This morning I decided to review all applications for my online personal training programme for the year 2021.
Something stood out to me:
Over 50% of the applicants mentioned that they won't get into photos due to their weight/body image.
Yes.... over 50%!
Reading through the applications was upsetting as the majority of my client base and applicants are mothers. Mothers who most definitely want to have photos of themselves with their kids to cherish and look back upon in years to come….
But mothers who probably have little if any photos with them at all!
Losing weight and getting into shape is hard. But do you know what else is hard?
Dealing with the consequences of not taking action upon losing it.
It's hard to get in photos with family and friends when getting in photos makes you so self-conscious
Looking in the mirror each morning after your shower is hard when what you see disgusts you
It's hard to play and do things with your kids when you're zapped of energy...
It's hard to encourage your kids to eat well and stay active when you're not living by example
It's hard to deal with the mental, emotional, or physical health issues that can and in most cases do occur when you fail to look after and prioritise your health
Yet these are the types of hardships that we don’t usually focus on when we decide to lose weight and improve our health
Rather, the hardships we tend to dwell upon are the ones associated with making the change:
Getting up to exercise when you are so used to being inactive
Cutting out the junk when you’re so used to consuming it
Eating veggies when you’re not used to eating them
As human beings, we tend to avoid what our minds perceive as hard.
So what happens when you focus your attention on the hardships associated with making a change?
You increase the likelihood of avoiding them, that’s what!
That is why it's important to shed some light on the hardships associated with not making a change - all of the current pains, future risks, and potential consequences. By focusing on these types of hardships, you'll increase the likelihood of trying to avoid them.
And how do you avoid them?
By taking acting upon and changing them!
Many people have a misconception about Personal Trainers, thinking that we always feel motivated to exercise. Speaking for myself, this isn’t true. In fact, 80% of the time I DON’T FEEL motivated to exercise yet I still get up and do it.
For me, not getting up to do it is a lot harder than getting up to do it...
Why?
Because when I get into a rut of not exercising, my mental health deteriorates.
My anxiety feels constant and uncontrollable. My sleep takes a knock, which in turn makes me more groggy and anxious. My work becomes negatively affected as a result of feeling too anxious and worn out, which in turn makes me feel MORE anxious and stressed!
When I don't feel like exercising and am lacking motivation, all I have to do is bring to mind such negatives and associate them with skipping my workout.
Doing so gives me the boot up the backside that I need in such moments.
Reminding me that getting up to exercise is a lot easier than not getting up to do it, which in turn makes me get up and do it!
If you’re still reading this blog post it means that you’ve resonated with it.
And if you have, be sure to take everything I’ve said into consideration if at present you're on your fitness journey, or if you’re thinking of starting your journey but are hesitant.
Instead of ignoring your pain and what’s causing it, bring it to mind and use it as fuel to get and keep you going.
Thanks for reading!
Coach Alan,
Mind-Body Training
Ready to kick-start your mind-body journey with the help of an online personal trainer? Then just click here: www.mindbodytraining.ie
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