Coaching nutrition is the most challenging coaching role in a gym in my opinion. For many clients, it’s also the most difficult part of their journey too. But, it’s also the biggest area of opportunity and oftentimes leads to the best results. It’s so hard because it takes a lot of time, a tremendous amount of effort, and most importantly – consistency.
You see when you come to a class or personal training session once it’s done it’s done and you typically have 24-48 hours until it’s time to workout again. You don’t really have to think about it or do anything for another day or two. Just Netflix and chill!
With nutrition, you eat breakfast and then there’s lunch, dinner, snacks, parties, holidays, vacations – it doesn’t stop. Heck, you may be hungry within an hour of eating a meal sometimes! Or, if you’re like me, you just like to eat!
Another few reasons (and probably the main reasons) why nutrition is so hard is because people put too much pressure on themselves. They set the bar too high too soon.
Remember earlier I said it was going to take a lot of time, a tremendous amount of effort, and most importantly – consistency?
It didn’t take you 8 weeks to gain the weight that you’ve gained or to form the terrible eating habits that you have so it’s not going to take just 8 weeks to lose the weight or break the habits either (I’m sorry!).
Once you understand that this is a long process (but you’re going to do it) and change your frame of mind to give yourself time to make the changes it won’t feel as hard and there will be less frustration and stress.
Once you know that no one expects you to be perfect or lose all of the weight quickly it won’t feel as hard and there will be less frustration and stress.
So if you’re goal is to lose weight, be kind to yourself, manage and set realistic expectations, give yourself time to improve and make adjustments, and just keep doing the work.
If you do these things I promise it won’t feel as hard and there will be less frustration and stress.
