I’m going to start an exercise program on monday. (It always starts on monday for some reason) I’m going to exercise 5 days per week for an hour a day and I’m going to completely change my diet and eat nothing but super nutritious food and I’m going to quit smoking and drinking.

How’s that working out?

Diets are short term, lifestyle changes are long term.

My goal for you is to make a lifestyle change that will last.

To do that we have to approach the program with a plan.

The plan will start very narrow and then it will get more broad.

We will start with a diet plan. I’ll suggest what to eat and when to eat. We’ll do that for 6 weeks.

During that time you’ll begin to understand how your body reacts to certain exercises, foods etc.

You’ll also learn what you can do and what you can’t. You’ll get a picture of a normal week and you’ll adjust accordingly.

You’ll “fall off the wagon” at times but knowing that will allow you to get right back on it.

Recently I was working with a client and explaining to him what is possible if he applies what I taught him. I also explained to him that I’m giving you an outline. You need to make that outline fit you.

Don’t try to fit you into the outline.

What I meant was, don’t set yourself up for failure by making goals that are unreachable. It’s like forcing a square peg into a round hole.

If you’re not an early riser, don’t schedule appointments early, I told him.

He starts the program.

2 weeks later he quit the program.

I asked why and he said it just didn’t work for him.

As I dug deeper I found out the foods he was eating weren’t agreeing with him.

Why didn’t you just ask me? This is such an easy fix. All you had to do was make some slight adjustments.

My point.

Experiment. Learn how your body works. Adjust.

It’s the difference between a rigid plan and a flexible one. Be flexible.