I think sometimes we WANT a change.

We WANT a new and better result…

But we aren’t truly READY to do what it takes to make a change.

And so we will never succeed no matter how motivated we are.

Now you may be thinking how can I be motivated but not ready?

Because motivation is the DESIRE to do something.

Being truly READY to make a change means you’re in the headspace to make sacrifices. You’re capable of doing the hard.

You’re ready to embrace things that make you question what you’ve always done and challenge you to get outside your comfort zone.

Ready is about more than wishing or hoping for a change…it means you’re prepared to do the hard to get the result.

And all too often the reason we buy a program and never start despite being motivated is because we aren’t ready for the challenge of change.

Because change is hard.

Now if you’re thinking….

“I’m motivated so how do I know if I’m ready?”

I wanted to share some tips I’ve found helpful for clients to take that motivation and let it propel them into being ready to do what is necessary to get results.

Tips To Help You Be READY To Make A Change:

#1: Does the pain of staying stuck outweigh the pain of change?

It’s “painful” not being at your goal. It’s sucky to be unhappy.

BUT it is also super uncomfortable to make a change.

In order to actually want to move forward, it has to be less painful to make a change than to stay stuck.

Now motivation makes you WANT that change, but being ready means when actually faced with the hard you still want to confront it.

So right now make a list of the challenges you will face with making a change to reach your goals.

You may find your motivation starts to fade as you confront the challenges. You may find you’re like…

“Well that sucks!”

But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed.

It just means you may have to ADJUST how you approach making changes to reduce the pain.

Sometimes less is more.

As tempting as it can be to “go all in” that may be creating a pain that is stopping you from truly being ready.

So reduce that pain.

Focus on one or two changes over ten.

Focus on small swaps, little tweaks.

But reduce that pain so you are READY to take that step forward, even if it is smaller than originally planned.

That will help you build momentum to make more changes!

#2: Ask yourself why you TRULY don’t want to stay stuck….

The more reasons WHY you have to do something, the more you’ll be willing to embrace the discomfort of change.

But you don’t only want to list out why you want the change, you want to list out why you don’t want to stay stuck.

This helps create more pain in staying where you are….so you’re more ready to embrace the pain of change.

Also, it’s very hard to feel the value in something we haven’t yet gotten…in something we’ve never attained.

It’s why it is so hard at times to stay focused on our long-term goal over immediate gratification.

You know how that gratification will make you feel RIGHT NOW.

You don’t fully know how you’ll feel with the end result…and you also know RIGHT NOW it won’t help.

So knowing how much our immediate, current feelings can power our actions, we can often really embrace and focus on the WHYs we have to remove our current negative feelings.

The more we embrace feeling how much we don’t like our current position….How little value you feel in staying stuck….

The more we can use that pain as a positive to make us ready for the change.

#3: Realize it is your choice…

Often the more we feel obligated to do something, the more we feel forced or restricted, the less we want to do it and the more we even think about what we can’t or aren’t supposed to do.

If you see making a change as an obligation, as you’re restricted from doing something else, you’re probably going to rebel very quickly.

Instead you want to embrace the changes as your choice. You want to realize you are choosing to pursue this goal.

You even want to see habit changes as what you will GET out of them over what you are removing or cutting out.

No you’re not going to like everything you do to make a change and create a new lifestyle to reach a new goal, but even the sacrifices you make are your CHOICE.

Sure something outside of your control may happen, but even then realize that you get to CHOOSE your response.

At any point you can choose to default back into what is comfortable and easy and hasn’t helped you reach your goals or you can choose to embrace the hard and keep moving forward.

But give yourself the power.

Realize that you aren’t restricting or obligated…you WANT these changes.

This will help you be ready for the ups and downs and even the difficult decisions that will come your way.

SUMMARY:

Getting started making a change is the hardest part and part of that is because we aren’t really fully ready to make a change.

We aren’t prepared for the “hard” that we will encounter.

Instead of letting your motivation fade, instead of buying that program you never start, consider what will help you get ready to actually move forward.

Consider what has held you back in the past. Realize what you need to do to move forward.

And then truly recognize that it is your choice to decide that the pain of staying stuck is worse than the pain of doing something new and challenging where you could risk failure!

Only once we find a way to embrace the pain of change can we actually get moving forward toward our goals!

One size doesn’t fit all and tracking isn’t right for everyone.

And even those that do track won’t use this tool in the exact same way or even forever.

Heck, I was a person AGAINST tracking for a very long time.

I made all the excuses about why not to do it.

And I never saw the results I wanted.

Until I decided to try to see opportunity in a different perspective.

Until I decided to be open to something new and uncomfortable.

I like to really highlight the purpose of any tools we may choose, or not choose to use.

I want us to truly understand them. Because that gives us power.

I think when we don’t understand a tool and its purpose…we don’t properly use them or even know when they aren’t right for us.

I also want to discuss tracking being restrictive because I’m a big believer in NOT giving tools power over us.

When we say we can’t track because it makes us obsessed or judgmental…or it’s too restrictive, we are giving the tracker POWER.

And in trying to avoid something, we are almost giving it as much thought and attention as we do if we just do it.

If you think about it…we can oddly obsess just as much in avoiding as we can in implementing.

That tool still has power even in our avoidance of it.

And that’s not to say we may not choose to avoid using it BUT I think the more we can put everything in its place and realize we are fully in control of our implementation the strong and more in control of our life we become.

So now is tracking restrictive?

The short answer is no.

Your tracker isn’t judging. It isn’t telling you to cut anything out. It isn’t telling you to do or feel anything.

It is merely showing you what you’ve done.

YOU are the one then judging.

And I think the more we realize that we are the one giving this tool power, the better off we will be.

I also think it is key we understand WHY we’ve come to feel that tracking is restrictive.

I find it is often because of how we’ve used the tool in the past.

We did it on some severe calorie counting diet where we felt forced to cut out everything we loved, felt overwhelmed with making changes and then felt hungry all of the time.

Often it is these other things and the program/habits we were implementing that then made us have this perception of tracking.

But tracking your food isn’t just about cutting things out. It isn’t just about weight loss.

And if you had started with tracking because of another goal, you may not feel that it is restrictive.

But it’s not too late to ever change that mindset.

#1: Try just tracking what you’re currently doing. Use it its a chance to LEARN about your diet and portions. Don’t make changes.

#2: Realize there are other goals that tracking could be key for…

– Finding out food sensitivities
– Fueling your race so you have enough energy to not poop out at the last mile
– Making sure you’re addressing menopausal symptoms.
– Making sure you’re eating enough to build muscle
– Finding out emotional eating triggers
– Heck even making sure you aren’t RESTRICTING TOO MUCH AND EATING TOO LITTE

Yup…even with trying to lose weight, I find that there are times with tracking a client realizes they are UNDER fueling.

They were restricting too much out of fear because they didn’t have a clear vision of what they were doing.

Honestly, there are so many ways to become obsessive…

– Over training
– Having to burn a certain amount of calories on your watch
– Only eating certain foods
– Not eating certain foods
– Only eating at certain times of day
– Not eating at specific times of day…

The point is it all relates back to our perspective and perception of our habits and how they make us feel.

And while you may decide something isn’t right for you…don’t give it control.

Learn how to implement it and see the VALUE it could have so you can reap the rewards then move forward better.

The more we fear something, the more control it has over us even if we don’t do it.

So as much as I know we can feel tracking is restrictive, we can fear becoming obsessive, realize you give the tool the power.

Take back that power and see it as a chance to make sure you’re fueling according to your needs and goals.

Try just tracking what you’re currently eating. Assess WHY YOU JUDGE or when you feel yourself starting to judge.

Then deal with that judgement.

Ask yourself why you feel guilty for eating a food?

Assess the emotions if you start to feel restricted…even assess if you’re trying to do too much.

Give yourself clear guidelines and find ways to seeing the value.

Sure you may not do it forever, but see it as the tool it is…a guide to better fuel yourself according to whatever goals you have!

—

Everyday we are either working toward our goals or moving farther away from them.

And while I don’t think we can always be focused on the future, and immediate gratification will at times “sabotage” our long-term goals and focus, I think recognizing that every day is building our future result…

That your situation today is a result of your past hustle…

Is super key.

Because so often we stress perfection when we start a new program. We get up in a 21 day or even 6 week SPRINT….only to burn ourselves out with the habits so we can’t keep moving forward.

Instead we need to focus on those small habit changes. The ways we can make 1% improvements.

The ways we can be BETTER THAN we would have been in the same situation before.

Because every day we are technically building and moving forward or taking that step back.

And step backs are GOING to happen.

But we have to recognize that, in life, there is no starting over.

So how fast we get results will also be impacted by those steps….in either direction.

That’s why that TODAY, right now, as you plan for tomorrow…as you choose between trying to be perfect and rely on willpower over making small changes to constantly learn and grow, you have to recognize that every day you are making the choice about which direction you will move in.

And if you fall down? If you slip up, while that one event may have moved you away from your goal, the power you give that situation can impact future days.

And those days again are either moving you forward or setting you back.

Results come from what we consistently do. From how we learn and move forward.

And again…There is NO STARTING OVER.

That’s why I wanted to share 3 tips I use to help myself find ways to always move forward even on those days that feel like you’ve taken that step back.

Tip #1: Learn.

Every situation is a learning experience. And as humans, we will not handle every new situation correctly.

Not to mention, emotions will get the better of us at times.

But everything that happens can be a positive learning experience even when the actual situation…well…sucks!

Everything in life is really impacted by our perspective, by our perception of events.

So even when you have a day you feel sets you back – you missed your workout, you ate off plan – you can either choose to let that impact future days negatively OR you can learn from it so tomorrow is better.

Failures can often be amazing learning experiences that teach us things that can rocket us forward.

But we have to choose to learn from them instead of beating ourselves up about them.

So every chance you can, reflect and learn.

Don’t just try to gloss over bad times, forget failures. Own them and learn from them!

Tip #2: Stop trying to be perfect.

We rely on motivation and willpower because we are trying to be perfect.

But guess what?

You’re human so you’re therefore FLAWED.

Perfection isn’t in our DNA.

Stop trying to do more. Stop trying to do things perfectly.

A. Perfect doesn’t exist.
B. There is no true definition of perfect.

What is perfect “clean” eating?

What is a “perfect” workout routine?

No one agrees.

And the more you try to pressure some arbitrary standard of perfect, the more you’ll actually hold yourself back from creating the perfect or BEST plan for you.

Focus on improvements.

Focus on changes based on meeting yourself where you are at.

Motivation and willpower are things we rely on to do more than we are truly often capable of…especially long term.

Results come from creating even minimums we can repeat at times we don’t want to do anything.

So focus on doing the minimum at times. It’s not sexy, but it’s what truly builds.

Tip #3: Meet yourself where you are at.

The perfect plan for you is created by meeting yourself where you are at RIGHT NOW.

And I mention the “RIGHT NOW,” because often we compare our current selves to our past selves or our ideal selves.

But none of that really matters if we want to move forward from our current spot.

You could beat yourself up about where you used to be or could be…you could create a plan based on what “used to work,” but none of that will actually move you forward.

We move forward by focusing on where we are at currently to then create an accurate road map to our end destination.

I mean think about if you’re driving to a location…you don’t start your route based on where you could be or where you used to live!?

NOPE!

You set the start of your route based on where you are now.

The best plans have to meet us where we are at.

So don’t even just do “less” if you’re coming back from injury.

Don’t even just jump into a macro ratio that worked in the past.

Assess where you are RIGHT NOW and adjust off of that!

SUMMARY:

Your future self is based off of what you do today, tomorrow, the next day…not to mention every day that has come before today.

We can’t go back and change the past, we can’t start over.

But we can see the opportunity in each day being a chance to move forward.

One small thing, a 1% improvement daily, weekly, monthly, yearly will pay off.

So focus on how you can make those small tweaks, learn from each experience, to try to move forward!

There is nothing better than going on vacation. But it is often where we feel like we sabotage our results and our diet and exercise routines go to die.

I wanted to share 7 tips to help you stay on track while you travel so you can keep moving forward toward your weight loss goals. However, I also want to mention that I believe vacations can, and should, be a time to relax and enjoy. Diets often fail because we force restriction at times when we do need to embrace a balance.

We end up not really being able to diet on vacation while also not really allowing ourselves to relax. And this ultimately backfires.

However, if you travel for work or just travel often and want to find the lifestyle balance right for you, these tips can help you stay consistent with your macros and your workouts while not at home!

Do not feel guilty about not using every time you travel as an excuse to splurge. I know sometimes our friends or family can make us feel awkward for caring, but we need to stay focused on what also makes us happy in our progress toward our goals!

Because we can’t just always make the excuse that this is a once in a lifetime experience if we’re traveling all the time!

So what are the 7 travel hacks to help you stay on track?

#1: Save calories.

I hate saying it this way but it is also the SIMPLEST way to state it…sometimes when on vacation if you know there is going to be a bigger meal or even cocktails at dinner, things you’ll want to enjoy, you want to “save” calories for that meal.

This means you will want to focus on eating lighter, and even increase your protein intake earlier in the day. This can help you find that balance so you don’t go into a huge surplus and you even hit some macro minimums you set.

And while a longer fast can also be an option if you do intermittent fasting already, please don’t turn saving calories into starving yourself or you’ll end up overeating at that later meal.

Just think about going lighter with a protein focus earlier in the day to strike a balance!

#2: Find a few restaurants in the area for go-to healthy meals.

When on vacation, it can be fun to try local spots. And depending on where you’re traveling to, there may be some great local places with super macro friendly meals. Or even meals they can tell you the portions on. Many restaurants even list macros on their website so it never hurts to check.

If you can’t find the nutritional info, even try logging something similar to get an idea of macros. You can often find recipes online that give you an idea of the breakdown.

Also, look for chain restaurants. While yes, we want the best quality fuel, many chains do have nutritional info listed on their website. And if you find a dish or two that really works for you at those places, it can be easy to use that any time you travel as that chain may be everywhere!

But planning ahead to have some options to strike that balance can be key and let you play around with logging the meal to hit any calorie intake or macros you’ve set.

#3: Bring protein powder.

Supplements are supplemental, but protein powder is one of the best things to have with you when you’re on the go as it is generally easier to snack on carbs and fats and harder to eat easy, not refrigerated, protein options.

With a protein powder, you can keep it in your backpack or purse and be able to mix it in a water bottle, coffee or even anything quick you can pick up from the store.

Such an easy way to increase your protein and even save those carbs and fats for that later meal you don’t have as much control over with the family or co-workers.

#4: Don’t buy bulk snacks.

Often when we go on a trip, we buy snacks at the airport. And a bigger bag than we should eat in one serving.

Or we buy snacks for the hotel room or AirBnB for our family even.

And while it can be helpful to have snacks if we don’t know when we will get to eat or if the meals provided us will really work for us, we need to be conscious to not just have extra around as it will be tempting to eat it when you aren’t even hungry!

It’s easy to mindless nibble and let those calories add up.

So be strategic with your snacks especially if you’ll have them around you all the time! Even portion out things so you aren’t as tempted to keep snacking!

#5: Plan in short workouts.

Instead of trying to force yourself to maintain the same routine you would at home, plan in some workouts you can get in even in your hotel room if you’re super short on time.

That plan to do something may lead to you doing more if you can find a gym or end up with more time. Not to mention often you can find gyms with quick class options if that will help with accountability to get moving!

But simply doing something will also keep you in a routine and habit and mentally make you feel good.

And often when we stay consistent with one habit, we want to stay consistent with others!

So even if it is a 5 minute mobility routine so you feel good when you get back home to train hard, the consistency will pay off…and even reverse some of the aches and pains we get from travel postures!

#6: Get out and walk!

Even if you can’t workout, often you will have little breaks in the day where you can get out and walk.

Not only is this a great way to stop mindless snacking, but it does get you moving and can even allow you to explore the area more!

Even if it is just to get a coffee or grab food, try to move as much as you can during the day! Finding ways to be more active will even help you want to do the other healthy habits and routines you want to maintain.

#7: Increase your intensity AROUND the trip.

In preparation of your trip, it’s not a bad idea to occasionally go a bit more intense with your programming prior, especially so you could even use the trip as a de-load workout week or recovery week.

This may be a time too you are slightly more aggressive prior with the calorie deficit, not extreme but aggressive, and also using more intensive cut macro ratios over easier ratios to hit.

You can then move to minimums on your trip, tracking to stay even just accountable.

And then when you come back, you may go back into things with a bit more intensity even just in your macros before relaxing back into something you can fully be consistent with.

This 1 week before and after just can help with damage control and also mentally make us feel balanced when being a little less conscious of those healthy habits while traveling.

SUMMARY:

Remember vacations shouldn’t the time you stress about your diet, but finding a balance especially when we travel more often can be key!

Focus on doing the minimum even just to maintain those results so you can continue to build when you are back home and in your element!