I wrote a couple of days ago about the No. 1 requirement if you want to transform your body and health: Clarity.
Today, I want to discuss requirement No. 2.
Simply put, you need a strategy.
Once you know your starting point and set a specific, attainable goal with a realistic timeline, the next step is to understand what steps you need to take in order to succeed.
A strategy is a set of specific actions that, if performed consistently, will achieve a desired result.
Let’s take a look at how we might formulate a strategy for a 150-pound woman who wants to lose 20 pounds.
A knowledgeable fitness pro would be able to tell her that the average rate of weight loss for a woman who is following a well-designed exercise program and nutrition plan about 80 percent of the time is about 0.5 percent of body weight per week. With a little math, we can determine that it will take about 26 weeks — or 6 months, give or take — to accomplish this goal.
Based on her movement screen and fitness assessment, we know that she needs to improve her core strength and cardiovascular conditioning. Based on our goal-setting discussion, we also know that she only eats vegetables with a few meals per week.
So we’ve checked the first box: We have clarity. Now, we need a strategy.
Here are the initial action steps I would assign:
— 1-2 days per week of resistance training
— 1-2 days per week of cardiovascular conditioning
— Include 1 fist-sized serving of vegetables in at least 2 meals per day.
That’s it. Then, we would have her track her success with those habits to keep her accountable. Depending on how consistent she is with each habit, we may adjust them every two weeks … adding a new habit when she’s mastered one, or making one easier if she’s struggling with it.
Then, every month, we’d meet up and assess results … recording weight and body fat again, so we know if she’s on track to hit her goal or needs an adjustment to her program.
This is how transformation begins to happen … with clarity, and with a strategy to achieve a desired result.
If it seems simple, it is.
Your friend and coach,
Paul F. Sweatt CPT PN1
Train Smart. Train Hard. Train Safe. Train to Sweatt