The Psychology Behind Sticking to an Exercising Program!

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!

The health clubs are always racking their brains trying to
figure out why they have such a hard time keeping members coming
back. Most owners would argue that cash flow and profit margins
are the most important reason to retain membership. Yes, but
what drives customers to these health clubs? These owners have
lost touch with what matters most, the customer! Give the
customer more than they expect and they will continue to do
business with you. Selling a product or service is about people
more so than numbers on a spreadsheet.

SINK HOLES VS. POTHOLES

I want you to think of this principle in your workout. You know
it is very easy to get burdened down with all the details of an
exercise and diet program. While guidelines are necessary, at
times focusing too much on the numbers can and will set you up
for failure. You may start to think all this counting calories,
reps, and keeping track of heart rates are too much to
accomplish. Unexpectedly, you start to lose sight of your goals
and it becomes more of a job than a hobby or stress release. You
may even quit exercising. This can be an immediate sinkhole for
you.

IT’S BEING SOLD OUT! The only way you will follow through on an
exercise program is to be sold out. The military calls them
“lifers.” These are people who are committed to something for
the long haul. Are you a lifer? Could you be a lifer? A lifer
has a sold out mindset. He or she realizes that there will be
potholes to go through; there may even be a sinkhole up ahead,
but they get through it or they go around the situation. It may
take support from others, but it gets done. You may not be a
lifer today, but you could be if you don’t make changes now!

DECISION MAKING

I was named Mr. Michigan in the statewide bodybuilding contest
in 1988. When I competed in bodybuilding contests, it took me a
good month to decide if I really wanted to go for that
particular goal. The decision process was well thought out. I
realized the days ahead would bring doubt, frustration, pain,
and at times, humility.

I also realized it could bring many emotional setbacks. Was I
willing to pay the price? Was I willing to change my behavior
and lifestyle for the hope of a future benefit? All those
thoughts had to be debated before the decision to move forward
was made. However, when I made the decision to go forward, a
switch was turned on that could not be turned off. I could not
turn back. There is a sense of relief that comes with making a
decision. Perhaps because once that decision is made, all the
pressure is off. My philosophy is: “GOALS CHANGE, DECISIONS
DON’T”

BEING SOLD OUT IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART!

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!

Twenty-two years ago, I attended college. Instead of studying, I
wandered into a gym in the basement of the men’s dormitory. I
didn’t have a bit of knowledge of how to begin an exercise
program, where to go to start, or who to turn to for help. After
about a month of blindly making my way through the steel
machines, buffed bodies, and stinky locker rooms, something
dawned on me. And to this day has kept me exercising all these
years. I started to realize that whatever I was doing, it was
going to impact my life more than I could imagine. Exercise and
eating properly were not only going to change my life, but it
was also going to propel me into making an impact on others. You
can be motivated, but not disciplined. However, you cannot be
disciplined without being motivated.

REWARDS BIGGER THAN LIFE

I understood there would be some good attitude days and some
very bad ones. I knew some workouts would make me feel good and
others where I never wanted to see a treadmill again. But, deep
inside, I realized that just one more day could make a
difference. For just one more day, I could force myself to eat
good food. For just one more day, I realized this was not about
my selfish attitude and me.

IT’S THE BIG PICTURE Each of you is different. You will put into
exercise a certain amount of effort and everyone will get
something different from it. You cannot just package good
intentions and say, “If you do this or if you buy that, you will
receive this in return.” It just doesn’t work that way. But, I
will guarantee you this: committing to exercise and eating right
will bring you nothing but positive and fulfilling rewards, both
physically and emotionally. It could very well save your life
some day. It saved mine!

A PROMISE THAT CAN NOT BE BROKEN.

I have bad days. I have good days. I have days I had wish I had
never started exercising. I want fried foods some days. I eat
fried foods sometimes. I want to take a vacation from it all. I
take a vacation from it all. Yet, at the end of the day, some
small voice inside reminds me of that decision I made many years
ago. I can’t turn back even when I want to. I made a commitment
to myself years ago: Never be afraid to ask for help and realize
every day to focus on the big picture. What about you? Are you
going to sell out to being miserable, achy, low energy, and
suffer from low self-esteem? Or are you going to make a
meaningful decision to get in better health? Let’s do it
together.

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