As a trainer and a coach, the holiday season provides a brief lull in the training world. Then New Year’s hits and suddenly the gym is bombarded with people ready to start fresh. They tell themselves that this year will be the year: they finally lose those last few pounds that have been holding on; they will get back into the gym on a regular basis; and they will be healthier in 2015.
And for the first couple of weeks, or even the first couple of months, their resolutions work. These individuals will be strict on their diet eating foods, such as chicken breasts and broccoli, on a regular basis to prevent them from grabbing the nearest cheeseburger and fries. They will also be diligent about their exercise regimen, scheduling and adhering to their time set aside to workout every day. However, as the days stretch into weeks and the weeks into months, the majority of these once-motivated individuals will give up on their New Year’s resolutions and fall back into old habits.
As a trainer and a coach, it is a difficult process to watch because you want the best for your clients. You want them to achieve those goals they have set for themselves; you want to help them make this year - the year. As a result, to assist all of those who are thinking about their 2015 resolutions that involve weight loss, working out, etc., take the following ideas into consideration before setting down your resolutions:
It will not be easy. If you are looking for a magic pill, stop. It doesn’t exist. No protein shake, vibrating weight belt, special machine, or supplement will change your lifestyle. You have to change your mindset and understand that changing your lifestyle habits will be difficult. It won’t always be easy to get to the gym or to make a home cooked meal, but it will always be easy to sit on the couch and head through the drive-through for dinner. If you can understand the difficulty that lies within living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and are still up to the challenge, the next thing you need to know is that it will require patience.
It will take time. Real change takes time. It does not happen in a day or even a couple of weeks. True change can take months to happen. For example, a diet should not be thought of as something one does for two weeks and then ditches after dropping a few pounds. A diet needs to be sustainable for the long-term. The same is true for getting into a consistent workout routine. By choosing an exercise regimen that is constantly changing and challenging, not only will you be look forward to your routine but you will also continue to practice it on a regular basis. Aside from the fact that change is difficult and takes time, once healthy habits have been established, there is no true end.
It will never stop. Your resolve cannot stop. Not once you’ve reached your goal weight, hit that certain personal record, or run that race – never. Your goals, no doubt, will change as you do. On the surface though, those basic healthy habits of exercise and eating right need their due diligence and tenacity to be maintained. However, once you have established and begun maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it is important to remember that all of the hard work, all of the waiting, and all of the determination are worth it. Simply because…
You are worth it.
Now make this the year.
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