How to Create a Fitness Routine That Actually Sticks (Even If You’ve Failed Before)

You're not broken - you just haven't found the missing piece...yet.

You get that wave of motivation. It hits you hard. You might have been watching a movie where the main character inspired you with their physique or determination. Maybe you met a girl that lit something inside. Maybe you had a doctor's appoointment and he told you could lose a few pounds. Or maybe, just maybe, you're sick of being where you're at.

You may not be certain about your desired destination, but you do know that your current situation is not where you want to remain.

You know something needs to change.

The familiar struggle of sticking to a routine can wear you down.

Whatever your reasons are, we have all experienced that ever fleeting wave of motivation. Monday rolls around and you show up and hit it hard. By Wednesday, something comes up and you end up skipping. Next thing you know it's Sunday and you haven't been to the gym in five days.

I've listened to numerous versions of this story from many people over the years. Some manage to last a week, others a month. I've even seen a few sustain it for a year, only to eventually give up and lose all the progress they achieved. This setback often results in finger-pointing. They might try to attribute it to life circumstances—like a new job, a new relationship, or something else—but deep down, they truly hold themselves accountable, even if they don't openly acknowledge it. They let it reflect on their self-perception and internalize it, embodying that sense of failure.

But here is the thing - failing doesn't make you a failure.

Dropping off doesn't make you weak.

You don't lack willpower.

You just haven't found the system that works for you yet.

I’ve been coaching for over a decade. I’ve seen the same pattern repeat over and over: guys who want to get in shape, who want more confidence, yet struggle to maintain consistency long enough to achieve significant transformation.

If that’s you—this post is your blueprint.

The Problem: Why Most Guys Fail to Stay Consistent

Firstly, motivation is a mirage - it's not real. It appears real to the mind, but it is fairy dust. Motivation plays on our emotions and our emotions are ever changing and unpredictiable. Relying on motivation to get things done is like depending on the weather - it is something that is completely outside of our control and therefore, you give up all power. If we could truly motivate ourselves, then things like procrastination and boredom wouldn't exist - because we could just be motivated all the time. But we can't - we can cultivate something that doesn't run on motivation.

Winners create systems rather than pursuing emotions. They certainly don't allow emotions to prevent them from completing necessary tasks. It's astonishing how many people today appear as adults but behave like children. Taking necessary action is a mark of maturity. Children act based on what they feel like doing in the moment, without considering the long-term impact of their choices. Adults, and especially champions, always consider the consequence of their decisions on their long-term objectives.

Therefore, you don't need motivation - you need conviction.

You need purpose - and you need a system that executes on that purpose. That way, on days when we aren't feeling it - which will happen - we can run the system and let it do its thing.

So let's break this down - step by step. Run this as I lay it out and in 90 days you won't recognize the person in the mirror. Not just physcially - but mentally too.

Step 1: training frequency

Going to the gym every single day is dumb - just going to come right out and say it now. This is coming from a guy that trains too much and has trouble dialing back when he needs to. Even at my most dedicated and hardcore stages of my life, I NEVER trained every single day. Now I am not saying doing some form of exercise or being active every day is dumb, because it's not. But the expectation that you have to carve out an hour every day to go to the gym is - because for a majority of people it is just unrealistic.

If consistency is something you have struggled with in the past, start with 2-3 days per week at most and build your program off of these days.

You might be saying to yourself "only 2-3 days?!? That's not enough!"

It's much better than having zero days after two weeks because you took on more than you could handle. This is a very common mistake. The spontaneous enthusiasm we mentioned earlier is like a drug, and people get so caught up in their motivation that they become overly eager and attempt to compensate for years of neglect in just a month.

Sorry - it doesn't work that way.

Why would you continue to employ a plan of action that ends in failure?

2-3 days per week. That's not soft, that's learning from your mistakes.

But here is the thing about those 2-3 days...THEY ARE 100% ABSOLUTELY NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Come hell or high water, you are there on those days. I don't care what happens or what comes up - you get those workouts in each and EVERY WEEK.

No missed workouts. No reps left behind. Get in and get it done.

At this stage, consistency trumps intensity.

Nothing else matters. Show up. Build the habit. And then keep showing up.

Step 2: Anchor the Schedule

People make appointments for just about everything. Your workouts are one more you'll be making - and you need to treat them as the most important appointments of the week - because they are.

You need to pick days and times you know you can make it happen. Don't plan them on unpredictable days and/or times. Don't schedule your workotus in pockets of time that happen to fall open. You pick definitive days and times and lock them in. That way when Wednesday rolls around and your wondering "should I train today or maybe I could train tomrrow?"

NO. The structure removes the decision. There's no more "should I train today?".

It's Wednesday - I TRAIN TODAY. Period.

Step 3: Keep it Simple

As of this post, I have been training for more than 16 years. I have created and executed countless programs and have trained numerous individuals, achieving results with more people than I can remember. My experience spans ages from 5 to over 80, covering all major sports, military preparation, fitness events, and more. Whatever the goal, I've trained them.

I share this not to boast, but to emphasize that after nearly twenty years and more than 10,000 sessions, I can confidently say there are no hidden exercises or unique programs. The fundamentals are effective, and they remain what I consistently rely on.

Do advanced protocols and training techniques yield results? Definitely. However, these methods often apply to particular individuals at specific times, which means that, in most cases, sticking to the basics will still be more effective for you.

Don't get cute. Don't follow the super specialized cutting edge intense program that you saw on instagram. Focus on the basic fundamental strength training movements, pick exercises for each that work well with your body that you can perform safely. Progressivley overload them, and throw in some cardio here and there. Simple.

If you need some guidance on creating a weekly routine, check out this article where I give you some options on how to structure your training:

BUILD YOUR PROGRAM

Don't worry about variety. Don't worry about platueing. Don't get training A.D.D. and program hop every two weeks.

Master the basics. Become a SAVAGE.

Step 4: Chronicle

Tracking is powerful. I can't believe how many people - even those who love to train and make it a big part of their lives - fail to track and record their training.

Tracking allows us to bridge the gap from one session to the next. It doesn't need to be painfully detailed - but you should be jotting down the big facets of your training. The exercises, sets, reps, weight, rest periods. That alone will separate you from 90% of people. You can go old school with pen and notebook, or you can download an app on your phone.

Overtime, you begin to fill logs of your efforts. You visually see the progress on paper - and you will see it on the paper before you see it in the mirror. When you have a log, you can look to see whats working and whats not. It gives you power over the process and helps build accountability and ownership.

If nothing else, some of the greatest men in history regularly journaled. There is something to be said for recording and reflecting.

If the greatest minds in modern history found value in it, just think what you can gain...

Step 5: Set Goals

Goals are important and it amazes me how few people set them. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to acheive a goal every single time you step foot in the gym.

I believe that many men struggle to set goals for themselves because they have disappointed themselves so often in the past that they've lost all self-trust. Therefore, setting a goal is just another opportunity to fail. Another opportunity to lose faith in themselves. But this is where the problem lies...

The only way you can begin to rebuild that trust and gain confidence is by keeping your word to yourself. And this is done by setting, and achieving goals.

By doing something you said you were going to do.

By failing to set new goals for yourself - that are aligned with your greater purpose for doing something - you fail to begin rebuilding that lost trust and confidence in yourself, which will only continue to deteriorate over time.

That is why in the beginning, it is important to set PROCESSED based goals - not outcome based goals. Outcome based is what most people focus on - 'I am going to lose 10 pounds', 'I am going to bench 225.'

Outcome based goals aren't bad - but the likelihood of achieveing them before you have a proven and effective system in place is a sure fire way to set yourself up for failure.

All of your goals at this stage in the game should be focused on building your winning system.

On the process.

Get to the gym 3 days per week.

Hit a thourough warm up.

Get 90 total minutes of cardio in this week.

Record every single one of my workouts.

These are processed based goals. None of them can be left up to chance or outside circumstance. They are 100% reliant on your effort and your willingness to follow through - and when you do follow through - watch what begins to happen.

If You Stick With This for 90 Days…

You’ll walk taller. You’ll feel more in control. You’ll have evidence that you’re capable of finishing something. And motivation will no longer be necessary—because you’ll have built a winning system.

This is your opportunity to rewrite the narrative you've been telling yourself.

You don’t need a fancy gym. You don’t need to be perfect - perfection is the excuse of a weak man.

You just need to begin—and persist.

Let’s Go

Want a free starter plan? DM me on Instagram or shoot me a message—I’ll send you one. Or tell me in the comments: What’s your biggest struggle with staying consistent? I’ll reply to every one.

You’ve got this.

Now go build it.

C-Roy