I had a new client sign up recently, and her goal was to lose 30 pounds.
Naturally, she wanted to know, “How long is this going to take?”
And along the way, she’s going to be asking what the kids ask in the back seat of the car when on a road trip.
“Are we there yet?”
Let me give you an example.
The new client in question weighed 215 pounds. He wanted to know how long it would take him to lose 30 pounds.
So I did some math.
The average rate of weight loss for a man … if following a well-designed exercise and nutrition program about 80 percent of the time … is 0.56% of bodyweight per day. So in this case, about 1.2 pounds per day … or 25 weeks.
So, about 6-7 months.
I feel it’s important to set expectations from the get-go, so everyone is clear on what the goal is and what’s a realistic amount of time to achieve it. This debunks the faulty belief that there are no shortcuts to success.
But lately, I’m considering changing things up.
If you came to me with a weight-loss goal and asked, “How long is this going to take?” … what if I said, “The rest of your life?”
That would probably stop you in your tracks … and make you think.
My reasoning for answering the question this way is, would you stop training or following healthy nutrition and lifestyle habits just because you achieved your goal?
Once the 30 pounds were gone, would you go back to the couch with your bag of chips?
Or would you be motivated and emboldened to take your newfound health and happiness to even greater levels?
After all, my goal is to show my clients how they can do all the things they want and need to do without pain or injury for the rest of their lives.
Not for six months. Or six weeks. Or 12 weeks.
For a lifetime.
So the next time you ask yourself, “Are we there yet?” … it’s OK to say, “Not yet.”
Oftentimes, the best is yet to come.
Your Friend and Coach,
Train Smart. Train Hard. Train Safe. Train to Sweatt
P.S.: Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways I can help you:
1. Be a guest of mine for a One-on-One Fitness Success Session.
We’ll sit down together and develop a personalized plan to help you achieve your fitness goals. Just reply to this message and put “Success” in the subject line.
2. Join my 28 Day Jump Start Program and be a Case Study.
We’re adding a few new clients to our program for 28 days and documenting their success. If you’d like to work with us for the next month and be a case study for fat loss… just reply to this message and put “28” in the subject line.
3. Listen to my interview on FitPro TV
I had the honor of being interviewed as a leading fitness professional. If you would like to listen so I can teach you that if you have failed before there is still a way for you to reach your goals. You can watch the episode here www.paulfsweatcpt.com/podcast