Getting Results!

After all is said and done - what results have you noticed??

 I know as fitness trainers or health professionals we all TALK about 'results this', 'achieve that', 'abs here', 'tight and toned there' and give you lots of advice on what you should and shouldn't do, what you can and can't eat or drink and so on. We promise all kinds of things and some even give guarantees that you will get that result. We can even provide all manner of research, studies and opinions to back up what we are doing or recommending, or not doing and not recommending as the case may be.

But when it all comes down to it - you need to ask yourself 
"am I getting the results or outcomes I want?"

I have come to realise that as health and fitness professionals, we cannot GIVE you the result or outcome no matter how much we promise it or how technically correct and evidence based we think our programs or advice are. YOU must earn that result - you must put into place the strategies to succeed, you are the one that has to get more in tune with your body and realise how it tries to tell you when you have eaten crap food, you are the one that needs to get yourself off the couch and stay active regularly, you are the one that needs to get yourself to sleep at a reasonable time so you can recover properly.... and so on and so on.

When it comes down to it all we can do is provide solutions. What I'm saying is YOU need to actually put it into action. You cannot avoid the work, the sacrifice, the commitment and honesty required to achieve your goal or the result you want. We can invite and keep inviting you to make changes required, but only you can decide on whether to be or not to be; whether to act or not to act. They say "be before you are and you will become" (more on that another time).

So the question then is what do you want? Are you strong enough mentally, physically and all the other ways to make those changes yourself? If you are, then why haven't you already done it? If you need support what kind of support do you imagine you will need?

I think the only way you can be helped is by uncovering and tapping into the motivation or potential within. And I certainly can't do that for you. I can help with throwing off some of the layers that keep that motivating factor hidden and perhaps even opening your eyes and understanding to who you really are and what is available to you. I can even help to encourage you and provide an example for you, pull you through the tough times and most importantly BELIEVE in YOU. I probably believe in you more than you do in yourself.

To finish off this post let me just say this. Words are powerful - they can motivate change. Positive words will motivate positive change. Give it a go and start by talking good, positive words about yourself and how you CAN achieve your goal. You might surprise yourself with what YOU can achieve.

Say it; believe it; do it.

Simple yet profound motivators!!

How do we get more people into health and wellness?

First thing is do they WANT to be in the first place? If they have no desire to be healthy or feel better then you are flogging a dead horse as they say...

However! If they have a small hint of a desire to do something to improve their current situation, and are willing to do something then you are in business.

Next thing is how do you know they have a desire and what brings about that desire? 

I had an awesome discussion with a lady who was telling me a story about her 7-year-old granddaughter who she found doing star jumps in her room. She thought this was interesting so asked her granddaughter why she was doing star jumps?

The response amazed her when the granddaughter said,

"I don't want to get diabetes!" 

What this 7-year-old knew was that 3 out of 4 of her grandparents had diabetes and most of the other adults in the house were also on medicines for other chronic conditions. It highlighted the impact of disease and ill health of family members on a child. Even at such a young age she realises that she doesn't want to go through the things that she sees her role models go through each day (she is probably particularly worried about the insulin injections one of them has to take everyday cause even I'd be freaked out about that too!).

It seems that often we don't think too much about the effect of ill health on ourselves and even less about the effect of our ill health on loved ones around us. We have this kind of mentality where "I'm fine", or "I'll be OK and only I have to deal with it". Perhaps we have that sort of 'macho' thing going where we are so tough and even though we are sick we carry on doing what we do as if there is nothing wrong.

What I found interesting was that it was THIS experience that prompted the lady to ask me what she could do with her family to make some lifestyle changes to improve their health and wellness. No, it wasn't all the ads you see on TV, it wasn't the doctor or any other health professional saying you should do this and that, nor was it the fact that this lady and the rest of the adults already know all the things they should be doing anyway. 

IT WAS the simple yet profound comments and actions of a young girl expressing how she didn't want to get diabetes... that's powerful when you think of how much money is spent on all those other areas everyday that are supposed to motivate us to make changes!

So back to the first question... How do we get more people into health and wellness? I would suggest it is through their families. If they won't do it for themselves, perhaps they will do it for their loved ones, and in particular their children and grandchildren!