Everyone has experienced that moment where they said “I want to start exercising and be healthy”, but few seem to make it to the other side of the health and fitness fence. They get stuck along the way and then retreat backward. As fitness professional I get to watch it all from the grandstands.
I see people who are successful, and I also see many that are not. Today I thought I’d share with you 3 reasons why many fail. Don’t just read this article then delete it. Forward it to someone you know who isn’t “where they want to be yet”. I hope it can be helpful and allow them to take the action necessary to move forward and join the “FITNESS SUCCESS” club. It’s a really fun club to be a part of.
Without further ado, here they are. The 3 Reasons Most People Fail to Get In Shape After Making the Decision To Begin An Exercise Program.
Fitness Success Reason 1
1. They Don’t Believe They Can Do It.
As a psychology major I’ve read a ton of books on the mind and understanding human behavior. One thing is clear; Henry Ford was right when he said “if you think you can or think you can’t- your right.”. Our belief systems govern our behavior and expected outcome of our actions. Negative belief systems you’ll hear around exercise would be “it’s all genetics”, “some people are just born fit”, “you have to be a fanatic to stay in great shape and health”. You see it’s much easier to think “it’s too hard” “everybody drinks on the weekend” “buffalo wings are ok” when you have those belief systems.
I’ve seen many who started a program sabotage themselves this way. They want to be successful, but don’t REALLY believe it’s possible. So they let those thoughts creep into their brain and before you know it . . . they’ve given up. Or worse done some destructive behavior to ruin their achievement.
You’ve got to feed you’re brain with those positive thoughts each day that build your beliefs up strong and successful. Yes, this is where Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, and Zig Ziglar come in and can be helpful. It the reason for having a vision statement of where you want to go and positive affirmations to program your subconscious to take you there.
Fitness Success Reason 2
2. They Don’t Apply The Right “Technology”
Let’s define “technology”. By technology I mean the system or program you’re following to be successful. Some don’t even have a plan, they just show up and think it’s gonna happen. That doesn’t work. Neither do any of the fad diets, infomercial gadgets, or commercial weight loss centers. According to the National Institute of Health, almost 98% of all dieters gain their original weight back plus more. Cookie cutter programs don’t work. That’s old philosophy. You’ve got to have program customized to YOU.
Everyone’s goals, genetics, lifestyle, metabolism is different. Working with a top level trainer can help you by designing a plan around you and your goals. And it’s a DYNAMIC process. It’s always changing. After 5 years of fitness coaching, the most successful clients I see are the ones that stop in once a month for a fitness testing, program update, nutrition review, etc. It’s like getting the oil changed in your car- if you do it on a regular basis you avoid those “big problems” down the road.
Fitness Success Reason 3
3. They Don’t Follow Through
A plan of action is just that- a plan. If you’re not working it, if you don’t follow through- nothing happens. Support, accountability, and a “kick in the butt” are all helpful to this process. Follow through makes dreams come alive. It’s the only way goals are achieved and it doesn’t happen on it’s own. If you’re like most people I know life can get busy. Between work, children, and a social life organization is a must. Without organization, time management, and discipline nothing gets done. This is also where working with a fitness professional can help- a coach can guide you in the right direction and help you get on track. But the bottom line is this- YOU gotta do the work. You reap what you sow.