Why Motivation Fails and How to Stay Consistent Instead
Stop the quitting cycle this January. Learn why motivation fails, how to stay consistent with your fitness goals, and break free from the all-or-nothing mindset that keeps you restarting. Real strategies for building habits that actually stick on this episode of Get Sculpted.
If you've ever started the year strong only to find yourself throwing in the towel by mid-January, this episode is your wake-up call.
In this episode of Get Sculpted, we tackle Quitter's Day head-on – this is the second Friday of January, when most people abandon their New Year's resolutions. This episode is equal parts tough love and actionable strategy because when it comes to building habits that actually stick, understanding the motivation vs consistency trap is just the beginning.
We get real about why motivation doesn't work for long-term fitness and what you need to rely on instead. We share stories, insights, and the exact framework our most successful clients use to stay consistent with their workouts, even when life gets messy, the kids are demanding, and that New Year's energy has completely faded. Whether you're here to break free from the all-or-nothing mindset that's been sabotaging your progress, or finally figure out how to stay consistent with your health goals, you'll leave this episode with a clear path forward and permission to stop starting over.
Here's what we cover:
What Quitter's Day is and why it happens to almost everyone (spoiler: you're not lazy)
The brutal truth about why most fitness resolutions fail by mid-January
Why relying on motivation will always let you down and what successful women do instead
How to shift your identity from someone who "wants to get fit" to someone who lives a fit lifestyle
The difference between wanting change and being ready for transformation
Breaking the perfectionism cycle that keeps you restarting every Monday
Why "resume, don't restart" is the mantra that changes everything
Building sustainable fat loss habits by stacking small wins instead of chasing perfection
How to measure success by your actions (the things you control) instead of just the scale
Real examples of pivoting when things don't go as planned, without abandoning your goals completely
This episode is a reality check wrapped in encouragement, a reminder that sustainable fitness isn't about being perfect or staying motivated 24/7. It's about building the identity, systems, and self-trust that carry you through when motivation fades. Your 2.0 version isn't waiting for the perfect Monday or the perfect plan. She's waiting for you to take action today.
"Being an adult is realizing that you can not want to do something and do it anyway."-Coach Tijana
What's the one pattern that keeps you stuck in the quitting cycle every January? DM us or tag us on Instagram @getsculpted.ca to share your biggest takeaway from this episode, or tell us what shift you're committing to right now. Your transformation starts the moment you decide Quitter's Day isn't part of your story anymore.
Connect with Get Sculpted
Thanks for joining us on this episode of Get Sculpted! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple or Spotify to help us reach even more women ready to cut through the noise and get the real deal on fat loss, muscle building, and what it really takes to build their 2.0 sculpted self inside and out.
This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Leah Bryant Co.
More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast for women who want to lose fat, build muscle, and reset their metabolism with science-based strategies and actionable advice.
We go beyond quick fixes and fad diets to give you sustainable fat loss strategies, strength training tips for women, and the mindset shifts that help you achieve lasting results. Think less guessing, more confidence, and habits that actually fit your lifestyle.
No matter if you’re just starting out or ready to level up your training, this podcast gives women the tools to lose fat, build muscle, and feel stronger in their bodies.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana, fitness pros with over 20 years of combined experience and 1,000+ client transformations, including a focus on helping women optimize their metabolism and build strength. You’ll get strategies designed for real bodies and real lives.
We’ll cover questions like:
Can you lose fat and build muscle at the same time?
What is the best way for women to lose fat without losing muscle?
How do I start strength training as a beginner woman?
Why am I not losing weight even though I’m working out and eating healthy?
How can I stop yo-yo dieting for good?
Is cardio necessary for fat loss?
If you’ve been searching for sustainable fat loss, women’s nutrition, and strength training that actually works, you’re in the right place. Join us every week to sculpt a stronger body and a more empowered 2.0 life.
Connect with us on Instagram at @getsculted.ca
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
WHY QUITTING HAPPENS: Relying on Motivation & Identity Misalignment
Marilynn [00:01:07]: What we wanna do is create awareness around why it's happening. And as always, we wanna give you the tools so you can stop repeating that yo yo cycle that you've probably lived year after year after year... Marilynn [00:02:04]: Quitters are done now. Okay, so let's start with the reason why most people do quit. And like I said, it's not because you're lazy... It’s totally about mindset and how you're going into this new year. Marilynn [00:02:26]: And motivation's great in the beginning, right, because you have that excitement. But guess what? It always fades away... Marilynn [00:02:47]: The second piece, and we talk about this a lot on the podcast, is your identity... if you're not owning that identity, it means that you're just chasing a feeling, which is fleeting…Tijana [00:03:26]: I think it's really important that you get into this mindset no matter where you're at in your journey... So change means like, hey, I wanna lose 10 pounds for the beach... But transformation means, like, hey, I'm actually understanding that, like, the lifestyle I'm living, the mindset I'm in is keeping me where I'm at... Jordanna [00:04:21]: You wanna be ready to evolve, right? And grow. And on one hand, like I think people are really good at being able to do that... But when it comes to our personal life and especially when it comes to fitness and health and our habits, we don't like showing that side as much... being ready for transformation can feel hard because there's a lot of fear underneath that…
BUSTING PERFECTIONISM & ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING
Marilynn [00:05:47]: So keeping in line with this mindset that a lot of people have around quitting, the other thing... is that all or nothing thinking? And I get it cause I'm a recovering perfectionist... as soon as something comes up, you know, you miss a workout or you have an off plan meal, suddenly it's okay, I'll restart... That's what it is. It's trying to convince you that if you can't do it perfectly, then what's the point of doing it at all? So again, that's gonna keep you stuck in this quitting cycle... Marilynn [00:06:31]: Instead you need to start asking yourself, how can I stay consistent when motivation isn't there? Because that's what separates women who are gonna follow through this January and beyond from the ones who quit every January.
WHY FAST FIXES AND EXTREMES KEEP YOU STUCK
Jordanna [00:08:41]: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that, like, a lot of women are really starting to wake up to wanting something more sustainable. This all or nothing thing, it's exhausting... Perfectionism is actually procrastination and wanting to be perfect is your way of actually pausing, taking imperfect action, which is actually not taking any action at all. That's how you end up staying stuck…Jordanna [00:10:17]: You've made these goals? Yeah, most people pick very random, high level things. So it's like, I'm going to lose weight this year or I'm going to go to the gym more. But, like, what does that actually mean? Jordanna [00:10:30]: How do we quantify it? Like, let's get really specific because that is the exact gap that we help so many of our clients close…
Tijana [00:12:21]: And what's the point? Because if your root problem is something bigger... maybe we can redefine success not as like the fastest weight loss... but as like, how long have you been able to sustain that? Because in my eyes, success is when you've changed your lifestyle and identity, not just when you've achieved an outcome based goal one time for a finite amount of time…
WINNING WITH CONSISTENCY: Pivoting & Building Momentum
Jordanna [00:13:08]: Those are such good points. And it comes back to the plan, right. When you need to be able to pivot, you don't know what you don't know. And so all you know, most women is how to diet and how to do that as fast and aggressively as possible, which ultimately sets us up for failure…Tijana [00:14:00]: The one reminder to people is that however you think right now is keeping you where you're at... the theme here is, like, you might think, oh, but I've... I know that this is what works for me, because cutting carbs and working out every day, and this is what's worked for me. But it's like... but this hasn't sustained you, so something has to change.
Marilynn [00:15:48]: Yeah. And I also think the process, like, you know, when you think back to all of those things that you did that allowed you to lose 20, 70, whatever pounds, aside from the fact that you didn't keep your results, how was that experience for you? Did you enjoy that dieting period?... that's the other thing that makes what we do so special, is that you're not only going to sustain what you've got for life, you're gonna actually enjoy the process…
PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM WHEN LIFE GETS BUSY
Tijana [00:17:05]: All right, so let's talk about how we can help you keep that momentum, because, as you know, we like you to leave every one of our episodes with something practical and tactical... we want to actually build the identity and the right habits that are going to help you, like, maintain momentum. One of the quotes I love from Leila Hormozi... being an adult is realizing that you can not want to do something and do it anyway…Tijana [00:18:16]: So really, like, what I want to lead here with is that you don't need to be miserable in the process, but changing parts of your identity is going to require doing uncomfortable things…
Tijana [00:19:04]: How do we make them the path of least resistance? Like, how do we establish them to our life? And not making it something that's... make it as easy as possible to execute, that's a big one. And also expecting that it's not always going to be perfect... we can always change the plan without compromising on the goal…
Jordanna [00:21:19]: Wherever you're finding yourself, there's ways to also create momentum or to maintain some momentum by making a better choice than you would have in the past.
REINFORCING NEW HABITS & WHAT SUCCESS REALLY MEANS
Marilynn [00:23:14]: So, like, everything's about patterns, right? So when you're in a situation where you're starting and stopping, if it's not perfect, I'm not doing anything at all. Every time you do that, you're reinforcing that behavior, that belief. But the opposite is also true. Like, every time you break that and do what you did... you're now reinforcing that behavior and that belief…