It’s no mistake how the individuals who see the most out of their efforts are doing a lot of the same things. In fact, we’ve been training and coaching people long enough to have seen a veritable set of patterns emerge.
This is that list.
1. They Track Their Nutrition
Our most successful clients track their food in some capacity. This might mean MyFitnessPal (I got my check in the mail. Thanks, MFP), this might be in their own spreadsheet, but they are tracking things nonetheless. And while macros is not the only approach to nutrition, it can create an awareness of the quantities of things.
Unsure on what a real serving of peanut butter is? Go measure it.
…seriously, go see how much a serving of peanut ACTUALLY is. I’ll wait…
Anyway, one of the main benefits of food tracking is how it will create the need to make conscious food decisions rather than simply letting things happen. How much food do you eat because ‘it’s there?’ How much of that same food would you eat if you knew you needed to track it and show it to, say, a nutrition coach?
My guess is those two amounts would be drastically different.
The important part of this is to track long enough to understand how much you should be taking in AND long enough to create good habits.
2. They Track Their Progress
Our most successful clients break this down into two different categories: first, this means tracking their progress in their training and second, tracking their physical measurements as they progress.
Training progress means you are lifting a little heavier than you were; you are moving a little faster in this workout than you did before; you are doing things which feel easier than you expected them to; you are progressing in some way compared to when you started!
Tracking your measurements in some capacity means you know if what you are doing is making a difference for you (ex: body fat, muscle mass, weight, pants sizes, etc.). If you don’t measure this how will you know? If you don’t measure this, how can you make adjustments along the way if something is NOT working?
The answer is you really can’t. It’s like closing your eyes and throwing darts at a dart board…
…sometimes you might hit it but most of the time you will not.
3. They Are Consistent
This ‘consistency’ word does not mean they’re working out every day of the week. It does, however, mean they are prioritizing some kind of movement each and every day.
Maybe this movement is real physical training. Maybe this movement is doing something outside with their kids. Or maybe, just maybe, it is taking a short walk after lunch to help with energy levels in the afternoon.
Our most successful clients also understand that it is the habit which is most important. If they only have time for 5 minutes of burpees at home. They do 5 minutes of burpees at home. If they have enough time to drive out to our gym and get in a full training session, we will see them that day!
Prioritize building the habit of the person you want to become!
4. They Work On Sleep
Our most successful clients prioritize sleep.
I know what you’re screaming at me, “Chris, I only have enough time to sleep 2.7 hours a night!”
While this might be true, this does not mean you can’t focus on the other aspects of your sleep to maximize your QUALITY of sleep. QUANTITY is not the only sleep metric to focus on:
- Do you make the temperature in your room at bedtime < 68 degrees at night?
- Do you read a book rather than sit on your phone just before bed?
- Do you have COMPLETE, and I mean COMPLETE, darkness in your room for bedtime?
- Do you have a TV in your room, and if you do, is it off at least 30 minutes before bed?
- Do you go to sleep at a consistent time and wake up at a consistent time?
In other words, are you controlling as many of the variables leading up to your bedtime as you can? If you are not, and sleep just ‘happens’ to you, you are missing out on a huge part of seeing progress!
Seriously, it’s huge!
5. They Utilize Their Social Support System
You are who you hang out with.
- Do you find you keep weird hours? You probably hang out with people who keep weird hours.
- Do you find that you’re not encouraged to exercise? You probably spend time with people who don’t prioritize their fitness.
- Do you eat poorly when you go out to eat? Take a look at what everyone else is ordering. This should not be a surprise.
Our most successful clients do not just workout with people who care about bettering themselves, they engage in at least some of the social events associated with it. Not only are these social events fun but they reinforce spending time with people who know what you’re trying to do because they are likely working on the same things you are!
Find people who are doing what you want to do and spend time with them! This likely means you may have to cut ties with the people you DON’T want to be like.
Let’s not over exaggerate it, growth is painful sometimes. This is one of those times…
Do I Have To Do All Of These?
The answer to this question is a resounding… maybe.
Most of our clients did not do these things all at once. While we do run into the occasional person who can make each and every change at the same time and keep it, most of us cannot.
Pick one or two of these things and take action on it today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not at the New Year. TODAY.
- Make a consistent bedtime no matter the day.
- Start tracking your food even if you’re unsure on the exact quantities you need to eat.
- Start taking a walk after lunch to build a new [healthy] habit.
No matter what, seek a support structure of like-minded individuals who are keenly aware of what you’re working on for yourself. Guess what… we are working on that too!
Want help in getting started? Use THIS LINK to schedule a free conversation with one of our amazing trainers. We will get you started the right way!
