Why Doing Less Might Be the Key to More Progress in the Gym
- John Pierson
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
When most people decide to get back into the gym, especially after a long break or with weight loss goals in mind, they make one common mistake:
They go too hard, too fast!
This is especially true in my experience of the City of London, where people are used to operating at full capacity. But when it comes to fitness, more effort doesn’t always mean more progress, especially not in the beginning.
The All-Or-Nothing Trap
You decide it’s time to lose weight or get leaner. You’re ready for fat loss. You want results.
So you go all in and build a plan:
Five sessions a week
Strict dieting
High-intensity training
Tracking every calorie and step
It feels productive for a while.
But then life gets in the way: late nights, long meetings, low energy. Suddenly, the plan starts slipping. And when one session is missed, the rest start falling away.
As a London personal trainer, I have seen this frequently, which rarely leads to long-term success.
Why Small Wins Matter
Two quotes that can be helpful from James clear:
"Lasting change comes from consistency, not intensity".
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Systems that work are the ones that have an impact on your goals and are repeatable. That means starting small. 2–3 workouts a week. Sessions that fit around your schedule, not the other way around.
This approach removes resistance, builds confidence, and lays the foundation for sustainable weight loss and fat loss, the kind that lasts beyond a 4-week period. After all, losing weight is quite simple; keeping weight off is very hard.
Progress Comes From Repetition, Not Perfection
Your body doesn’t need extreme programs. It needs regularity. It needs repetition. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
That short, manageable workout you do consistently beats the perfect one you can’t maintain.
Do it week after week, and you’ll see real physical changes: more energy, fat starting to shift, and strength increasing. The scale will start moving and continue to move.
That’s what true progress looks like.
Fitness That Works in the City of London
Living and working in the City of London means long hours, busy schedules, and unpredictable days. That’s precisely why a high-frequency, high-pressure training plan rarely works.
Instead, you need a system that fits seamlessly into your life, something flexible, repeatable, and sustainable.
As a London personal trainer, I build plans around the reality of your schedule, not the fantasy. And the data speaks for itself: clients who commit to 2–3 focused sessions per week make better long-term progress than those who go all in, burn out, and quit.
The Real Goal: Identity-Based Change
Rather than focusing on losing a specific number of kilos or reaching a short-term aesthetic goal, focus on becoming someone who shows up consistently.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become.” – James Clear
Make it your mission to become the kind of person who trains a few times a week, eats well most of the time, and values movement, not punishment.
The fat loss, weight loss, and performance will follow.
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