I'm sure most of my health and fitness industry colleagues have been furiously hammering away at their computer keyboards this week, updating their blogs, websites, and newsletters with those magical words that are going to motive their current clients and prospects to make 2016 their year and FINALLY get in shape - whatever "getting in shape" means to them.
Unfortunately if you are looking for motivation don't come to me. That doesn't mean I do not care about helping my clients achieve their goals, I do and it's what I do every day. What I'm saying is don't look to me to be your cheerleader.
The motivation you need to make positive changes and begin leading a healthy lifestyle must come from within.
If you are sitting there with a glass of champagne in your hand, eyes glued to the TV waiting for that F@#$ing ball to drop right now (Yes, it's 10pm and I am sitting in front of my computer writing this. What can I say? I sure know how to party don't I?) and thinking, "You know what? THIS is the year I'm going to get that 6-pack!" you are setting yourself up for failure.
Alcohol-induced superficial goals will not get you past February 1st.
Your motivation needs to come from within.
What is it that you really want to accomplish? Are you sick of being tired all the time? Do you want more energy? More mobility? Excellent health? To avoid the chronic diseases we are "supposed" to get as we age? More strength? More endurance?
What do you need to do to improve the quality of your life?
Once you decide what it is you really want to change you can then make the appropriate changes to your lifestyle. Yes lifestyle. A 12-week challenge and bottle of fat-burning pills will not help you achieve your goals. Once you do that guess what? The lean, healthy, and strong body you want will happen as a side effect of this change.
Don't believe me? I spent nearly 15 years chasing superficial goals, but when I finally made the decision to improve my health by adopting a plant-based diet and a more holistic approach to my fitness training, not only did I achieve exceptional health, my body changed almost immediately. I was leaner, more muscular and more flexible in my late 30's than I ever was, and continue to progress as I enter my 5th decade.
Click here to read about my personal journey in regaining my health!
Regardless of what you set as your health and fitness goals there are three things you will need to do to guarantee success.
- Change your approach to nutrition. Adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet.
- Strengthen your physical body. Lift weights, run, and start a restorative / energy cultivation practice like qigong or yoga.
- Strengthen your mind. Meditate.
Sure, these can be broken down further, but these three things done consistently are absolutely essential to guarantee your success. We will get deeper into this in upcoming blogs in the coming weeks as we enter the new year.
It is my sincerest hope that 2016 is your healthiest, happiest and most prosperous year yet! As always I will do everything I can to help you achieve your goals but you must supply the motivation. I hope you take advantage of all the information I provide in this blog and on my Strength and Health TV video blog.
If you are looking for more in-depth help I offer many different training and consulting services - everything from health & fitness training, sport performance training, plant-based nutrition consultation and much more - both in person and online.
Please feel free to email me at scott@extreme-fitness.org if you would like more information on my personal training and consulting services.
Stay Strong AND Healthy!
-Scott
"Let's raise the stakes on the bet we made. Let's decide to be the architects, the masters of our fate."
'Architects' by, Rise Against
