It's Not Too Late!

I got an email today from someone who said he's leaving for Hawaii tomorrow and wishes he had contacted me to help him get in shape before he'll be strolling the beaches. 

Well, it's too late for him to have the beach body he'd like for Hawaii, but it's not too late for him (& you) to make progress—fitness-related or otherwise—before the summer! 

Memorial Day Weekend is 10 weeks away. For those of us that have been affected by the bitter cold and frequent snow this winter, 10 weeks seems far off. But, as we know, time flies. Summer will be here before we know it. Why not use these next 10 weeks to make progress towards a goal?

Picture yourself 10 weeks from now. You'll probably have some plans for the holiday weekend. Maybe you'll be going down the shore; maybe you'll be going to a party, or multiple parties; maybe you'll be hosting people at your house. You'll probably be with other people—family, friends, neighbors, co-workers—some of whom you haven't seen in a while or spent time talking to.

Think about catching up with people over that weekend. What would you like to be able to talk about? A trip you just took? Renovations to your house? A course you completed? A race you just ran? How you lost 15 pounds? Some books you read?

The next 10 weeks may fly by, but it's enough time to accomplish some small and big things. Spend some time this weekend thinking about what you'd like to achieve. Next, figure out what steps you need to take to get it done. Then, start working on it!

Finally, look forward to Memorial Day weekend, when you'll be celebrating not only the un-official start to summer, but also your achievement(s)! :)

Patience is required

Someone emailed me that she was interested in personal training because she wanted to get in shape before a wedding she would be attending. When I spoke to her, I found out she had a week and a half before the wedding. I'm good, but I can't transform your body in a week.

I know someone who is constantly asking me about "quick fixes" she hears about. She has a lot of weight to lose and spends money on all sorts of things that she sees on tv or reads about in hopes that they will magically give her the body she wants in a month. The problem is, she doesn't stick with any of these things for even a month. If she did, she would see some results.

To achieve your goals—fitness or otherwise—you need a plan. But, the two main keys to success are:

1. Starting 
2. Staying consistent

In Darren Hardy's book The Compound Effect (which I highly recommend), he uses friends as an example to show how being consistent with seemingly small changes can have a very big effect long term.

The friends start out in the same place—married, live in the same neighborhood, are at the same fitness level.

• The first friend makes small, positive changes, that he consistently does each day, including cutting 125 calories and spending 30 minutes reading or listening to something educational or inspirational.
• The second friend makes small, negative choices, including watching more tv, eating unhealthy meals and drinking an extra alcoholic drink per week. Doesn't seem that bad, does it?

After a year, you can't see any noticeable differences between the friends. But, by the middle of the second year, Hardy describes changes that are quite astonishing:

• The first friend has lost 33.5 pounds by cutting just 125 calories a day. He has also spent almost 1,000 hours on self-improvement. The small positive choices he made led to big positive changes in his life—more self-confidence, a promotion, a better marriage, increased happiness.
• The second friend has gained 33.5 pounds. So, he now weighs 67 pounds more than his friend. He doesn't feel good about himself, which has made him unhappy and has led to a big strain on his marriage.

Consistency will pay off, but patience is required. 

Make a positive change; start small if you want. Don't give up when you don't see fast results. The change will happen. And, when it happens, you'll be better and happier—isn't that worth it? :)