Why Consistency Matters in the Kitchen, Too

Is what you do in the kitchen almost more important than what you do in the gym?

I’ve been thinking about this because we talk so much about being consistent with our workouts. Getting there, following the program, making time even when we’re busy. But are we giving that same attention to feeding ourselves?

I know I can be very intentional about my training and still leave food as something I’ll figure out later. Then later comes, I’m hungry, I have another client, and I don’t really have anything ready. Having a workout on the schedule doesn’t automatically mean I’ve made room for everything that supports it.

Whether food needs more attention than training depends on what you’re working toward. If you want to get stronger, improve your running, or change your body composition, your everyday eating habits are part of that work. And if you’re asking a lot of your body, you need to give it enough food to support what you’re doing.

For me, that means thinking beyond the workout itself. I want to run, box, lift, train my clients, and still have something left for the rest of my day. I need to eat in a way that supports that.

Honestly, a lot of it is pretty simple.

Cooking rice and ground chicken so I have meals for a few days. Having breakfast I already know I like. Making sure there’s something available between clients instead of waiting until I’m starving to figure it out.

Those things take effort, too. Grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up afterward. It’s easy to overlook that effort because it doesn’t feel like an accomplishment in the same way a workout does. But making it easier to feed yourself tomorrow is a pretty good use of your time today.

I’m also realizing that consistency needs to be something I can actually repeat. I don’t need to make a different, elaborate meal every night. Some weeks, I’m going to eat a lot of the same things because they’re easy and I enjoy them.

It doesn’t have to be exciting all the time. It doesn’t have to be boring all the time.

And I want room for baking. I love making banana bread, trying recipes, and sharing what I make. Baking makes me think of my mom, and it’s something that feels creative and caring to me. I don’t want my approach to food to take that away.

There’s room for simple meals and something you baked because you wanted to. There’s room for dinner out. There’s room for a day that doesn’t go according to plan.

One meal doesn’t need to become a judgment about how well you’re doing. You can enjoy it and come back to your usual routine at the next meal.

That’s the consistency I’m trying to build: giving food regular attention, having a few choices that work for my schedule, and leaving enough flexibility to enjoy my life.

If this is something you’re working on, too, pick one thing that would make your day easier. Maybe it’s breakfast before an early morning, lunch you can take with you, or cooking enough dinner to have leftovers.

You don’t need to fix every meal at once. Start with something you can keep doing.

I’ll keep showing up for my workouts. I also want to get better at showing up for everything my body needs outside of them.