I understand that as a Coach/Trainer/Fitness Professional it’s my job to motivate, educate and help hold my clients accountable for achieving their health and fitness goals.  However, as someone who is also a realist/rationalist and pragmatist person, I also feel I have a responsibility to my clients to be honest, transparent and candid about those very same health and fitness goals.

I don’t enjoy telling someone that their goal is unattainable, however at the same time I refuse to lie to them and tell them that it is.

The fact of the matter is that when it comes to building muscle and losing fat, none of us truly know our genetic potential until we have maximized all of our available resources. Perfecting a client’s diet, training and supplementation program is a trial-and-error process. And as I always tell every single client that signs up to work with me either in person or online – it’s going to take me some time to learn what works and what doesn’t work for your body. However, once we find a formula that works and we remain consistent with that formula, then the sky becomes the limit……(to an extent).

The Pessimistic Personal Trainer 

I am not a pessimistic person by nature. I’m more of an optimistic person who always tries to look for the positive in any and every situation I encounter – both good and bad. When it comes to assisting people better their health and transforming their physiques, I have always taken a customized approach to how I coach each individual that I work with. And as someone passionate about what he does and enjoys helping others improve the quality of their lives through diet and exercise, I take my job very seriously. As I mentioned above, I will never tell a client that he or she cannot reach their health and fitness goals. However, at the same time, I always stress the importance of making SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Timely) Goals.

For example, if someone is 50+ pounds overweight and sitting in around 30% Body Fat, yet wants to fit into a size 1 dress in 6 weeks, the reality is that goal is fairly unrealistic and unattainable. At the same time, I wouldn’t necessarily say that this goal is impossible to achieve. The human body can do some incredible things. And with the right combination of overtraining, crash dieting and over usage of fat burners, this person might achieve their goal. The nasty and adverse side effects that will come along as a result afterwards of course won’t be as pleasant.

What Type of Coach Should You Work With?

If you’re serious about achieving your target health and fitness goals, then you should be serious when deciding who you should work with to help you achieve these goals most safely and efficiently possible.

Do you want to work with someone who is going to hold your hand and overly compliment your efforts in the gym? Or do you want to work with someone who is going to tell you the hard truth while at the same time correcting your form and technique?

Do you want to work with someone who you can gossip and share your feelings with? Or do you want to work with someone who is going to maximize your time and efforts during every single workout?

Do you want a new friend/cheerleader? Or do you want results?

Setting SMART Goals

I have and always will work with anyone and everyone who wants to work with me. From beginners to intermediates, I don’t and I won’t ever discriminate towards where a person is starting off with his or her level of fitness. It’s my job to educate, motivate and hold every single client that I work with accountable to achieving their target training goals. At the same time, I must stress the importance of ensuring that these goals are realistic so that expectations can be managed and met in a timely fashion.

It’s okay to have a goal. However, if that goal is not specific then you will have no clear image or idea as to how it should look. If that goal is not measurable, you will have difficulty comparing your progress. If that goal is not attainable, then you will only discourage yourself along the way. If that goal is not realistic, then you are setting yourself up for failure. And if that goal has no timeline, then you will lose any purpose you once had to make that very same goal.

“Dream big dreams, but never forget that realistic short-term goals are the keys to your success.”
Mac Anderson

Yours In Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit Performance