1. IF YOU DON’T HAVE A PLAN, THEN YOU’VE PLANNED TO FAIL
Pretty self explanatory here. You need a meal plan of sorts to adhere to. It’s a must.
Sadly, workouts alone don’t do the trick. Have a game plan for how you’re going to prep your meals, and get in a routine with it.
Lastly, make sure you’re getting your workouts in, and getting the most out of them.
2. YOU’RE ONLY LYING TO YOURSELF
As a trainer of over ten years, I’ve become very accustomed to hearing ‘Monday morning Confessions’ from clients on how bad they had broken their plan over the weekend.
I could honestly care less and always find their guilt amusing. The only one caring should be YOU. It’s YOU vs. YOU, nobody else.
3. SET FREQUENT SHORT TERM GOALS
Even if you have a “BIG” goal or something that’s say, in the coming months ahead, short term goals are KEY.
The mind is a very powerful tool that can be a great help or a huge impedance along one’s way to those goals. You need to set and accomplish little “checkpoints” along the way to keep your mind happy.
If you go too long without hitting some sort of goal, the mind has a tendency to go into ‘self sabotage’ mode.
The next thing you know, you’re wrist deep in Haggen Dazs. We don’t want that now do we? Set a weekly goal of some sort, and accomplish it.
4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE SUPPORTING YOUR GOAL
Changing the way someone eats is a really big deal for most people. Food is such a social thing in our culture. It can be really hard at times to stay on track with all of the temptations around us.
Let people know that you’re working towards a goal. When someone suddenly starts bringing Tupperware with their own food to social events, it can be quite an odd site.
You’re going against the grain in most cases. It’s not “Normal.” For as many weird looks as I’ve gotten from busting out the Tupperware somewhere public, I’ve received way more words of admiration and compliments.
People may not understand your goals but they cannot help but respect the work being done.
As a competitive bodybuilder, my goal is to present the leanest, muscular and most symmetrical version of myself on a set day and time.
On that day, my body will be judged and compared with others on stage in basically a Speedo by 7 judges. I usually diet for 16-20 weeks. The whole goal being to present the idea of ‘perfection’, so too must be the preparation.
So for 140 days (20 weeks), I must be perfect in every action that I do. I will eat my 6 meals at the same time each day. I will do my cardio session(s) at the same time every day. I basically become a robot.
Now this may seem extreme for most, and it is…but I have a goal and this is what’s required. What keeps me going when times get tough?
For me, it’s the daily thought of standing all alone on stage in my under-roos in front of a big crowd.
Over the years, I have honestly learned to LOVE THE PROCESS. I love challenging myself to see how far I can take my own physique. To me it’s a form of therapy and it’s quite artistic. Sculpting my own work of art.
Plain and simple, you will never stick with something you don’t love.
Dig deep and ask yourself what is the daily thought or mental image that’s going to get you through those rough spots?
