Lessons from 10 years of coaching

As many of you will know, I've been a PT for 10 years now. Along the way I've learnt so much about myself, human behaviour and what it really takes to succeed. I wanted to share these lessons with you, with the hope that they will help you to achieve your personal goals too.

1. Get into the right mindset first

Getting in shape is not easy. It never has been and never will be. Most people say they want it badly, but are not willing to put in the work it takes to build a fit and healthy body. That's why it's so important to get into the right mindset first. You need to approach it with a long-term vision and a positive attitude towards hard work. Then you can go to work and achieve what you want.

2. When you understand yourself you can help yourself

Understanding yourself is important. Why do you dislike exercise? What makes you binge or emotionally eat? What triggers you? Why don't you believe in yourself? Why do you give up? Who is the voice telling you that you can't do it?

Once you understand yourself better, you can help yourself better. You can put strategies in place to support yourself, which will give you a stronger chance of making the needed changes. When you fall down and make mistakes you'll be kind to yourself and you'll keep going, because you know how best to help and motivate yourself.

3. Remove the barriers from your mind. See the solutions not the problems

You are not a failure, the barriers in your mind are just limiting your potential. You've just had the wrong approach or mindset, which together have made it impossible for you to succeed.

Remove the barriers from your mind. See the solutions and not the problems. See the opportunities and not the obstacles. Embrace the challenge and tell yourself, 'I want to change'. 'I can change'. 'I can be happier'. 'I can be stronger'. 'I can get fitter'. 'I can be a winner'. I know this sounds challenging, but try and involve this positive self-talk in your daily routine, and it will soon become automated.

4. Be more patient

It's so important to give yourself time to make and implement the changes you're introducing to your life. You need to allow yourself time to adjust and let the changes embed and settle in. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

5. Create changes in your diet which you can see yourself doing every week, forever

In order to see long-term results, you need to make dietary changes you can see yourself sticking with long-term too. You need to enjoy your food, and fuel up with nourishing, tasty and healthy foods. This will help you to maintain results too because you're not restricting yourself, and so you are far less likely to return to old habits.

6. See exercise as a reward not a punishment

Viewing exercise as a reward may sound cliché, but think about how you feel after a workout. It gives you energy, it relaxes you and it relieves stress and anxiety. It helps you to feel happier and more confident. Focusing on these rewarding feelings and many non-scale victories will help you feel more motivated and will ultimately lead to your success.

7. Exercise and physical movement will change the way you see yourself and the world around you

Exercise and good food are more than just about changing how you look, they're about lifting your mood and your self-esteem.

Life is hard. Life is stressful. Exercise can be an incredibly useful tool though in helping you to build mental resilience and strength, helping you to take on life's challenges.

Don't deprive yourself of life's greatest anti-depressant. Exercise and physical movement will help you to adjust the way you view yourself and the world around you. Let it be a part of your life and move more.

8. Reframe your thinking on the weekends

You can't out-train a bad diet. The food is what really changes your physique, not the exercise. Fat loss happens when you are consistent with your nutrition on weekends too.

Reframe your thinking on the weekends. It's not a treat or reward to binge and blow out if it's taking you further away from your goal and making you feel unhappy. An active weekend with good food is a treat to your mind and body.

9. Have a long-term horizon, not a short-term mindset

It's not a 90-day plan, it's a never-ending plan.

You can do a lot in 3 months. You can lose weight, and build some strength and fitness but it can't end there. If it does, you lose it all. If you want a strong, fit, and healthy body you have to maintain that lifestyle all year round for as long as you want it.

Have a long-term horizon, not a short-term mindset. Set long-term goals. Challenge yourself. Get an event or challenge in the diary for a few months away. Work towards it. Keep moving forwards.

I hope this helped. As always please know my intention is always from kindness and love, because I want people to feel good and live happier. Sleep, healthy food and regular movement is the answer. It's always the answer and always will be.

Love,

Joe x