The year is winding down and as the New Year approaches we are about to be inundated with “New Year, New You”, fitness advertisements.  They are going to play on your emotions and entice you with  promises of being the solution you’ve been looking for.  Nothing has worked before, but this new diet, workout program, supplement, equipment is going to be the answer to your prayers!

How many cookbooks and pieces of exercise equipment do you have lying around collecting dust?  How many workout DVD’s and programs have you bought, used a couple times, and then abandoned?  

The fitness market is flooded with claims of the best diet EVER and the workout program that is going to finally get you the body you’ve always wanted, all promising rapid results.  “You’ve tried everything and NOTHING has worked, but THIS is going to change your life for good!”

But here’s the kicker…. If you don’t actually use the products, stick to the diet, and show up consistently every day, none of those products are going to work. 

If you read the fine print most of the supplements, teas, waist trainers, etc. state that results are best when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. 

Let’s be honest… you don’t even need the thing.  Whatever the “thing” is, it’s probably a complete waste of your money. 

What you need is to show up, do the work, eat a diet based largely on whole fresh food within the caloric range for your goals, workout at least 3 times a week, get an adequate amount of sleep, and drink water.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Results are guaranteed. 

It’s simple, but not easy.

We all want easy.  We want to be able to pay for results instead of working for them.  Advertisements get us excited and motivated, but it’s fleeting.  After a day or two, or maybe a week, we realize that it’s a time commitment.  It’s an energy commitment.  It requires self-control.  So we give up.  We claim the thing/diet/workout didn’t work for us and we put it away with all the other things that didn’t work for us.

It’s not the product that didn’t work.  WE didn’t work. 

I wish I could tell you that there was an easy button.  That there was some magical way to stay forever motivated.  But there isn’t.  You will have good days where you are motivated and energized and you will have rough days where you have no desire to show up. 

I am not exempt from this.  Trainers and fit pro’s aren’t wired differently.  There are days I have ZERO motivation.  You might be surprised to know that just because I work in a gym it’s not always easy to squeeze in a workout.  Busy schedules can make it tough to get everything done.  It’s a matter of priorities and putting goals first.    

If you want the results you have to show up consistently.  You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.  You have to understand that motivation is temporary.  You have to call yourself on your excuses and not let them hold you back.  You have to keep pressing on even if you feel like you’ve failed.  You’re going to miss workouts, you’re going to let your diet get a bit out of control, and life is going to throw curve-balls that will derail your progress. 

Just remember:

• You are strong.  You are worthy.  You CAN do this.  The people you see succeeding around you aren’t any better than you are.  You are just as capable of success as they are.  Believe in yourself. 
• Things will change.  Change is the only constant in life.  If things are going well, challenges will arise.  If you are going through a tough time, this will pass and you will have the freedom to refocus and pick up where you left off.  Be patient and know there is still time to create the changes that will bring you closer to your goals. 
• No one and nothing can do this for you.  There will be people who want you to change and do everything they can to help you, but as much as they want this for you; they can’t do the work for you.  You can purchase all the pills, teas, programs and products you want, but unless you make and maintain healthy lifestyle changes you will not get your desired results.  You have to invest the time and the effort.  You are worth the investment!
• Not everyone will be supportive.  It’s incredibly helpful to have a solid support system, but this will not be everyone’s reality.  There will be people who aren’t ready to change their lifestyle that will attempt to sabotage your efforts.  There will be times that you have to stand your ground and do what is best for you and your goals despite the pressure you are receiving from others.  Again: you CAN do this!
• Lose the guilt.  Guilt seems to be our go to emotion doesn’t it?  We ate something delicious so we should feel bad about our choices.  We missed our workout, the self-deprecation sets in.  Guilt does not serve us.  It’s not easy to stop beating ourselves up when we have been doing it for years.  Instead of the negative self-talk, replace those feelings with a plan of action.  “I missed my workout today; I’m going to try to get in some extra steps.”  “I over indulged, I’m going to focus on fresh whole foods for the next few meals.”  Over time it will become easier to replace feelings of guilt with empowerment.