YOU are the only thing standing in your way.
I’ve heard it all before: I’m too busy, it’s too expensive, I don’t like running/lifting/broccoli.
Heck, I’ve made the same excuses myself.
Thing is, no one is going to do it for you. No one is going to make you go to the gym. No one is going to stock your fridge with fresh food or cook it for you. No one is going to turn off Netflix and tell you to get to bed earlier.
Only YOU can do that shit.
Because you’re an adult… and you’re the only one standing in your own way of getting fitter, stronger, leaner, and all-around better.
#ToughLove ?
Okay, you’re not the only thing standing in your way of getting (and staying) in shape. It’s your mindset or way of approaching your fitness that’s handicapping you, even when you’re super motivated.
Having worked with dozens of driven, determined, and motivated people, I’ve identified the top three mindset traps standing in the way of you reaching your fitness goals.
1. Having an all or nothing mindset
I’ve fallen into this trap before, so I know it stems from perfectionist tendencies.
That little voice inside your head that whispers, “you already messed up, you already missed a workout, you already ate that cookie or drank that beer that wasn’t on plan… it’s all over and you might as well give up now.” That voice is a dick. Tell it to shut up.
Just because you get busy and miss a workout, doesn’t mean you should stop working out. In fact, it’s all the more reason to plan better and crush your next workout.
I like to use the phrase: “never fail twice.” So you slipped up today? Learn from that and do better next time.
2. Thinking you have to always push yourself 110% without making time for recovery.
This is closely related to the all-or-nothing mindset, and goes something like, “If I’m not pushing myself insanely hard, I’m half-assing, so what’s the point?” The point is, you don’t actually need to be perfectly compliant in order to see results from your workouts or eating strategy.
In fact, Precision Nutrition, the world’s leading nutrition research and weight loss coaching company, found that about 50-79% compliance across a long period of time leads to amazing results and transformations. The key is the “long period of time” part. PN works with clients over a 1-year period. Those who followed their plan just over half of the time lost 7% of their body weight over the course of one year. (Source)
What we tend to overlook is the importance of recovery as part of the fitness and fat loss process. You don’t get stronger in the gym – you get stronger when you eat, sleep, and move your body at lower intensities that allow for adaptation. Likewise, you don’t get lean with aggressive dieting – you lose body fat by eating slightly fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your weight while optimizing your fat loss hormones with sleep and smart training strategies.
Feeling the need to be “on” 110% of the time ultimately leads to burn out – the opposite of the consistency you need to get in shape and stay in shape.
3. Overanalyzing the best diet or workout plan and/or jumping from diet to diet or workout to workout
“Information overload,” aka having too many choices and agonizing over which choice is best, is a serious problem in the information age.
Here’s a secret the fitness industry doesn’t want you to know – there is no best anything. Marketers will try to convince you that their product is the best so that you spend money on their product… but the truth is, it’s probably just an okay product that might work for you, or might not work. Whether it’s the “best” thing out there is largely irrelevant unless it’s something you are willing to stick with consistently.
Similarly, many people start to question their plan whenever they stop seeing immediate progress. They’re still overanalyzing: “My friend lost a bunch of weight with keto, maybe I should try that instead…”
This kind of thinking leads people to jump from diet to diet or from workout to workout, chasing the next best-sounding thing. That’s kind of like the Browns’ team-building strategy (as a life-long Cleveland sports fan, I can tell you, jumping on bandwagons does not build a championship dynasty).
TL:DR – there is no “best” diet or workout. The truly best diet or workout is the one that fits your likes/dislikes and your lifestyle in a way that allows you to consistently follow your plan over a long period of time.
What does it really take to get in the best shape of your life?
Turns out, you don’t need to discover the “best” diet or the “best” workout in order to get (and stay) in the best shape of your life.
What you do need is:
- A custom training plan to follow, so you stop overanalyzing your options.
- A flexible diet plan that fits your lifestyle.
- To ditch your all-or-nothing thinking and get out of your own way.
- To strive for 50-79% consistency over the long haul.
Hiring a coach can help you do just that.
You’re busy and stressed as it is. Let me do the thinking for you.
I’ll design a custom training plan using the equipment at your disposal, set you up with a simple eating plan that complements your goals, and coach you through the roadblocks keeping you from consistently doing the things you need to do to get in the best shape of your life.
It starts with a phone (or Skype) call to get to know each other and figure out what you need to get out of your own way.