How to get the confidence to achieve your fitness goals

It’s not easy is it?

Sticking to a health & fitness plan I mean…

You’ll find a million health and fitness sites, bloggers,

heck personal trainers like me out there pedalling their advice:

Drink 8 glasses of water (OK I have said that one!),

HIIT is the best exercise for weight loss,

Drink this smoothie,

Eat this coconut S*&t,

Add spiru…whatever that stuff is
(I’d rather lick the bottom of a fish bowl)

Seriously I’m confused I dread to think how you feel?

And if was as easy as

the 1-2-3 they all say it is

wouldn’t we all look like Cindy Crawford in her heyday?
(I lived by her workout routine when I was 16!!)

Truth is, it’s not easy is it?  So much gets in the way, so many reasons why we can’t do it or haven’t done what needs to be done.

Even my dear old mum, and my husband for that matter, sat with me at breakfast this morning and moaned about how they couldn’t do what I had programmed for them..

“I didn’t do the whole workout, I did the first few once then I just did my own ab exercises I made up…you told me I could do abs whenever…”

er no.
(that one was hubby)

“well the food plan is good, but it’s too much food”
(a good thing in my books no?)
(that was my mum)

“my ipad battery ran out half way round Waitrose so I couldn’t buy everything on your shopping list” (award for best excuse ever – mum)

” I’m not going to eat that breakfast today as I’m playing golf so I’ll have a sandwich there and I don’t want to have that as well as bread at breakfast and then I’ll be late home so does that take long to cook, because then I can’t have that, I’ll have to do my own thing….” 
(take a breath – mother!!)

Millions invest in health and fitness programmes & personal trainers every year full of enthusiasm to change their lives for the better…and what happens?

Nothing.

I see it all the time.

There’s always a goal:

“I need to wear a swimsuit on holiday in 4 weeks time”
(that was you again mum)

We know where we are heading,

we’ve got the instructions on how to get there,

but

something is stopping us reaching it.

What is it?
Sheer laziness?

I’m not so sure it is.

You see, as I said before it’s not easy is it?

There’s a million things that get in the way:

School run,
school holidays,
kids off sick (sorry that’s why I wasn’t here yesterday)
too much work to do,
I don’t have time,
husbands away
husbands here (!)
I had to make xx for the school fete…
my ipad broke
the dog ate my homework…

I get it

But listen…no really listen
to your own stories.

Stop telling yourself why you can’t do this stuff and tell yourself HOW you WILL

Want my best advice?

Firstly, Back yourself.

Make the decision to believe in yourself and what you want in this life and then do whatever it takes to make that a reality.

Rid yourself of negative thoughts & reasons why you “can’t” & exchange them for how you can,
you will free yourself to be the best version of you.

And secondly; Don’t forget how far you have already come on your journey.

I mean my hubby might not be at his goal yet (because he’s not doing what I say..)

but

3 months ago, he didn’t do ANY exercise.

Nada.

None.

So I kind of take his criticism and lack of adherence to my plan on the chin because when I look back he’s doing great…

I mean really great, it’s more than he’s ever done consistently in HIS LIFE.

So no matter how far into your health and fitness journey you are,

even if you think you’ve not done well,

or done much,

write down what you’ve completed this year and I guarantee they’ll be something you can be proud of and that will spur you on to do more.

I did it.

I mean, I’m a million fitness miles from where I was two years ago attempting triathlons and a million miles from where I thought I’d be fitness-wise aged 40…my dream was very different

but

if I just look back to January

this January

I was sitting in a wheelchair, unable to walk at all.

When I think about that, I can see progress.

I can see how far I have come…I may not be as fit as I once was,

or as fit as I want to get again

but

I’m doing better than 3 months ago

I can jog for 2 minutes and walk 5k without pain…I’m ecstatic,

not something I ever thought I’d say

but I am,

saying it
and
ecstatic about it.

So stick to your plan,
keep sight of your dreams
take one step at a time

and remember

don’t stop trying because you’ve hit a wall
progress is progress no matter how small

I’ll see you tomorrow

Melissa xx