting, it can include bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and certain types of yoga or Pilates.

Why is resistance training so important? As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and bone density, which can affect our strength and balance. 

By engaging in regular resistance training, you’re helping to preserve muscle, protect your joints, and maintain independence as you grow older. 

Here’s how I’d suggest you approach it:

1. Start Simple – If you’re new to resistance training, start with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, or planks. These are effective, adaptable, and don’t require any equipment. Once you feel comfortable, you can progress by adding weights or resistance bands.
2. Balance Reps and Sets – Aim for 8-12 repetitions of each exercise, completing 2-3 sets. This range is effective for building both strength and endurance, making it ideal for most people. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym—a 30 minute session, a couple of times a week, is enough to see significant benefits, especially as a beginner. As you get more experienced, you might need to bump this up.
3. Consider a Class or Trainer – If you’re unsure where to start or want extra motivation, joining a class or working with a trainer can help you learn proper form and stay consistent. Many people find that having guidance removes the guesswork, making it easier to enjoy the process and stay motivated.

A quick note on things like circuit training. While circuit training can be brilliant, and if you enjoy it, great, it’s often not ideal for beginners.

Circuit training combines cardio plus resistance training. You do different exercises, usually in a group format, often for 30-60 seconds and then swap. 

These can be great, but I’ve found that, especially for beginners, they can lead to burnout and injury because people are trying movements they aren’t used to with lots of excitement and often, pushing past what is comfortable.

It’s not to say don’t do it, just be cautious about how frequently you do them and focus on form over trying to get in as many reps as possible.

Putting It All Together: A Weekly Routine

The goal isn’t to overload yourself with hours of exercise but to find a balance that works for you. A good rule of thumb is to aim for three cardio sessions and two weekly resistance sessions. For cardio, plan for two easy-intensity sessions and one higher-intensity session. Make sure you hit all the major muscle groups with your resistance training, and as a beginner, I’d advocate working on what are called compound movements.

These are the big, main moves that require you to use various different muscles at the same time, rather than something where you use only a single muscle in isolation, like bicep curls.

By combining both cardio and resistance training, you’re building a routine that supports overall health, strength, and longevity. These two types of exercise work together to create a strong foundation, which help with your fitness but also your quality of life.

When your routine is enjoyable and well-rounded, it becomes something you look forward to—not just something you have to tick off a list.

Before we move onto the next step, it’s worth talking quickly about nutrition. You might have noticed this episode is geared towards exercise itself, but what you eat is a huge factor, too. If you’re interested in healthy eating or weight loss, you should check out The Vegetarian Protein Fix. It’s our system that’s designed to help you lose weight as a vegetarian, while still eating food that you enjoy and doing it sustainably.

You can check out a free meal plan at htfu.com/try, that’s t r y, that comes with a shopping list, recipes and step by step instructions. So head to htfu.com/try and check it out now.

Step 3: Balance Effort with Enjoyment

Even when you find an activity you enjoy, remember that it doesn’t have to be all-out effort every time

Start with activities that fit your current fitness level, allowing you to gradually build up and sustain your energy without burning out.

For example, with cardio sessions, two should be easy—you should be able to breathe comfortably through your nose while doing them. 

Only the third session should be challenging. 

By keeping most sessions manageable, you’ll feel energised rather than exhausted, which is key for consistency.

This is one of the most common places that people fall down, because they think that in order for them to feel like they have “done” something, they need to be a sweaty, collapsed mess.

While that exercise does have its benefits, it’s not what most of the population should be focussing on. Easy, low intensity exercise is the key, with just a sprinkling of that hard stuff.

This is also way less likely to cause injury too, which is part of the battle for staying exercising over the long term.

Step 4: Create a System, Not a Plan

A plan is great, but a system is better. Here’s what I mean:

• Structure – Schedule your workouts and build a routine around them. Think of exercise as a part of your life, just like work or sleep. Plan them at the start of the week, or even weeks in advance, if that works for you. Don’t neglect this, because if you leave it to chance or sporadically planning it, it’ll never last.
• Flexibility—Allow yourself to rest on days when you’re not feeling it. Pushing through when you’re already exhausted can lead to burnout. Better to hit 80% of your workouts forever, rather than 100% for two weeks and then 0% for a couple of months.
• Self-Monitoring – Instead of obsessing over metrics like time, distance, or pace, focus on a more sensitive metric: enjoyment. Regularly ask yourself, “Am I still having fun with this?” If not, it may be time to adjust.

This system approach helps you see exercise as a practice that changes with your life. When you build flexibility into your schedule, you’ll naturally gravitate back to exercise, knowing it doesn’t demand more than you can give on any given day.

If you’ve ever struggled to stay consistent with exercise, I hope this system helps you rethink your approach.

And finally, here is the easiest way to sign up to try our meal plans (free).

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