I have a feeling that this week’s blog is going to cause a bit of an uproar with some people and will most definitely open myself up to some nasty social media tongue lashing and criticism from others who do not share my same thoughts and beliefs on the following subject. And quite frankly, I think that’s great. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I believe that disagreements are important to have, as we would never learn anything if we only spoke to (or listened to) people who already think just like we do. Ofcourse as adults, we hope that we can be somewhat respectful of one another when engaging in conversation and expressing our opposing views, however unfortunately this is not always the case with some people whether they are arguing with you in person or from behind a computer. Regardless, whether you like or dislike my blogs, I have to respect your opinion and therefore I can only hope that you can respect mine.

Why Do We Fail? 

Why is it so difficult for us to achieve our health and fitness goals? I’ve always found it fascinating as to why very few people (myself included at times) are unable to achieve their target training goals. Are our goals too unrealistic? Are our expectations too high? Are we setting ourselves up for failure before we even begin? Is working out that challenging to do on a regular basis? Is it really that difficult to find time to fit in a quick training session within a 24 hour day? Is exercise really even that necessary?

Listed below are a few mental challenges that I find get in my way from trying to achieve my goals and the strategies I use to overcome and surpass these obstacles.

Excuse My Excuses

We have all been guilty of using excuses to get out of doing something that we don’t really want to do. Sometimes these excuses are valid, sometimes they are weak and sometimes they are just plain pathetic. When it comes to not exercising and/or eating a cleaner diet, I think I’ve heard just about every single excuse out there. Whether or not I think a person’s excuse is legitimate to miss a workout or cheat on their diet doesn’t matter. What matters in my opinion is if the person who is making the excuse truly believes in the excuse that they are making. This is why I don’t pass judgment on clients who cancel last minute or constantly show up late for a group class or sometimes don’t even show up at all. I have no idea as to what is going on in a person’s life and the reality is, that it’s none of my business. George Washington Carver once said – “Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” I’m always reminded of this quote whenever I feel like sleeping in, calling in sick, or cancelling one of my classes because I feel tired or burnt out. The lesson I’ve learned here? Don’t make unnecessary excuses unless you are willing to give in to failure.

Stop My Bitching.

I can’t tell you how tired I am of hearing certain people complain about the most ridiculous and smallest things. No matter how good things may be within their own lives, these people somehow always find something to complain about. When it comes to exercise and diet, some of these people could fill up an entire book with their complaints. I’m fortunate enough to work with clients who for the most part, are fairly easy going individuals. I’m also fortunate enough to have a suggestion box that is also used as a garbage bin for anyone who feels they need to write down their complaints so that they don’t go unheard ;^). Most of my clients could care less if they feel a little bit of pain or discomfort when performing a particular exercise. And very rarely do I hear any of them complain about their workouts, as they understand that if they want results they’re going to have to work hard to achieve them (or because their initial complaints got lost in the suggestion box). Unfortunately there are still a few people who I see regularly, both at the gym and in social settings, who are quite negative and suck the energy right out of me. By no means do I consider myself to be perfect, however rarely will you ever hear me complain about anything whether it be related to work, training or personal relationships. I understand that if I don’t like something then only I have the power to change it. I believe that complaining about something just wastes time and energy, both of which I am fairly limited on considering that I work between 12-14 hours a day. The lesson I’ve learned here is that life isn’t always fair. Some of us are more fortunate than others. As long as I have my health though, I consider myself to be one of the fortunate ones. And if my health were to start fail or deteriorate on me, I would still consider myself to be lucky enough to have lived such a long, productive and enjoyable life.

Develop a Strong Support System

I’m definitely one of those people who believes that everything happens for a reason. Whether what happens is good or bad is not what’s important, but I believe what’s more important is how I deal with it when the issue arrises. I always try to keep my environment positive by surrounding myself with people who encourage and motivate me to be the absolute best person that I can be. It’s amazing how much more energy and enthusiasm I have when I have the opportunity to be around those who are just as ambitious and hungry for success as I am. Therefore when I’m forced to deal with a difficult situation I know that I can rely on my team of people who I trust and respect to help guide and support me through any problems that I need to solve. The lesson I’ve learned here is that to be successful at anything in life, it’s important to have a strong support system in place for when life starts to knock you down, because it will try to knock you down.

Remain Focused

Trying to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle is not easy but by no means is it that difficult either. Yes, it’s true that the majority of the population is still fairly inactive and sedentary. And even though as a society we are gradually becoming more health conscious with our food selections, the fact remains that most peoples’ diets are severely lacking in essential nutrients and are chocked full of processed meats, trans fats and high sugar intake. But just because everyone else has found an excuse or a “reason” not to be active doesn’t mean that you have to fall victim to a life of laziness, obesity and severe health issues as you become older as well. If being healthy and looking and feeling good is important to you, then you’ll find ways to make it happen. Pack your meals ahead of time. Plan your training schedule for the week ahead accordingly. Join a group class or hire a personal trainer that will hold you accountable for your workouts.

Whatever you decided to do, just remember that excuses won’t get you anywhere and complaining will only drain you of your energy from today without solving the problems for tomorrow.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit