I am sure with the summer approaching we all have started to think about that “beach body,” and the advertisers are making sure that we are reminded of it everyday with all the crazy workouts to get us in the best shape in less then 90 days. Being in the fitness industry for the last 15 years as a fitness instructor and a lifestyle coach I just want to ask one question; is this the only summer you are planning on wearing that swimsuit? If the answer is no, then why are we in such a rush to get in shape so quickly? I have always tried to teach my clients to approach this as a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. We should never make fitness our priority. It should be a tool to help us with our real priorities which are family, work, friends and life outside the gym. I have yet to meet someone who says they want to look good for the Gym. It’s all about the priorities outside! As a trainer I want my client to go home feeling happy that they have started to feel more energetic, gain better posture and confidence so they can handle these real priorities.

What I have noticed is that people tend to start too fast and overwhelm themselves with the whole process and end up burning themselves out. Sure enough, you see great results in the beginning because you have added a new thing to your lifestyle so your body is reacting to the changes. I come across so many hard working and very smart people who understand that, if you work hard and are patient, good things will happen. When it comes to fitness we always want quick results, and I think it’s because of all the stuff we see on TV, Someone lost 5, 10, 15 pounds in a matter of days or weeks. As appealing as it sounds, we forget that we are already setting ourselves up for failure by expecting unrealistic and short-term results. If you turn your life up-side down of course the results will come. The real question is, for how long can we sustain such a lifestyle? Once your real priorities take over it will be very easy to fall of the wagon and gain all the weight back.

Most of the people who actually last long are the ones who start slow and progress slow. I am sure if you consider yourself out of shape it did not happen over night. For most, becoming out of shape was a result of neglecting your body for months and years at a time. So why are we expecting to change our body overnight? Is it because some beautiful celebrity with all the resources, the best training equipment and coaches money can buy, who is making millions of dollars to endorse a product, looks a certain way, portrays a certain ideal? In my industry I come across bodybuilder and athletes all the time and I know how much discipline it requires to look a certain way. Food and going to the gym becomes your life. Unfortunately for most of us, we don’t have the luxury of quitting everything so we can change our body and devote so many of our working hours to physical perfection, if there is such a thing. I am not trying to discourage anyone who is reading this. I am trying to raise awareness, to get people to stop getting in this mind frame of quick results. You don’t need a diet, you need a lifestyle change. So treat it like you are serious enough to make that small changes necessary to result in a lifetime healthy living. I heard this amazing quote once ” the best way to get in shape is to never get out of it”!:)

What I can suggest is not to rush it, start slow, and build it from their. As far as your diet goes, make small changes. If you have a sweet tooth, have those sweets once in a while and just reduce the amount. This way you won’t feel that you are sacrificing a lot and end up binge eating every moment you get because you feel like rewarding yourself! We don’t think twice before we take shower because it’s simply a habit. That’s what being healthy should be about. Make healthy living and fitness A HABIT not a priority!