As a personal trainer and fitness instructor I am constantly being told, “I am ready to make a change”. I totally believe that each time I hear this, it is truly sincere; but what does “I am ready to make a change” really look like?
Your success depends on your readiness to take on the challenge. Whether your motivation for undertaking these changes is better health, improved fitness level or weight loss, you need to find your motivation and focus on it. Knowing that you need to make changes in your life and actually doing it are two different things. There is no magic diet, piece of fitness equipment or famous personal trainer that can do this for you unless you “are ready”.
Achieving and maintaining your goals may be a lifelong process, start by being honest with your self and making your goals realistic. Radical changes that aren’t sustainable are not likely to be effective over the long term. The first, most important question to ask yourself is “Why?” Every person’s why is different, it may be to feel better now, to feel better as you get older, to lose weight for health reasons, to lose weight for personal satisfaction, the list is never ending. The one thing in common each person’s why has is you must keep focused on “your why”, the reason you are ready to succeed.
Making a lifestyle change is challenging, it is a process that takes time and requires support. Once you are ready to make that change, know “your why”, commit and follow through! Make a plan that will prepare you for success, careful planning means setting small goals and taking one step at a time. After you have identified realistic short and long term goals, break them down into manageable steps. If your long-term goal were to lose 20 pounds in the next 5 months, a good weekly goal would be 1 pound a week. If eating healthier is a goal, start by replacing that sugar craving with a piece of fruit. At the end of the week you will feel successful knowing you have met your goal. Accepting help from those who care about you and will listen strengthens your resilience and commitment. Support can sometimes help you identify obstacles or
issues that may be getting in your way and be there to say, “You can do this”! Just remember, no one is perfect, you may have occasional lapses, be kind to your self, recover and get back on track.
ARE YOU READY? When you are, never forget your why, the reason you are ready to succeed. I have a client that said to me a couple of weeks ago, “I am there”. What she meant was her lifestyle change is no longer a struggle, it is her way of life and she loves it. No matter what your goals are you must remain focused on the reason for your goal.
Results 4 Life Fitness has a new website and would love you visit! Scroll down the home page and follow along with the Daily Challenge. This set of 3-4 exercises takes approximately 5 minutes and is changed weekly. Set this as a goal that you need to complete each day. www.results4lifefitness . Keep informed of upcoming events and fitness and nutrition tips by liking our facebook page.
