Lose Weight in 19 Days! 6 Days to Sculpted! Get Back in Shape (Your 21 Day Plan to Build Muscle and Torch Fat)! These are all phrases I saw plastered across the newsstand today when I was looking for something to pick up. And yes I said newsstand, (not digital). I know it’s a rarity these days, but they do still exist.
Anyway, here we are, its the start of the New Year where people make their New Years Resolutions! They always start off all well and good, but here’s the thing, did you know that 80% of people make a New Years Resolution of getting healthier, getting in shape…And did you also know that according to U.S. News & World Report, the failure rate for New Year's resolutions is said to be about 80 percent. Most lose their resolve by mid-February. Why do you think that is? Is it because people are lazy? Maybe some are, but I don’t believe that’s the reason for the majority of the 80% that failed. I know a lot of people who aren’t the most healthy of individuals and I can tell you with all certainty, they are definitely not lazy! They work their tails off on a daily basis. People tend to put so much of their time, effort and will into something they already know like their jobs and their family. Learning and developing a new habit, especially a difficult one like fitness and nutrition falls low on the priority list. And lets face it, the fitness world is full of get fit quick schemes and scams, so it’s hard to know what and who to listen to.
So let’s break it down, What are the top 4 reasons that people give up on their New Years Resolution of getting healthier?
1) No Clear Plan-
This isn’t just for the New Year’s Resolutioners. Yes, I know that’s not a word, but that’s what i’m gonna call it. So, like I said, this isn’t just for the New Year’s Resolutioners. Throughout the year your can walk into any gym and find people wandering around, lost, not knowing what to do. They’ll lift a few dumbbells, walk/run on the treadmill, but with no clear plan, you won’t be successful. It’s like building a house. If you don’t have a blueprint to build that house, well that’s gonna be one wonky looking house. Most likely, it won’t be the safest either. With a proper blueprint/plan, you can build a stronger, healthier foundation and continue to build on that, creating a stronger, healthier YOU! Find a program that you can stick to. There are hundreds if not thousands of online programs to choose, ranging from beginner to advanced. If you want a plan that’s custom and made just for you, then seek out someone like myself and have a plan/blueprint developed that’s just as unique as you.
2) Unrealistic Goals-
This is a big one and in my experience, it’s probably the main leading cause to people quitting/giving up. They don’t see the changes they want within a certain amount of time so they quit. I’ve seen it time and time again, people putting timeframes on getting fit/healthy and when they don’t meet those goals or see the changes they want, they get discouraged and give up.
I recently had a client recently come to me and tell me that they had a goal of losing 50lbs in 30 days. Now this person was under 250 lbs and had roughly 25% body fat so losing that kind of weight in a month isn’t realistic. However getting on a proper nutrition and exercise routine, having a realistic and SAFE plan, this person is now on their way to reaching their goals. We have to make sure we set ourselves up for success and not failure. Getting Healthy/Fit is a marathon not a sprint. It may take a little longer to get where you’re going, but in the end the journey will be worth it! Set realistic time frames with realistic goals and work towards them. Developing new habits is hard. You don’t have to make unrealistic goals to challenge yourself. Any change is hard, but when you hit that goal, then set another and another…. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way and feeling great about yourself.
3) The Love of Food Wins Every Time-
Food for a lot of people is a struggle. It’s not a laughing matter. I know people eat their emotions a lot of times. When they’ve had a bad day or are depressed, they eat. When people are getting together to socialize, they eat. Food can be a joyous occasion or for some can lead to more depression. Both of those scenarios can make it incredibly difficult for people to be successful when trying to get healthier. But here’s the secret, you DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE UP THE FOODS YOU LOVE. You can still have them, but they need to be in moderation. When you try to cut out certain foods/drinks all at once, I can almost guarantee you will probably fail. Remember when I said getting Healthy/Fit is marathon not a sprint, I wasn’t just referring to working out. Your diet is going to be crucial to your success. But I would never suggest just giving up all the foods you love, especially all at once. It’s all about baby steps. And remember food and nutrition is a difficult thing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are plenty of health professionals, trainers/nutritionist that are just waiting to help you and these people want nothing more that for you to be successful! Because if you’re successful, they’re successful.
4) No Support System-
Time and time again people head to the gym and then return home to family/friends that don’t care about their own health. You might be trying to better yourself by eating better, but then your spouse or significant other is eating pizza while you are having a salad (as an example) and that just plain sucks! What’s the point of putting all the work in at the gym if no one cares if you succeed or fail. Chances are, it might just be that the other person in this scenario hasn’t realized how hard they are making it for you. This opens a whole new door called “Communication”. Pull that person aside and genuinely tell them that you need their help and that if they are going to eat those foods, then please don’t eat them in front of you. Be honest with them. Let them know what it does to you. More times than not, they will comply with the request. You never know, you might just end up planting a seed by them seeing you making healthier choices that they may follow suit.
Now here is a big one for me! Find like minded people. Find that support group, whether it be in person or on social media. When you find yourself surrounded with people who have the same goals as yourself, lookout! The possibilities are endless!
So there you have it, the 4 top main reasons people fail at getting healthier. Now this isn’t just for the New Years Resolutioners. This is for people all year round. Just remember if you find yourself facing one of the 4 reasons up above, you’re not alone. There are so many people just like you going through the same thing.
If you’re looking for a program that’s just as unique as you are, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help anyway I
can.
-Chris Davison
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