I'm sure most people would scream YES with the thought that if they admit they're ready then they'll be able to lose weight easier, but it's not that simple. If you truly think you're ready, for weight loss, for muscle gain, for body recomposition, for any type of nutritional intervention, there are a few questions I want you to ask yourself first...
What is your WHY?
Your WHY is the entire reason you're wanting to make a change in the first place but it can't (shouldn't) be for superficial reasons like... I want to lose weight because I have a vacation coming up, OR I want to fit in my size 4 jeans again. Your WHY should encompass LONGEVITY. For example- I want to lose weight so I can feel better in my body and have more energy as I grow older, OR I want to gain muscle so my body can move better and I can be stronger for my children and grandchildren to come. By attaching a long-term goal to your WHY you can truly embrace this journey as something that will benefit you for years to come.
What has worked for you in the past and what hasn't?
Addressing this question, and possibly making a list, can help you see what truly doesn't work for you and what has. Letting your coach know as well will help them determine the best protocol and plan for you to help you achieve your goals!
How motivated are you?
Motivation is definitely high at the start of any wellness/health journey. It's exciting to say "I'm going to start X,Y,Z" because we feel proud of ourselves for making that decision (easier said than done). Once that decision is made, you need to EXECUTE a plan and generally, a few weeks in, is when coaches start to see clients losing motivation, losing hope, losing faith in the process and getting frustrated. This is when it's important to solidify you WHY behind your choice to embark on this journey and have good communication with your coach so they can assist you through any sticking points and plateaus in the process!
Are you willing and ready? Readiness is defined as "the state of being fully prepared for something" OR the "willingness to do something."
I'd like you to see the OR as an AND. We all may think we are willing to enter into a weight loss or building phase, but are you truly prepared? Did you discuss this with your significant other/friends/family/loved ones so they can support you and your decision? What if they don't? Have you thought about the mental load this will take on you and them? Do you have the resources in place to make this happen (coach, groceries, supplements, workout equipment, gym access, etc.) Do you have stress relief mechanisms in place for when things get tough?
What distractions are currently present in your life?
Is it work and deadlines? Family/friend obligations? Holidays/vacations/birthdays? Are you a caretaker for a loved one? All these things can potentially 'get in the way' of your progress unless you acknowledge these distractions and make a game plan for how you will navigate them. For example- I keep all my meetings, vacations, birthdays, events, etc. on a calendar which helps me prepare for the week ahead. I schedule days I will workout, I meal prep at the beginning of the week and I plan my week to accommodate any variations.
Are you willing to learn and/or try new things that will assist with weight loss?
If nothing changes, then nothing changes! Obviously the things you have been doing aren't getting you to your goals or else you wouldn't have the desire to start a health/wellness journey in the first place! And change is hard! Making changes to your day and adding in new habits to your routine is something you have to make a conscious decision to do every day or else they will never actually become a new habit. As a coach, I can tell you exactly what to do to reach your goals, but YOU have to be the one to execute them, YOU have to be the one to do the work, and YOU have to have patience with the process. I want to add, perfection is never the goal- I'm not perfect either and I've been tracking my own health habits for months now! The goal is PROGRESS, no matter how small and no matter how mundane is may be!
Assess your lifestyle, what are your biggest struggles and strengths?
Knowing what your strengths and struggles are can be very helpful when navigating the start of your journey. Being able to identify them can also help you determine what strategies to use to overcome them (you should have adequate coping mechanisms in place to manage struggles like mediation, reading, getting outdoors, venting to a loved one, etc.). These are actually questions I ask in my weekly check-ins for one-on-one clients so you can reflect on your week and jot down notes on those prompts. As a coach, this also helps me determine where you are thriving and where you need more assistance so I can make the necessary adjustments to your plan!
What's your dieting history been? Have you weight cycled and yo-yo dieted in your past?
Even though you may think your ready, willing and prepared, you're body may not be. If you've been chronically dieting on and off for over a decade (we call this yo-yo dieting), if you're always losing and gaining the same 10-20 pounds (we call this weight cycling), and if you've never been able to maintain any type of progress you've reached, then you're body is likely not ready for a diet, and rather a REVERSE DIET approach to help optimize your metabolic capacity. In other words, eating at maintenance and/or a surplus for a good amount of time to show your body it's in a safe place to enter a dieting phase, as this can help alleviate stress from years of yo-yo dieting and weight cycling and help you body respond better in the future!
If you resonated with this blog, please screen shot and share on your social platforms and/or forwards this to a friend!
If you want help getting healthier, need guidance and more accountability, please visit my coaching plans page to see what I offer!
You can also sign up for a discovery call so we can chat about your goals and see if we are a good fit for each other! I'd love to help you achieve your goals if you're truly ready for a change!
Please click the little heart in the bottom right corner of this blog if you enjoyed it!