Aesop, a story-teller who lived thousands of years ago in Ancient Greece is well known to many of us today through his classic collection of short stories known as Aesop’s Fables which serve to teach many of life’s truths.
One such tale is that of The Tortoise & The Hare…
Leading by miles a boastful hare falls asleep during a race with a tortoise. Unperturbed the tortoise continues to plod steadily forwards. By the time the hare wakes up it is too late, the tortoise has crossed the finish line and the race is over.
As the story demonstrates, slow and steady can win the race. Or put another way, consistently moving forwards, no matter how slowly, can take you a long, long way.
In the world of fitness this is particularly apt.
Trying to lose weight? Crash diets soon become unsustainable and the weight piles back on. On the other hand slowly accumulating positive new food habits can last a lifetime.
Trying to get stronger? Lifting too much too soon leads to injury and setback. On the other hand consistent practice and slow progressive overload leads to impressive long-term strength and muscle gains with diminished risk of injury.
No matter how well you eat and exercise there is a limit to how much progress you can make in a single day. Like the tortoise, the best results come with steady application of the basics over time.