I’d like to tell you a story about a weight loss client who came to me recently: let’s call her Sarah.

Sarah came to me the way most people do: after committing to make healthy eating and healthy living a priority, she naturally reached out to me as a personal trainer to help make her dream a reality.

Sarah has a busy life – works a full time job, pursues her hobbies and needs to make time for all sorts of other personal commitments. She knows she’s busy – but so is everyone else – so she feels confident in her success! After all – she knows it all starts with an internal commitment to make a change.

So here’s what I want Sarah to know when it comes to weight loss.

 

It will add to your “busy-ness”

 

Losing weight requires effort. A LOT of effort. You think you’re busy now? Just you wait! You need to think about what you’re eating, you need to meal prep, you need to go grocery shopping. You need to purposely avoid certain foods. You’re going to feel grumpy and tired and sore.

And then the next day you’ll have to get up and do it all over again.

So prepare to get even busier because you will need to carve time out of each and every single day to make this happen!

Related: Tips and tricks to trick the couch potato in you

 

You will need to make changes

You already know that there is no magic pill when it comes to weight loss. That it takes hard work and discipline. Literally everyone can recite this stuff like it’s a well rehearsed poem. And yet when it comes to actually making changes, you choose not to.

I don’t mean change as in coming to me and asking for help – I mean actually doing what I’m telling you to do.

I have tools to help you. I can guide you. But if there is no desire to make changes in your life, it won’t happen.

So the first step when it comes to weight loss is to have a genuine willingness to be open minded and to want to change. Not just saying the words, but like actually mean it! And beware: change is hard because humans are creatures of habit, and habits are hard to break!

Related: Ready to start working out? Here’s where to begin!

 

You will need to stop making excuses

“But there was cake at the office.”

“But my coworkers asked me to go.”

“But it was a social event.”

The “buts” are endless. I am faced with the same “buts” every day. And so is everyone else who embarks on a healthy lifestyle or who is already living it.

Work and special events will always be part of life. There will never be a perfect time for weight loss where absolutely no temptation will be around. That’s a ridiculous thing to hope for. If you continue to make excuses you won’t get anywhere.

Remember: you NEED to have a willingness to change which means saying no to certain things. Yup – you will find yourself in uncomfortable positions and feel like people are judging you. That is the nature of the beast we have to deal with.

But then some of those same people will admire your dedication and compliment you on how well you look! Well, that doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work.

Related: Nutrition tips you can’t afford to ignore!

 

You will likely fail

Most people will fail to achieve their goals – whether it’s weight loss or healthy eating or whatever.

But let me ask you this:

If you woke up today and absolutely loved what you saw in the mirror – would it still matter that you’re not 120lb?

Probably not. Or not as much.

What you’re after is not to drop xyz number of pounds. What you’re after are feelings of:

You see, ultimately it’s about what you feel and less about whether you achieve what you set out to do.

I’d like to tell you a story which has nothing to do with fitness and yet has everything to do with fitness.

 

Random story that has nothing to do with fitness

In my day life I’m a project manager and one day I was just chatting with a coworker about work and life.

He shared with me that one of the most successful project managers he’s ever worked with never met her deadlines, never delivered on time and never stuck to the schedule. And yet all of her clients were pleased with her and the work she was doing.

I was perplexed – how could this be? After all, meeting deadlines and delivering results is the essence of project management!

My coworker smiled and explained: it’s because her clients were enjoying the journey so much that the end result no longer mattered.

Holy crap! What a crazy relevant nugget of wisdom. Think about that for a second: the clients were enjoying the journey so much that the end result no longer mattered.

Your fitness transformation is a project. And you will likely fail to a certain extent – fall off track because of life, take longer than you thought, etc. But if you are able to find excitement in the journey, exercise in a way that makes you feel successful and cultivates those feelings of acceptance and love then the end result matters less!

 

So: Are you ready for your weight loss journey?

It will make you busy beyond your wildest dreams. It will require you to change. And it will force you to shift your focus from the number on the scale to the experience that you are going through. Once you’ve understood these things, and once you’re prepared to embrace them, you’re ready for what your weight loss journey will bring you!

And this is what I want Sarah, and all of you guys, to know! 🙂

 

About me

After being skinny unfit for the majority of my life, I discovered fitness by accident once I became a mom and started working out with my husband. A couple of years later, I started Tone Every Zone out of an overwhelming desire to help other busy individuals and couples juggle a hectic lifestyle while staying active.

My mission is to teach people about fitness and work with them as a team to make long lasting lifestyle changes. My personal values include being professional, honest and transparent in all of my doings but also being funny and silly because that’s what makes life (and your training sessions) fun!

Every day I hear from tons of couples who are dying to get more active but they just need that extra push! Getting people started on a fitness program is what I love to do.  Check out my personal training packages and share your story with me so I can help you reach your fitness goals!