We are in an incredible time in history, where there’s more information than we could possibly get through in a lifetime instantly accessible to us, literally at our fingertips, at any given moment. It’s rad, and I love it, but can also be overwhelming at times!
This is especially true for anyone trying to go it alone as they try to lose weight, gain muscle, or transform their body. Although there is tons of information out there, how do you figure out what’s correct, true, or right for you?
Anyone can contribute to the ol’ interwebs who wants to, so it’s easy to come across a lot of information that looks like fact or a great idea that’s actually garbage, but the person selling it does such a good job that it can be really hard to judge. It’s easy to waste a lot of time and even money on things like these if you’re still learning how to spot the differences between a sales pitch and a credible source.
What I’m saying is, doing it on your own is TOUGH. You can read and read until you’re blue in the face, and you might make some progress - even a lot of progress - but it takes a lot of time, study, trial and error to finally arrive at a program that works for you, and even then it will need to be tweaked over time…
It’s definitely not impossible to do on your own, but the road is much more windy and can have a lot more roadblocks than if you reach out to a trustworthy expert for assistance.
One thing to note is that almost all of the people sporting enviable physiques (especially those who compete in fitness competitions, are involved in elite level competitive sports, or are fitness models for a living) that you see online have a specialist (or maybe two) helping them, teaching them, guiding them through and, most importantly, keeping them accountable.
The truth is, and I’ve mentioned this before, that even coaches need coaches. Even the people who teach and guide others for a living also need some help from time to time, so if the experts reach out to other experts for help, that should let you know that not only is there no shame in hiring someone, but it’s also a wise choice!
The great thing about having a personal coach is that they can make changes with you on the fly and communicate about what’s working and what’s not and WHY, so that you can take steps in a different direction based upon these answers and aren’t continuing to shoot in the dark. You can make progress a lot faster this way than by guessing about what to try next.
They also likely have had lots of experience with clients who have felt very similarly to the way you’re feeling, and have encountered many of the same challenges, so they may have strategies and suggestions to help you that might be very difficult to arrive at on your own.
So if you’re serious about your health and fitness, especially if you’ve been struggling to reach your goals so far, I would suggest that you strongly consider hiring a coach to help pave the way to your healthiest, fittest self. Why stay stagnant when you could make progress?
Here are a couple of suggestions about how to choose a coach:
Find someone who lives the lifestyle themselves. Even if they don’t have the exact body type that you personally want to achieve, if they look healthy and fit and coaching is their job, then they probably know their shit.
Whether you’re looking to have remote coaching from an online source or someone in your area, do as much research on them and their approach as you can.
Check out their success stories, their before and afters, and any read reviews you can find - especially those NOT posted on their own website.
Make sure they have check-ins or some kind of contact with you so that you can ask questions, learn from them, and get help if you hit any stumbling blocks.
Start with a NUTRITION coach first, rather than an exercise coach. I'm sure you've heard (perhaps from me) that nutrition is a HUGE part of fitness, even more important than working out, and it's the easiest to make mistakes with - in my opinion, even if you choose a random workout program online, you'll make the most progress and get the most bang for your buck if you have an expert managing your nutrition.
To me, as long as I’m helping those around me work toward looking and feeling their best, whether I’m the one coaching them through it or not, I’m doing my job well. There are plenty of fish in the fitness sea - if I’m not the right coach for you, I’ll always point you in the direction of someone who is! I’m always skeptical of a coach who believes they’re the only one out there who is right for every client. I believe the priority of anyone in this industry should be helping others before helping themselves!
Keep in mind that private coaching is not always prohibitively expensive - there are ways to get help that won’t break the bank. You can usually start out with a plan that’s less hands-on, but also less money. See how you do with that first if you’re on a budget, and if you need more assistance you can always upgrade as you go.
On the topic of being on a budget, if you really (and I mean REALLY) want to get healthy and fit, I believe you can find a way. Do you usually buy treats, coffee from a coffee shop, or alcohol? Do you spend money on clothes you don’t really need? Think of all the ways, no matter how small, you can put together your pennies to afford a service that will pay substantial dividends for the rest of your lifetime - health is wealth, my friends!
The point of this post is NOT for me to try to convince you to hire me. All I’m saying is to consider the idea of hiring some coach, somewhere, at some point, because I know how powerful the effects can be.
I have worked with many coaches over the course of my lifetime, and I will continue to do so - if I have a goal, I want to reach it as quickly and efficiently as possible, and I will be the first to acknowledge that despite my experience in the industry it always helps me to have another brain working on the process and someone to answer to.
I have never worked with a coach that I didn’t learn something from, either about training, about nutrition, or about myself. All good things to keep learning about, am I right?
I’m also MUCH more likely to adhere to guidelines if I’m actually paying for the service, because I for one like to get my money’s worth!
Anyway, it’s something to consider! I’m always happy to help, so reach out to me - I’d be delighted to assist you in choosing a coach that’s right for you, or to help you figure out how to narrow it down.
Please feel free to comment, upvote, or resteem if you’d like! :)
