You know that #fitspo phrase, "Straighten your ponytail and handle it"? Yeah. Sometimes I want to punch it in the FACE. HARD. Just because I've been in this industry for over a decade doesn't mean that I don't have my fair share of days where I'd rather watch a tree make sap than "handle it." There's all sorts of things in life that we can let get in the way of our motivation and drive. And sometimes, we just have off days. If we're talking specifics here, fitness/nutrition is perhaps one of the most difficult things for a lot of people in our world to sustain. We are accustomed to instant gratification with diets that promise results in 2 weeks without teaching us anything or how to form good habits that lead to sustainable fitness for LIFE. So what happens? We get on the bandwagon for a month or so, and even if we are left with a desirable result, it doesn't last long and on top of that
we've learned no skills to maintain that result. When talking health and fitness, especially with clients who are just starting out, I recommend writing down the following:
1) aesthetic goals (it's okay to admit that you want Michelle Obama's arms)
2) emotional goals ("I want to have a better outlook on life, release tension, learn to love myself")
3) functional goals ("I want to be able to carry all my groceries up 3 flights of stairs and also power walk around the block in a snazzy wind suit when I'm 80"...those aren't my goals...).
If you start to focus on more than just looking good in your bikini/speedo (in terms of fitness), it's more likely that you will develop habits that will not only improve other areas of your life, but also lead to a sustainable fitness lifestyle that will last for the rest of your life.
Love to you!
-Lee Ann