As with nutrition there is a lot of confusion on what is the single most important factor to long term success when it comes to your fitness. This is a tough question. In my earlier days of personal training I was constantly searching for the best overall fat burning program, the best fat burning pill, or the best cardiovascular exercise to give my clients the best results. Now that I am wiser I realize that for long term success there are two key factors. No it is not money, magic supplements or the latest fad diet…it is ACCOUNTABILITY and accepting personal RESPONSIBILITY!
If you look at the biggest loser contestants many of them become the biggest regainers.Even with big prizes and a lifetime of endorsements they still can not maintain that loss! The number one key to success is the ACCOUNTABILITY! You have to develop the mindset that for long term success you need to be accountable to someone or something. I am a huge advocate of accountability-based fitness and nutrition programs, personal training and N-10sive Boot Camps! Imagine 50+ people that have the same drive and motivation to accomplish the same goals! The group setting has everything that is required to be successful.
Now there is another important factor that we have not touched on yet. This is the”behavorial” aspect of fitness. Remember people can follow any sort of diet but what about the long term success? If we have identified that “accountability” is huge but what makes us stay motivated to be accountable. Accountable to who or what is the question? It is not what diet you follow but what makes you follow your diet?
You may work with the best personal trainer or belong to the best boot camp, but if you are not accountable to yourself to make the right decisions then your long term success will be limited. You must accept personal responsibility! You must internally motivate yourself to take consistent action to change your habitual behaviors! You are only as good as your last workout or meal! Everyday is a new day!
In the shocking follow up of the 1999 Body For Life transformation every single competitor was still within 10# of their post contest results! Initially money and a fancy car was the driving force behind the motivation but what is driving them 10 years later?
Have we all known people to choose a new fitness program or diet plan and end up failing. I truly believe that people choose a plan of action but fail to carry through with it. What makes a doer a doer? I think we need to train our minds just like our body. I like the phrase “our minds are the weakest muscles”.
Infomercials are famous in convincing us that their program is the best. If you truely believe that your program is the best then it will be successful for you!
Stay Strong!
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