19 Reasons People Don’t Achieve Their Fitness Goals
How YOU can top them all!
Reason #1: You don’t make the decision to start. You can have hundreds of excuses, but it all comes down to how big your desire is. If you want results you have to start. Why wait until tomorrow what you can start today? HE DECIDED!
Reason #2: You don’t know what you want. Where are you on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being as serious as a heart attack, about reaching your fitness goals? If your number is anything but a 9 or 10, I will not work with you. Why, because you are not COMMITTED to doing whatever it takes to reach your goals. If you say it’s between 1 and 8, that means you get it right eighty percent or less of the time. That means you’ll eat when and what you want and you won’t be stuck to a schedule. It’s like a rocket scientist at NASA is sixty percent sure the left engine is working on the spacecraft we’re sending to the moon. ENGAGE!
Reason #3: You don’t make it a priority. The biggest excuse of all is TIME. My question to you is what do you value? Do you value your health? Do you value the productive energy when you spend time with your family and/or children? I’d say you can’t afford not to do time. By making exercise a priority in your daily planner, you’ll not only feel a sense of accomplishment by sticking to a regular routine, but you’ll also feel more energized and less stressed as you deal with the daily ebb and flow of life. CALENDAR!
Reason #4: You have no one to hold you accountable. When starting an exercise program, I highly recommend working out with a friend or considering a personal trainer because on days you don’t feel like going, that person will encourage you to remember why you’re doing this. Having a training partner also keeps your workouts fresh and fun. RESPONSIBILITY!
Reason #5: You focus more on the scale (weight) instead of the tape measure (inches). Muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, focus on inches. Some of the fittest people appear to be twenty pounds lighter than they really are because muscle can be deceiving. Also, you will likely gain a pound or two when you start exercising because strength training promotes this. If all you did was add a pound of muscle, you’ll eventually lose five pounds of body fat in six months because muscle burns calories (fat) at rest and fat doesn’t. FOCUS ON INCHES!
Reason #6: You start exercising but don’t change your eating habits. Food and nutrition include about 70% of the results you will get when it comes to changing your body shape. What you eat and when you eat it are equally important. American culture in general would have you believe that this is a difficult concept when in fact it is not at all. CHANGE EAT CLOTHES!
Reason #7: You follow the newest, latest, and greatest technique due to media hype. Almost everything you see on television is a waste of time, money and effort. If it sounds too good to be true… it probably is. If a supermodel advertises the product, you will NOT look like him or her “just wearing this product 8 minutes a day”! DON’T GET CAUGHT BY THE INFOMERCIAL!
Reason #8: You quit right before you see results. To see measurable results, you need to stick with your new exercise routine for 90-120 days if you really want to make LIFESTYLE changes and maintain your results for more than a couple of months. The human body completely regenerates itself every 90-120 days. COMMITMENT TO A 90-DAY PLAN!
Reason #9: You don’t eat breakfast. You’ve heard it since you were old enough to hear: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact, a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts with 500 participants concluded starting statistics. You’re 150% more likely to be obese if you eat breakfast out, and you’re a staggering 450% more likely to be obese if you don’t eat breakfast at all. Breakfast is a simple thing that can dramatically improve your fitness and lifestyle results. HAVE BREAKFAST!
Reason #10: You don’t drink water or you don’t drink enough water. Water has many benefits. Your muscle tissue is about 75% water-based. If you’re dehydrated (and most people are), you’ll have more aches and pains than you really should. When most people feel hungry, their body usually tells them that they are thirsty. Water also fights hunger pangs or won’t let you eat as much food if you drink it diligently. DRINKING WATER!
Reason #11: You set your expectations too high. Let’s face it, society places a great emphasis on results. However, what you have just done to your body for the last 5, 10, maybe 20 years cannot be corrected in 24 hours, a week or a month. Lifestyle changes take time to progress and become habits in your life. Be patient during the process and know that you only have to go through the process once because you won’t be on the ultimate diet roller coaster. SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS!
Reason #12: You don’t change your routine enough. Your body will stagnate because it will adapt to what you are doing. Therefore, you will need to change your routine to continue to get the results you are looking for. This doesn’t mean you always have to do MORE, but rather work smarter to stay in control of your results. CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE!
Reason #13: You’ve read too many ‘diet’ books and you’re wrong about nutrition. “Diet” is the most misused word when it comes to the world of exercise, fitness, and health. With the United States leading the charge in the most ‘unhealthy’ nation category, we’re bombarded with the latest ‘do it in the next 24 hours that will help you lose 25lbs in the next 2 days’ fad diet program. Don’t overcomplicate what “they” would like you to think is really needed to change clothes. Using the word “diet” really means “what you are going to eat” vs. ‘what you’re going to avoid.’ AVOID THE NEWEST “DIET”!
Reason #14: You get consumed with your show and forget to have fun. Some of you get so caught up in keeping a fitness journal, a food journal, and shopping for new workout clothes that you forget to be realistic about your approach to the new “you.” Just remember that if you get too fanatic too quickly, you’ll most likely get to the next best thing sooner than you think. You don’t want your exercise routine to become a ‘chore’. HAVE FUN!
Reason #15: You overcomplicate your routine. You have so many goals that you want to achieve that you do too many things and you get so scattered that you don’t see any concrete results. New found lifestyle habits are found through simple routines…something you can implement and stick with without straying too far from your current life flow. EASY ROUTINE!
Reason #16: You don’t think you can achieve your ‘ideal’ goals. Believe you can get there. Write EXACTLY what you want and the key… WHEN you want it. Then break your goals down into weekly training goals and check with a professional to see if they’re realistic. You can go back to the way you were before the kids, go back as a high school jock, or go back to being a high school cheerleader if you put your mind to it. Wherever the mind goes, the body will follow. BELIEVE!
Reason #17: You don’t seek guidance. Your newfound journey can be very intimidating. Set yourself up to win by talking to a professional who can help you set realistic goals, but probably more importantly, help you hold yourself accountable. If you’re not ready to be held accountable, then you’re probably not ready to really pursue your goals. SEEK PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE!
Reason #18: You trust some team or coach to get results. It is up to you and ONLY YOU to be responsible and accountable for achieving the results you are looking for. The assisting team or trainers are there to guide, direct and encourage you through the process. You are the only person who knows deep down if you are ready for this journey. ONLY YOU CAN ACHIEVE THE RESULTS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
Reason #19: You don’t do any strength training, only cardio. You won’t get the results you’re looking for if you leave out any component of a successful fitness plan. Strength training has many benefits, including fat burning. If all I did was add ONE pound of lean muscle, I would burn FIVE pounds of fat over the next 6 months without changing anything else. Strength training will also boost your immune system, strengthen your bones, and boost your self-confidence. STRENGTH TRAINING IS THE TICKET!