Growing up my parents were notorious for telling us that if we were going to do something we better do our best at it. This meant that was no excuse for just “going through the motions”.
It didn’t mean that we wouldn’t fail or fall from time to time, but rather that we would be 100% invested in the direction we were going which led us to learn from our falls and failures.
I see it regularly within the walls of this industry- people who have an interest in training do so for 1 of 2 reasons:
- They know they need to do something but aren’t quite sure what or if they’re even ready. They hope that a trainer will “make” them do what they need to do. They have a very specific goal in mind (ie. lose 15 lbs) and nothing besides that one thing will bring them happiness.
- They know that change is inevitable from where they currently are and where they want to be. They are ready to begin the process of change, understanding that there will be some rough patches ahead, but also some great joy. They have a specific goal (more than likely related to overall health rather than only weight loss) but also understand that if they do things right, they may see things come to fruition that they never dreamed of.
These are the two types of people I work with. Both receive great care, but one type typically exceeds their goals while the other does well to make it to the finish line.
This isn’t a story of favoritism but rather a truth that should be considered before starting something new and especially before laying down money to “make” it happen.
Let’s address the elephant in the room first, if you aren’t ready to make changes within your life, then change will not happen.
No one can make you do anything and in fact, when I hear those words, it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. As a personal trainer for more than 2 decades, my job is to encourage, to guide and to educate my clients toward their goals.
Now for the 2nd part, If a number on a scale is more important to you than your overall health, energy levels, ability to sleep well, ability to move without pain, etc. then you’re much less likely to achieve the weight loss in a lasting form.
Anyone can lose weight through restriction but not many are able to keep the weight off. And if I’m not mistaken, that is the ultimate goal for most people, is it not? To create physical and physiological change that will last without causing chronic harm to our bodies?
My most successful clients are interested in their health and in their ability to live life to the fullest. It is through that interest that they are able to sleep better, increase their energy, experience less pain and dysfunction as well as lose weight.
Change doesn’t have to be grueling. It doesn’t have to leave you with negative emotions of frustration, deprivation and pain.
Instead, if we look at change through the lens of a great challenge that we will rise to meet, you may just find that there is a definite difference between going through the motions doing something you “should” and doing your best at something you desire. If you need any help at all with this, please give us a call at 806-322-3188.