Tips to Keep on Progressing

One of the most important parts of my role as a Personal Trainer is to ensure that my clients keep on progressing and stay on the track to success. Staying focused can be difficult at times, however the following are some of the tips that I have used with my clients to keep them on the path to success:

1. Picture yourself - take a photograph of yourself when you start your new health and fitness programme and then regular progress photos every 4-6 weeks. Photographs do not lie (unless you edit them!!) and I have found they are a fantastic way to show and track your progress, whether your goal is for instance weight loss or weight gain. We see ourselves all of the time (e.g. in mirrors) as do our family, close friends and work colleagues - which means that sometimes we do not always notice the great progress. However, the photograph will and it will act as great motivational tool for you to keep on going. Stick it on the food cupboard door.

2. Measure yourself - take body circumference measurements of yourself when you start your new health and fitness programme and then regular measurements every 4-6 weeks, for instance, waist, chest, upper arm, upper thigh etc. This I have found enables us to identify which areas of your body we need to focus on when starting and then which areas of the body are progressing the most and still need work on. It’s a great motivational feeling when you re-measure your waist and you have lost say 1 inch (if weight loss is your goal) or if you re-measure your arm and you have gained say 1 inch (if muscle gain is your goal).

3. Goals - clearly write down, analyse, re-assess and visualise your goals. If you do not know what you want to achieve, how will you know when you have achieved it? From experience, I have found that clients who know what they want to achieve and then visualise achieving their goals, are the ones that are more likely in the long term to be successful. Write down your goals and stick it on the cupboard or at the side or your bed for instance. Achieving a goal is a fantastic feeling and makes you want to achieve more.

4. Celebrate - you have been training hard, eating well nutritionally and avoiding the temptations. Now reward yourself and celebrate when you have achieved a goal and target. You might go and buy yourself a new smaller pair of jeans (this in itself acts as a great motivational tool) or go for a family meal. Just remember to always get back on track after you have given yourself a reward and you can look forward to celebrating your next achievement. Rewarding yourself after you have made sacrifices to get there feels fantastic and you will want to repeat this feeling next time.

This is just an insight into some of the ideas and tips I have to help you keep on track. Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you want to discuss them in more detail.

Keep up the great work,

Matt