My alarm blares. It’s early. Too early, really, considering what time it was when I finally drifted off last night. But, I have my fourth workout of the week to complete, and to miss it would be tantamount to failure. And so the covers are cast off, my dawn stomachache is ignored, and out into the frigid morning I go.
The big (secret) reason I have to be so strict with myself is because I know that at some point, this current rigorous workout/supplement/health regime will come crashing down in a mess of this is too hard and too overwhelming and I can’t be bothered. I understand that adhering to a schedule that doesn’t realistically fit into your life in a manageable way is difficult. But what’s the alternative? Only exercise at the weekend? Hope that the mountain of greens stuffed into my Sunday smoothie is enough to counteract the Dairy Milk I snaffle at my desk each afternoon?
I was on this pendulum for years, swinging from one extreme to the other. For a few months, I would treat the gym like a faithful friend, showing up for it come rain, shine or illness. But when the commitment inevitably became unsustainable, I’d ghost it like a bad first date. During the week, my diet revolved around whatever felt like the quickest and easiest way to satisfy my hunger. Then on Sundays—the only day I felt I had the headspace to devote to wellbeing—I would spend hours meditating, walking and batch cooking nutritious meals, trying (somewhat desperately) to persuade myself that this one day of being virtuous would counteract everything else that week.
If my health was a series of data points, the averages were shocking. My exercise was intense but sporadic and my approach to nutrition oscillated between that of a health-conscious parent and a child let loose in the sharing bag aisle. Because of my desire to do it all (and perfectly), I wasn’t actually doing much at all. What changed? I discovered the “midline theory”.
What is the midline theory?
Essentially, the midline theory is the idea that it’s not about what you do on one day, but what you’re able to do on average over a week, a month, a year or longer. With exercise, that might manifest as three shorter, lower intensity sessions per week instead of one killer workout on a weekend. The same goes for meditating or trying to practise mindfulness. Rather than devoting 20 whole minutes to stillness on a Monday morning, you could try to commit to fitting in a handful of five-minute sessions wherever makes sense in your schedule.
“Consistency signals to our brain that we’re safe and worthy of care, reducing inflammation, boosting our immune system and influencing gene expression,” Dr Lafina Diamandis, lead GP at integrated medical practice Solice explains to me. “It’s not about being perfect—it’s about casting a vote for your wellbeing every day. When we prioritise daily habits like movement, sleep, healthy eating, meditation, or gratitude practices, we’re not just checking boxes on a to-do list—we’re actually priming our brains and bodies to function at their best. It’s not always possible to reduce or eliminate the stress in our lives, but through simple habits we can build better mental and physical resilience against stress,” she adds.
Earlier this month, a survey of just under 4,500 adults in the UK found that one in three (34 per cent) experience high or extreme levels of pressure or stress “always” or “often”. While the number has dropped from last year (by just one per cent, mind you) a third of the population is on the brink of total burnout. In this mode, how can we find ways to support ourselves without feeling like it’s just another item on the list of things we know we should be doing, but can’t quite manage to make happen?
How to create a consistent routine using the midline theory
On the face of it, it seems simple: aim for less, but do it more. What does this look like in reality though?
Movement
“The benefits of exercise compound over time, meaning it’s always going to be better to find a routine you can stick to for the long term than an ‘all or nothing’ approach,” personal trainer and author Alice Liveing gently reminds British Vogue. “Enjoyment and long-term commitment are tightly linked. So, rather than forcing yourself to do something you hate, try and find a form of movement you genuinely enjoy.”
For me, that initially meant giving up gruelling, deafening HIIT classes and returning to the free weights section with just my headphones for company. While that’s changed over time—now, I prefer a mix of Pilates, strength training, walking and, when it doesn’t make me wince, the StairMaster—I’m still of the attitude that if I don’t enjoy it, then I won’t do it.
That being said, there are some things our bodies need—and for totally unaesthetic reasons, too. Resistance training (anything that forces your muscles to contract under external resistance) is critical for bone density and staving off the muscle loss that comes naturally with age. Recent studies have suggested that resistance training can also help with maintaining healthy cognitive and memory functions. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity for adults between the ages of 19 and 64, alongside two days of strengthening activities that work “all the major muscle groups”.
Liveing has this to say: “Each week, I’d love for you to be doing something that strengthens your body. Remember, though, that this doesn’t have to mean throwing around a heavy barbell. It can also include dumbbells, kettlebells and using your own bodyweight. Then, I’d like for you to pick something each week to strengthen your cardiovascular system. It could be anything from brisk walking to running, boxing, swimming—anything that gets your heart rate up.”
If you’ve always been all or nothing when it comes to your lifestyle, Liveing has some sage advice: “Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- Is the amount of exercise I’m doing realistic for my lifestyle?
- Am I enjoying my chosen form of movement?
- What’s stopping me from continuing?
“Then, sit down with your diary and schedule your workouts like you would any other event. We often see exercise as a luxury that gets bumped down the priority list, but it should be a non-negotiable. Keep the bar low—even just one session a week to begin with— and slowly build up from there.”
Nutrition
“Having strict rules around food is the antithesis of sustainability and balance,” says naturopathic nutritionist and hormone health specialist Jessica Shand. “Taking away the labels of how I eat (ketogenic, vegan, paleo or otherwise) has helped me to step away from yo-yo dieting and be truly intuitive with my eating habits.” Shand recommends three things: mindful eating, prioritising “real” foods, and counting colours not calories.
“Try taking four deep breaths at the start and end of each meal—this will activate your parasympathetic nervous system (aka your body’s rest and digest mode),” she explains. “It’s a free resource we all have access to but often forget to use. Then, after you’ve eaten, take a note of how you feel. Did the food spark joy, or leave you feeling sluggish and heavy? You could even try it over a 7-day period and keep a note of what you eat and the symptoms you have afterwards.”
Shand’s next tip is about centering “real” whole foods while limiting the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet. In the UK, it’s estimated that 57 per cent of the average adult’s daily diet is made up of ultra-processed food items, including things like protein bars, crisps, packaged cakes and sweetened cereals. Rather than think of it as a total regime change, start by adding things in. Which unprocessed (or less processed) fruit or vegetable could you add to your lunch? After the gym, could you sweeten a Greek yoghurt with honey for a quick protein hit, instead of reaching for a pre-packaged bar? Remember, it doesn’t have to be every time, just enough to alter the overall average of what you’re consuming.
Finally, Shand wants us to reject the idea that the quality of our diet can be judged by calories. “Focus on the colour and variety of (real) food you can see on your plate,” she says. “Calorie counting is an outdated system that doesn’t take into account how the food you eat changes in calories when cooked or not and how well your body absorbs it. We’re all individuals, simply counting calories doesn’t allow for that.”
This article originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk.
