If you have tried and failed in your attempts to get fit, it can start wearing on you after a while.
You get down on yourself, are quick to start and stop new programs, and feel hopeless in your efforts.
If you are struggling to feel in control of your fitness, this article is for you.
Why People Fail
There are a lot of reasons why people fail to reach (or keep) their fitness goals, but here are the top 5:
1) Following a generic program
One of the most common reasons people struggle to get fit is that they don’t realize just how specific exercise and diet are to each individual. They go from diet to diet or exercise video to exercise video thinking that if they just find the right program, everything will be fixed!
The problem is that there is no pre-made program out there that will fit your exact needs. Each will have pieces that might work, but they will also have pieces that don’t.
So when it works for a while, then stops, or never works at all, you think that you need to try something else. Instead, become your own food and fitness scientist. Try out a program, take what works, then try out another program and add in other things that work. Over time, you will develop your own personalized plan that works for you!
2) Having the wrong expectations
Another obstacle to success is having the wrong expectations. Take weight loss as an example. Many people think that weight loss should be linear, meaning that you lose weight consistently over time.
This is not true.
When you are losing weight, some people lose consistently and some have spurts. Some lose a lot at the beginning, some lose more at the end. Some lose weight, then inches. Some lose inches, then weight.
And all of this is much slower than you probably think it should be, especially if you are losing weight in a way that will keep it off.
So, if you are trying to lose weight, focus more on doing the actions needed to get the weight off, and as long as you continue to lose weight or inches (even if it is just 1 lbs. every 2-3 weeks!) keep going. Over time you will get there!
3) Having a victim mindset
If you tend to see the world and other people as obstacles to your goals, you may have a victim mindset.
A victim mindset is simply an underlying perspective that you have no control over what happens to you.
If you are struggling to lose weight it’s because work is busy, it’s rainy outside, and your family keeps bringing tempting treats into the house.
The problem with this mindset is that it leaves you in a position where you will never reach your goals because you are leaving your life up to what happens to you.
In contrast, having an empowered mindset is when you take full responsibility for your life and what you want and what is important.
So if work is busy, it is because you have allowed work to be busy. To make work less busy, you may need to set better boundaries, or manage your time better, or get a different job.
If it is raining outside, you can work out inside.
If your family does not eat in a way that supports your goals, you can either cook a different meal for yourself or just cook one meal and if they don’t like it, then they can make something else for themselves.
4) Solving for the wrong problem
If you have reached a goal before and failed to stick with it, you may have been solving for the wrong problem.
Some people think that if they lose weight, they will be happier but then find that once they hit their goal weight, there is something else that makes them unhappy and they start undoing all their progress.
If this is the case, you may need to first focus on building better stress coping skills or working through an emotional issue, and then you will find it much easier to lose and keep off the weight!
5) Doing it on your own
Another common reason people fail is that they try to do it on their own. This can be challenging for two main reasons.
First, because there is a lot of information out there! It can be confusing and frustrating to try and sort through it all and figure out what is right for you.
Second, when you are doing it on your own, you have to learn how to keep yourself motivated and accountable. These are skills that can be built, but they are not easy and many people do not know how.
This is where having a coach comes in. A good coach will not only help guide you to know what the right exercise and diet is for your specific needs, they will also help you build the skills needed to keep the results that you get.
Let's Review...
It can be hard when you keep trying to reach a fitness goal, but you just can’t seem to find the right approach.
In our 12 years of personal training, we have found 5 key reasons why people struggle to get and stay fit. They are:
- Following a generic program instead of a personalized program
- Having the wrong expectations about how quickly they should get results
- Having a victim mindset and seeing the world as against them
- Trying to use fitness as a way to feel better about themselves instead of working to love themselves first!
- Doing it on their own instead of investing in a coach that knows how to get results
So, if you want to start taking control of your fitness, start with these. It is a slow process, but you CAN get there if you are persistent!
If you feel like having a coach will help you work through all of this faster, I invite you to check out our 28-Day Kickstart Program.
This program is designed to help people start putting themselves and their health first again.
In this program you will get:
- Full fitness and goals assessment
- Personalized fitness coaching to teach you the exact exercises you need to safely and effectively move better and build stamina
- A simple meal plan to help you decrease inflammation
- 1-on-1 success coaching to help guide you as you work to change your diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits
So, if you are ready to make a meaningful change in your life and start taking care of yourself, click here to learn more and take back control of your health and fitness today!
Mint Condition Fitness empowers people to take back control of their fitness and fully enjoy the life they have built.