Client: [frustrated, comes into my office to “talk”]
Me: Hi Julie, how are you?
Client: Well Kris, I’ve been working with your team for 3 months now and I really enjoy the trainers and I don’t mind the workouts but it just isn’t working for me.
Me: Really? Tell me more about what is happening.
Client: When we first met I told you that I wanted to lose 10 lbs and not look “skinny fat”
Me: Yes, I remember that.
Client: Well it’s not working. I haven’t changed a bit since we started this.
Me: Oh, I see. May I ask, how often do you do your custom workout that we designed specifically for you?
Client: I do it once per week.
Me: Okay, but didn’t we talk about needing to get it done 3-4 times per week when we gave it to you?
Client: Well, yeah but I walk 5,000 steps a day so that’s about all I can get in.
Me: Alright, well how about the nutrition plan we discussed?
Client: Oh I follow that to a “T”!
Me: Didn’t you tell me last week that you had dark chocolate and a Dr. Pepper every day? And what about the weekend drinks?
Client: Well yes, I’m not willing to give those up. It’s my way to unwind every day. And the alcohol I drink on the weekends is how I spend time with my friends.
Me: Julie, I am certainly glad that you came in to talk with me today because I’m not sure we are on the same page. We’ve discussed that both your exercise and nutrition consistency are important and if you truly want to lose the weight that we have to make some hard decisions about some things that just won’t lead you to those goals.
Client: I guess so, you’re right. What do we need to do?
Me: How about if we work together to create a new plan for you that will be a bit easier to maintain and let’s look at your exercise program to see if there’s something we could do to make it something you want to do more often?
Client: Sounds good. Thanks for talking with me.
Julie and I went on to create a new plan that would work for her in the moment of where she was at. In the end she lost the weight and really started enjoying the workouts and eating well.
Most people jump to complaining when things aren’t going the way they planned. But if you’re not willing to stay consistent with the plan in place, you’ll never know if it truly works or not.
In our instant gratification society, it can be hard to patiently wait through the hard work you’re doing to see results. But remember that the true goal is to learn to enjoy the process so that even when you reach your goals, you’ll want to continue doing what got you there in the first place.