By Dr. Karen DeVore, Tortoise Clinic
If you’ve ever laced up your shoes for a long walk, a run, or even just committed to showing up for yourself day after day, you already understand something fundamental about health: real progress takes time.
In my work, I see it constantly—people who are frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed because they’ve tried everything. The detox teas. The extreme cleanses. The 30-day challenges promising a brand-new body and life by next month. And when those promises inevitably fall short, they blame themselves.
Here’s the truth I want you to hear clearly: your body is not the problem. The problem is the belief that wellness should be fast, dramatic, and immediate.
Health doesn’t work that way. It never has.
The Myth of the Quick Fix
We live in a culture that celebrates instant results. Faster internet. Overnight shipping. Before-and-after photos that suggest transformation can, and should, happen in weeks. It’s no wonder people feel discouraged when their own bodies don’t keep up with those expectations.
But your body is not a machine you can reboot. It is a living, adaptive system shaped by years of stress, habits, hormones, sleep patterns, relationships, injuries, and emotions. Expecting it to “snap back” after a few weeks of effort is not just unrealistic, it’s unfair.
Fads and trends often work briefly because they shock the system. They rely on restrictions, extremes, or novelty. And while they may produce short-term changes, they rarely create lasting health. Once the trend ends, as it always does, the symptoms return, sometimes louder than before.
Why Slow and Steady Actually Works
When I say wellness is a marathon, I don’t mean it has to be miserable or exhausting. Quite the opposite. Sustainable health is built through consistent, manageable choices that your body can integrate over time.
Think about how trust is built in a relationship. It’s not created by grand gestures alone. It’s built through reliability. Showing up. Listening. Responding with care. Your body works the same way.
When you nourish yourself regularly, move in ways that feel supportive, address stress gently, and prioritize sleep, your nervous system begins to relax. Hormones rebalance. Digestion improves. Pain softens. Energy returns, not all at once, but gradually, reliably.
This is not flashy progress. It’s quiet. And it’s powerful.
Real Life Doesn’t Happen in Perfect Conditions
One of the biggest reasons people abandon their wellness efforts is because they believe they’ve “fallen off the wagon.” Life happens—a busy week, a sick child, a stressful deadline, a holiday meal—and suddenly it feels like everything is ruined.
But a marathon isn’t lost because you slow down for water. Or because you stumble. Or because one mile feels harder than the last. You keep going.
Health is not about perfection. It’s about resilience and return—coming back to yourself again and again without punishment or shame.
The Body Responds
to Patience
I’ve watched patients experience profound change not because they did more, but because they did less—less forcing, less self-criticism, less urgency. They learned to listen instead of override. To adjust instead of quit. To trust that small improvements compound over time.
And they do.
A little better sleep leads to better energy. Better energy leads to gentler movement. Gentler movement supports hormone balance. Hormone balance improves mood and focus. Suddenly, the person who felt stuck begins to feel capable again.
That’s how marathons are won. Not by sprinting at the start, but by pacing wisely.
Redefining Success
What if success wasn’t measured by how fast you change, but by how well you sustain? What if progress meant fewer crashes, quicker recovery, and a deeper sense of connection to your body?
Wellness is not a finish line you cross. It’s a relationship you build.
So, if you’re feeling discouraged, tired of trends, or tempted by the next “miracle” solution, pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself not what will fix you fastest, but what will support you longest.
Your body is in this for the long haul. And when you meet it with patience, consistency, and care, it will carry you farther than any shortcut ever could.
