When it comes to staying in shape, Mark Long said the only real trick is consistency. “Consistency is the key to anything,” he explained, adding later, “because if you’re not consistent [then] it’s going to go away fast, and you’re going to forget about it.” Long still advised starting slowly. Consistency doesn’t necessarily mean working out seven days a week, especially not if you are just starting to form a workout routine. If you start out with that high expectation, Long said, “it feels like work. Then you’re not looking forward to doing it.”

Instead, “The Challenge” alum suggested starting your exercise routine with small achievable goals. “Go get a gym membership [and] start going once or twice a week. After you go a few weeks of that, go a third day … as you start learning stuff and feeling more confident with what you’re doing in your body, then you add the days,” he said. By slowly building up, Long said it feels like less of a “drag” and instead going to the gym becomes a fixed part of your routine that you look forward to every week.