I think it’s safe to say that Summer has officially arrived. And I think it’s even more safe to say that if you’ve been slacking on your workouts and cheating on your diet, than that “summer six pack” you promised yourself you would achieve back in January, did not arrive with it.

And quite honestly, that’s okay.

You have nothing to feel ashamed about.

Life gets hectic at times.

Work gets in the way.

And sometimes, more often than not, we all really do just need a little “Netflix & Chill”.

As long as we’re healthy and happy than that’s all that matters……

Now excuse me while I throw up in my mouth……

Ugh….Okay, so now that I have validated most of our commonly used excuses as to why some of us are unable to achieve our target fitness goals, and have given out all the participation awards, it’s time to get real!

If we didn’t achieve our target fitness goals for this Summer Season it’s either because we didn’t want to achieve these goals badly enough, or because we were completely bedridden for six entire months and unable to move. Choosing to believe that the former is more likely than the latter, it’s time to figure out what the fuck actually happened and why we didn’t want to achieve these goals badly enough.

“I’m Too Tired”

I will be honest – 2022 has been an incredibly busy year for me so far. With our Online Business continuing to expand and our In-House Roster continuing to grow, the work days have been long and gruelling at times. And even though I, like many of you, love what I do for a living, I sometimes find myself struggling to find time just to think, never mind workout. However knowing that it’s my job to stay in shape – both physically and mentally, I understand just how important my training sessions are for me. Therefore when it comes to scheduling in my Daily 45 Minute Workout, I treat it just as importantly as every other meeting and session that I have with clients and staff throughout the day. I don’t allow myself to cancel it. I don’t book in anything else during that time slot. And I don’t talk myself into believing that it’s okay to take another “rest day” even though I took one or two “rest days” earlier in the week.

Solution – Schedule your workout in like any other important meeting or appointment throughout the day. This will hold you more accountable and less likely to miss a much needed training session. If you find yourself requiring even more accountability than my suggestion would be to invest in hiring an expereienced and knowledgeable Personal Trainer. A good Trainer who actually cares about you and wants you to achieve your goals will help you reset and refocus your body and mind while at the same time not allow you to give up and quit when life becomes a bit challenging.

“I Don’t Have Time”

Now I could say that there are 24 hours in a day. And I could also say that a 1 hour workout only contributes to 4 percent of that day. But quite honestly, Orangetheory has reiterated this statement so often now, that it’s lost all meaning to me (primarily because I HATE Orangetheory).

So rather than provide you with a math lesson, I will break it down in different terms. Time is a commododity. In fact some people view time as the most valuable commodity and the one thing that money cannot buy back. I view time as a luxury. And it is of my belief that the more time I spend taking care of my health, the more time I will have on this planet to enjoy it. This is why I don’t view exercising as “a waste of time” or something that I simply “don’t have time” to do. Ofcourse I have time to exercise! We all do! I mean quite honestly whenever I hear someone tell me that they don’t have time to go to the gym, I always think to myself – “What a ridiculous statement to make!” and finish with an eye roll.

Solution: Rather than tell yourself that you don’t have the time to exercise, tell yourself that you don’t want to make the time to exercise. And then rather than tell yourself that you don’t have time to take care of your health, simply tell yourself that you don’t want to make the time to take care of your health. And finally, once you’re older, and health issues begin to arise that could have been prevented by introducing regular physical activity into your lifestyle, admit to yourself that you chose to put yourself in the situation you now find yourself in. You cannot pass blame on your family, your career, or the Doctors and Nurses – You and ONLY You are responsible for not taking care of your health. Might sound silly, but if you tell yourself these things now, you might start to take a different approach as to how and where you spend your time.

“I Can’t Afford to Work With a Personal Trainer”

You don’t need to hire a Personal Trainer in order to become more healthy and fit. Ofcourse if you are new to the gym or don’t know how to properly set up a Training Program, than working with a Personal Trainer will definitely help you reach your target health and fitness goals much more quickly and efficiently than if you were to do it on your own. As for pricing, even though you might not be able to afford working privately with a Trainer, there are other options you can choose that might be more cost effective for your budget such as working online with your Trainer or joining a Small Group Training Class. Even just working 1x/week with a reputable Trainer can make a significant difference in your progress as he or she can assess your form and technique, while teaching you new exercises to add to your artillery so that you can keep your own workouts fresh and challenging.

Solution: Allow yourself to become more open minded to the idea of working with a Professional that has studied Human Anatomy and Physiology and has extensive knowledge as to how to build muscle and lose body fat, both safely and in an effective manner. Even some of the most experienced Trainers have Trainers (including myself). It never hurts to get a second opinion or some advice from someone who is considered to be an expert in their field. Switch your mindset to working with a Personal Trainer as an investment in your body and your health. Partner up with a friend or family member, join a group class, or hire a coach to work with online, if you are working on a budget and would prefer to keep overall costs on the lower end.

Remember, it’s not all about six packs, perfect glutes and bulging biceps. There is much more to this fitness shit than selfies and aesthetics. Manage your health like you would with a long term investment. It’s never too late to start investing and it’s never too late to start taking care of yourself. But the sooner you start, the greater return you will have on your investment.

“Your health is a long-range investment that will pay off when you need it most.”
Bryant McGill

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit Performance