What Works?

How do we create habits and cultivate a lifestyle that improves our health? And maybe more importantly, how do we stick with it for life? For many people, there’s a moment or event that is the catalyst for change; maybe it’s your clothes not fitting, a health scare, wanting to get healthy for your children, a breakup, a friend or partner who inspires you, or just not feeling well. No matter the reason, it all starts with the desire to make a change in your life. But that is just the start. The real question becomes, how do we adopt a lifestyle we can sustain for life? Is it willpower? Dedication? I have pondered this question many times throughout my career as a Personal Trainer. Through my own experiences and from working closely with clients for many years who have done so for themselves, this is what I have learned;

Your How, Your Why, and The Plan

So you have the desire. That’s where it starts. But how are you going to do it? And why are you going to do it? Your how and your why are essential. What days are you going to exercise? What types of exercise? How long? What are you going to eat and drink? This is where a trainer comes into play. We start by making a realistic plan for you that you can accomplish every week. If it is not a plan that you can be consistent with, it will never be sustainable. And the why. If your why is “to be skinny,” you need to dig deeper. Goals strictly based on vanity often fail because our physical bodies are continually changing. Goals that come from an internal motivator, like living longer, being healthier for your children, or feeling your best, are the goals that last a lifetime.

Okay, Step Two

Your next step should be writing down your plan and your goals, both long-term and short-term. After you have written them down, share them with at least one person close to you. Accountability is HUGE. This is another reason a trainer is so effective: We are your accountability. We hold you to your plan until it is no longer a plan but a lifestyle.

Be Consistent and Adjust Your Goals to Fit Your Life

If you say you’re going to do it, do it. It sounds simple but shockingly, this is one of the most challenging changes to make. If you decide you’re going to exercise 4x a week, do it. If you decide you’re giving up processed food, do it. At the end of the day, you must stick to your plan and become consistent with it to see the changes you are looking for. There’s no way around it. This is why it’s so important to make realistic goals that you can be consistent with. Sometimes, my clients will tell me, “That’s not possible for me right now.” And that’s okay. Then, we shift the goal and plan to make it something that is possible to be consistent with right now. Often, as time goes on, that thing that didn’t seem possible before now seems not only possible but doable. Don’t be afraid to adjust your goals.

Don’t Be Extreme

Ah, the one everyone hates the most: a realistic timeline. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR BODY COMPOSITION IN TWO MONTHS. You cannot erase years of not being healthy overnight. If you’re trying to do this, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Weight loss needs to be slow and steady to be sustainable. If you’re dropping a ton of weight fast, I can guarantee you are losing a massive amount of muscle in the process. Muscle mass strongly correlates to longevity and your BMR (basal metabolic rate). It also plays a huge role in giving you that toned, lean physique most of us are seeking. If you have a big goal, break it down into smaller, monthly goals and look at your big goal in a 6-month to year time frame.

Be Honest

This one is short and sweet: If changes aren’t happening, you need to be honest with yourself about your consistency level. Consistency is the most critical part of your success.

Know You Are Deserving Of This

You need to know and believe you deserve to feel your best. You deserve to wake up feeling good. You deserve to feel confident in your own skin. You deserve an hour a day to exercise and move your body. Your health is a priority, and that is a fact.

Goals Never End

There’s no finish line when it comes to health and fitness. There is no point where you can say, “Ah, I’ve accomplished it all.” Your health and fitness goals are forever evolving and changing. There are always ways to improve and optimize your health. And if you embrace it, this is the fun part.

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About the Author

Jourdan Ilardi

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