I’ve been working in the fitness industry for a very long time. During this time I’ve seen many people come and go. Whether it be gym members, clients or even other trainers, this is an industry with a revolving door, some people make it, and some people don’t. The people who usually achieve success with anything in life have done so by being both consistent and dedicated to accomplishing whatever goals they set out to achieve. It’s no secret that if you want something bad enough then you have to work hard for it. And it should go without saying that if do want something bad enough, then you are willing to do anything it takes to achieve it. So why is it then, that most people who say they want to transform their lives for the better through diet and exercise, are never quite able to do it? Why is it then, that 4 out of 5 people quit their workout program or nutritional plan after only a few short weeks/months? And why is it then, okay for these people to accept defeat and return to their unhealthy habits and adversed quality of life?

As a fitness professional I’ve always tried my best to not pass judgement on people who lack the desire, discipline and motivation to go to the gym and workout. I understand that exercising is not for everyone and that some people find it more difficult than others to remain consistent with their diet and their training. I understand that just because someone does not exercise does not mean that he or she is lazy. I understand that just because someone is overweight and/or unhealthy does not mean that he or she is weak. What I don’t and probably will never understand though is why people just give up on their health and fitness goals all together. Yes, working out is hard, and sure, eating clean 90% of the time can be even more challenging. But given the numerous benefits of living an active and fit lifestyle, shouldn’t we be able to at least toughen it out and attempt to make healthier and wiser choices when it comes to diet and exercise?

Excuse My Excuses

I’ve heard numerous reasons/excuses as to why people stop exercising and eating healthy. Sometimes it’s due to emotional issues such as stress or sadness. While other times it’s due to a busy and hectic work/life schedule. There have been times where someone may no longer be able to train with us due to financial reasons. Then there are people who are working through an injury or health issue and have been told not to exercise at all. As I mentioned above, no matter what the reason/excuse is for someone to not exercise and eat healthy, I refrain from passing judgement on them. I can however state that I personally cannot use any of the above reasons/excuses because quite frankly all of these reasons to not workout and eat healthy are my reasons as to why I workout and eat healthy.

Say What?

I believe that most people who train purely for aesthetic reasons have unrealistic expectations. They seem to be under the impression that all they need to do is go to the gym and lift a few weights and down a protein shake and they’ll transform their physiques. When some of these people realize that it takes MUCH more then just a few short workouts and couple of weeks of dieting to notice visible results, they usually just give up. Transforming your physique towards a lean, hard, muscular body, can take months to years of daily workouts and consistent dieting to achieve. You have to be willing to put in the work needed to accomplish the goal at hand. And just as I mentioned above, if you want it bad enough, then you will do whatever it takes to achieve it. If you don’t want it, then you won’t do it. And therefore you won’t achieve it. Simple.

Don’t Call it a Comeback

Okay, so perhaps you’re one of these people who has stopped exercising. Maybe you haven’t been to the gym in a few weeks or few months. You keep telling yourself that you’ll get back to the gym tomorrow or next week or the week after that, however you keep putting it off. Perhaps you feel tired, you feel sore, you feel unhealthy, all of which you know you’re feeling because you are not exercising and sticking to a regular clean eating schedule. So what should you do?

Get Back to the Basics – Remember when you first started training? You probably moved a bit slower and lifted a little lighter. Looking back at those days now you probably think of those workouts as a joke. But the truth is, that just getting yourself into the gym and moving was more beneficial for your body and your health then you may think. Rather then push yourself through a 60 minute gruelling workout session why not try to fit in a quick 20-30 min light resistance training session? 20 minutes of exercise is better than 20 minutes of sitting on your couch. Make it your goal to get in and out of the gym as fast as you can until you are able to build your endurance and strength back up to where it was before you quit.

Start Small – Getting back into shape can be extremely overwhelming. You’ve got to clean up your diet, change your routine and get rid of unhealthy habits. Rather then attempt to do all 3 of these things at once, just pick one. Make it your goal to get in 3 x 20 minute workouts this week. Don’t worry about your diet right now. If you accomplish your first goal then add in a second goal. Perhaps the following week your goal will be to get in 3 x 30 minute workouts and consume 2 x clean meals each day. As you start to develop new healthy habits it will become easier to get rid of the unhealthy ones.

Think Big – So what if you don’t end up achieving that six pack you want in six months? Who cares if you still cheat on your diet once or twice a week? You need to think of the bigger picture. Yes, it’s important to have health and fitness goals and even if those goals are purely for aesthetic reasons you’re still doing something good for your body by exercising and living a healthier lifestyle, whether you care or not. So with this in mind just think of the service that you are providing for yourself and your overall health by getting your ass into the gym and training hard and eating right. Don’t just exercise and eat clean to look good, but do it more importantly to feel good and live a long and healthier life.

Persevere – Remember, perseverance takes practice. We are all daunted by problems on occasions that can get in the way from us achieving our goals. But the more problems we face, the more we will resolve. The more problems we have resolved, the better we will become at resolving them quickly and, as important, the less worried we will be when new ones arise. When it comes to physical exertion and exercise your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince.

Whether you decide to give up on your fitness goals or try your best to achieve them will always depend solely on you. There will always be outside factors that get in the way and naysayers that will tell you that you cannot accomplish what you’ve set out to achieve. But how you choose to deal with these obstacles will not only define your success, but more importantly will define your overall health and life.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit