There is a lot of misinformation about fitness.
And this time of year, every health and fitness business on the planet is competing for your attention, including yours truly.
Despite the scams – such as the recent $25M lawsuit where a social media star sold the supplements he claimed got his results when it was actually $10k/month in performance-enhancing drugs – overall the focus on bettering your health is a good thing.
I’m a huge proponent of getting people healthier and happier, and as much as some plans are better than others, the most important thing is that you’ve started.
You can constantly adjust course down the road.
But you still want to avoid hitting the wall – which is usually a mindset wall more than anything.
(or buying scam supplements!)
Today I’ve 3 ways to guarantee you won’t get results – and what to do instead
1. DO A SHORT-TERM CHALLENGE WITHOUT A LONG-TERM PLAN
One of my biggest “ugh, gross” things about fitness is all the short-term challenges.
14-day detox.
30-day challenge.
75 hard.
Don’t get me wrong – they can be exceptional ways to see some short-term wins.
A sprint, of sorts.
But they almost never include a “what to do once it’s done”.
The sprinter that crosses the finish line still needs to slow down gradually to a walk.
Here’s what to do instead.
However long the challenge is, double it. Use the first half – the original challenge – to get results.
Then the second half is to lock the results in so you can maintain them.
Then you’ve got a foolproof way to balance the short-term sprint with the long-term marathon.
2. TAKE ON MORE THAN YOU’RE READY FOR
The most effective way I’ve found to look at fitness is that it’s a skill.
Yes, you do things that make you sweat which helps you burn fat and build muscle. And in theory, anyone can get sweaty, burn fat, and build muscle.
But there are a lot of small, nuanced details that make big changes in results and many of them explain why you and your friend could do the exact same thing but one of you gets much better results than the other.
How’s your form so you don’t get hurt?
What exercises are the most effective for your needs?
How do you make sure you aren’t wasting your time?
Instead of starting anything, pick something that’s right-sized for you.
If it’s been a while since you’ve exercised consistently, you’ll probably want a coach for at least a few months.
If you’ve never been into cooking, starting a plan with a huge meal plan component likely isn’t the best fit.
If you can’t commit more than 3 hours per week, don’t commit to more.
I was the kid in school who was afraid to put their hand up and say “hey, I don’t know how to do this well. Can you help?”.
If you were, too, I know it’s scary.
And it’s incredibly empowering to say “Hey, I’m new to this. Where’s a reasonable place to start because I think this other thing is overwhelming for me.”
3. DON’T HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR ”WHY”
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a vanity goal.
Bikini body, drop the last 5bs, you name it…
Who doesn’t want to look great naked?
I’ve helped thousands of people on their fitness journey, and one of the biggest indicators of success is knowing your why.
The people who don’t see results ONLY want to lose a few pounds.
The successful ones might want to lose 10 or 20 lbs, but their reason for showing up goes deeper than that.
They want to take better care of themselves.
Their mental health dipped over a couple of years and they know exercise is the best non-drug antidepressant.
They had a family member pass early and didn’t want to be next.
They want to put themselves first after a lifetime of serving everyone else’s needs.
Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint, and having a powerful why keeps you going.
If you’re not sure of your why, use my “5 layers of why” exercise to help.
- Why is getting healthier important to me?
- And why is that important to me?
- And why is THAT important to me?
- And how will that improve my life?
- And why is that important to me?
(Yes, it’s intentionally almost the same question asked 5 times. You’ve got to get deep).
The answer to #5 – that’s your why. Keep it front and center on your journey and when the going gets tough you’ll be able to stay consistent.
If you want help with your fitness goals book a call CLICK HERE.
