The most important aspect of training for long term success might not be what you think. We all crave it.
I’ve spent thousands of dollars, immeasurable hours on education and research, and had countless conversations and arguments about the most optimal way to lose weight, get fit, get healthy , get toned and get happy, than I choose to remember.
The hardest thing about training people is trying to get people to “see value” in what they’re doing. Trying to get them to “put their health first” – I’ve been down so many rabbit holes in regards to the ultimate program and the ultimate form of motivation that I think I’ve started to grow a tail.
But after a while when you’ve stopped trying to impress everyone with how much of an expert you are in your chosen field, you will come back to this one potent realisation.
The most important part of designing or doing a program, regardless of the goal, is to make sure you enjoy it
If you don’t enjoy it, chances are you wont stick to it and chances are pretty good, you wont get a long-term result.
End. Of. Story.
Check this out :
Why do you watch what you watch on tv?
Because you enjoy it
Why do people smoke even though its expensive, disgusting, slowly getting pushed into alley ways and next to rubbish bins and they know its going to send them to their grave up to 25 years early?
Because they enjoy it.
Why do people eat shit food when they know its going to make them sick fat and stupid?
Because they enjoy it
Why do people take drugs when they know they might get a bad batch and it might kill them?
You get the picture…
Have a look at your life and examine what you have consistently done for years and years on end with any great level of efficiency. And don’t include things you get paid to do.
Chances are the things that motivate you the most are the things you enjoy.
Let go back to weight loss
Why is it people can all arrive at the same end point, that being weight loss, via such vastly different methods?
People who love running will tell you running is the best way to lose weight and many people have lost weight via running.
People who love weights will tell you weight is the best way to lose weight and many people have lost weight via weights
People who love spin class will tell you spin is the best way to lose weight and many people have lost weight via spin
People who love boxing will tell you boxing is the best way to lose weight and many people have lost weight via boxing
People who love hiking will tell you hiking is the best way to lose weight and many people have lost weight via hiking
See what I’m saying
Case in point
This is my mate Alira. She decided in January 2014 to go on a health kick. She is a smart girl, so she knew she needed to do SOME weight training so she didn’t lose muscle, so she sought the help of a trainer to do weights with her 2 times per week. The trainer also said she had to do some aerobic conditioning in order to maximise fat loss.
Now if she spoke to a running coach she would have been advised to run. If she spoke to a boxing coach she would have been advised to box. If she spoke to me 5 years ago, she probably would of got some long slow steady state cardio to begin with and slowly moved towards your more high intensity work as time progressed. And that would have been a valid option.
But in Alira’s own words she would rather “stab herself in the eye than go running”. So she chose Zumba. Why? Because she enjoyed it! And she knew she would be able to stick to it because she enjoyed it. She knew she would be able to do it on her own because she enjoyed it. She knew that after the first few weeks and the initial thrill of training wore off, and she was locked into the grind, she would stick to Zumba. Why? Because she enjoyed it. And so she did it 5-6 times a week. FOR A YEAR. And it worked.
I’m yet to speak to a coach who advises the best form of fat loss is Zumba. But it works.
And you should know why by now.
The only reason I ever stuck to training for so long is because I enjoy it. I never miss training. I’ll reschedule clients, turn up hung-over, train around injuries and only stay in hotels near gyms when on holidays.
Its not just me either, if you speak to the fittest people in the gym they will all tell you the same thing, they enjoy going to the gym. They enjoy training and they enjoy pushing themselves
Do What You Enjoy
So my advice to you is if your looking for the secret, if your looking for the magic program, if your looking for that special conversation that is going to finally inspire you to chase your goals, look no further as the answer begins and ends with, make sure you enjoy it.
If you enjoy it you will do it more often, with more consistency and more enthusiasm and thus give yourself a better chance of getting what you want.
If you don’t like lifting weights or you don’t like pushing yourself on the battle rope or you don’t like maxing out in sprints, then chances are you will only do these things for a few weeks before your consistency starts to slip. It is human nature. And the only other way to get people to do anything they don’t enjoy, with any great level of consistency, is to pay them.
Think about it