Blog

In the next few weeks I will be highlighting two of the biggest health-related problems that hold people back from having the body they want and then I’ll help you understand how to overcome them.

———————————————————————– 

Problem #1: You have a difficult time staying consistent with your diet, exercise, or healthy lifestyle habits.

This is the motherlode of all problems. And this isn’t just a problem for beginners. Here’s what most people have tried:

• Weight Watchers
• MyFitnessPal and other calorie counters
• Jenny Craig and Curves
• Zumba, Crossfit and other group workouts
• Popular diets like paleo, juice fasts, and low-carb
• Workout books and magazine articles
• The list goes on and on

Of course, these aren’t all “bad” options. They end up working for some people. But eventually most of these methods and tools begin to break down and fail over time. These are actually a piece of the puzzle to get you where you want to be, but they alone will never compete the puzzle.

Why is that?

It’s because they’re surface solutions. They help solve a surface-level problem.

• Don’t have a place to exercise? Now you do.
• Want to track how many calories you eat? Here’s an app to download.
• What to know the “best” foods to eat? Read this article.

The only problem with surface-level solutions? They only work for a little while. You are probably thinking “Why would she be writing these things, are we supposed to quit crossfit and nutrition all together?” Absolutely not, read on to be enlightened!

Surface solutions don’t account for the ups and downs of everyday life. They don’t adapt to your life. And because of that, they don’t help you stay consistent.

What most people do when they fail to be consistent:

• Pick another surface solution to follow.

What you can do to be successful:

1. Make yourself accountable to a program.

Ideally, you want a program that covers a few bases:

• It’s been tested with lots of people (so you know it actually works).
• It’s customizable to your lifestyle (so you can stay consistent and do it even when you’re busy).
• It’s something you actually enjoy doing (who’s going to exercise if it’s not fun?).
• There’s something big and positive to shoot for (a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow).

The first three are incredibly important; they’re the cornerstone of a solid exercise and nutrition program, but the fourth one—having something big and positive to shoot for—is often overlooked. It’s also the most important. That’s why when a nutrition plan is written, it is centered around outcome goals and the behavior goals that will get you to that point.

In fact, most programs do the opposite: they make you feel guilty and bad for “slacking” or for not being a paragon of health and fitness. However, no one needs any more negativity in their lives.

So how do you know if a certain program will help keep you accountable?

I’ve determined the following four things are of the utmost importance:

• You need a way to measure your progress and track it on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
• You need to follow a structured plan, but still have room to move at your own speed when needed.
• You need a daily reminder to practice whichever nutrition, exercise, or lifestyle habit you’re currently working on.
• You need it to be customizable to your skill levels, goals, and how much time you have available.

2. Make yourself accountable to a person.

This tip isn’t for everyone, but it can often make the difference between consistently getting great results or succumbing to the pressures of work, family, and social stress.

Personal accountability is more important than personal motivation for one simple reason: no one always feels motivated to go make healthy eating choices.

But if you’re accountable to another person, you’ll actually follow through with the healthy eating and exercise choices we need to look and feel great. And you’ll do it over and over again even when the going gets tough. (And the going always gets tough at some point.)

That’s why the people who’ve had the most success in changing their bodies made themselves accountable to another person.

It could be a friend or workout partner. It could be your spouse. Or if you want to join our nutrition coaching program, I’d love to help you too.

The important thing is that you make yourself accountable to somebody and get the help you need. You have a lot on your plate already; why not let someone else show you the way?

If you’d like to learn more about accountable, sign up for a consultation with our Nutrition Coach, Kelly Odom.  You’ll walk away with more great information and a personal plan to get results.  Call CrossFit 317 @ 317-858-5090 to schedule your nutrition consultation today! Ready to go? Get scheduled here!