How to prevent failure with fitness

As a country, we are in the worst physical shape we have ever been in.  I've been a trainer for 15 years, so I have heard just about every excuse in the book.  Phrases like "I'm too busy" , "it's too hard" , "I've tried everything" and my personal favorite; "I'm just too lazy."

They are all pathetic excuses. In life nothing worth it  is ever easy! Wake up! The people who succeed are willing to get their butts out of bed at the crack of dawn to get their exercise done. They take the time to plan meals and they have the discipline to say "NO."

Weight loss and fitness are not that complicated. Hard work, planning, consistent execution and discipline. There are  no magic pills. Even though some shady scumbags say that there are.  If you honestly believe that you can undo months or even years of bad eating and inactivity in one month then I have some great ocean front property in Iowa for you!

I know I'm ranting but I'm tired of people lying to themselves and those around them. What is it going take for people to realize that our health problems as a nation are largely related to laziness and poor lifestyle choices not "bad genetics".  This problem is becoming a huge drain on our health care system. Costs associated with obesity are predicted to top 344 billion per year!!

Okay I'm off my soap box and want to offer 5 ways you can avoid failing and avoid becoming a statistic.

1. Ask for help-We all are good at certain things and lousy at others. For example I'm no good at marketing so I hired a business coach to help me plan my marketing and execute it. Guess what! it has improved tremendously.  It cut down on my trial and error (which mostly consisted of error).  So ask yourself "have I done a good job at exercise and eating right on my own?"  If the answer is no, then time for some accountability and guidance. These are the # 1 and 2 reasons people hire trainers.


2. Sit down and set goals-Goal setting is hard mental work but well worth. Set both long and short term goals as well as a MASSIVE ACTION PLAN to get it done. Have someone review your goals and offer feedback. Sometimes we get overzealous and set goals that are not reaslistic, thus setting us up for failure and frustration.  Do this somewhere quiet where you can focus, not in the living room with the TV blaring & kids screaming.

3. Find a support network-This could be your family. It also could be an exercise group. That is why bootcamps and group strength training have become so popular. It adds another layer of support and accountability. It's much easier to skip workouts when you know no one is expecting you that morning in the gym.  Also, it is super important to get your spouse and family on board.  I have seen too many people sabotaged by their families, because their families did not want to change with them.  This can dramatically reduce your chance of success.

4. Review your goals and change it up often - Every 4-6 weeks re-evaluate your progress and make adjustments. Change up both your strength and cardio regimens to avoid plateaus and boredom.

5. Block time for exercise and food shopping. Sounds simple but if we do not block dedicated time to exercise and shopping for healthy foods we usually end up trying to squeeze in workouts and missing them.  If you do not buy healthy food and have it ready for the week guess what....... you are more prone to make bad choices. If you fail to plan you plan to fail!

Well, there you have it!  Five crucial actions needed to be successful. Most people do not take the time to consistently follow these and that is why they fail!  So if you are serious, take the time, plan this out and set a strong foundation for your success. Nothing good comes easy my friends, but those things we work hard for are that much sweeter in the end!