I’m in the best shape of my life right now and I’ve gotten here with little effort.

I’ve talked a lot about how consistency will drive better results than short bursts of effort. And personal health is one of the best ways to apply this concept.

Most people go on spurts of activity. They hold a strict diet to reach a weight goal, hit the gym in January for a resolution, or “get into swimsuit body” before vacation. But while these will certainly yield results, the changes rarely last.

This afternoon I ran 9 kilometres (ok, 8.9, but who’s counting?). This is the farthest — by far — that I’ve ever gone. My previous max was a little under 6. Most days, I run 2.

I don’t like running, so I don’t spend a lot of time doing it. But I run a little bit, often.

The same can be said for the gym. I’m not trying to become huge, just gain strength and maintain body health. The longest I’ve spent at the gym is probably 25 minutes. It’s usually far less. But again, I do it consistently.

Intermittent fasting has been a more recent experiment that has brought significant results in weight loss and higher energy levels. Still, it’s not torture. I eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I just skip breakfast and wait as long as I can in the day before my first meal. Sometimes that’s 10 am, sometimes it’s 3:30 in the afternoon.

This combination of relatively low-effort action has given me incredible results over time. I don’t have any physical goals, I just want to maintain good health.

And my laziness only allows me to put in so much effort.

Thankfully, consistency pays off.