We’re towards the end of 2018!
During my fitness journey, I’ve seen some major progress with my overall health and wellness. However since this is real life, things always find a way to pop up unexpectedly. Lately I was given more responsibility at work and constantly getting sick from the winter weather. Safe to say I wasn’t consistent with my training and I fell off the grid.
With my priorities shifting all over the place, I found myself slowly putting my health and nutrition on the back burner. I stopped looking at the foods I was eating and skipped training sessions. Why? Because I was just exhausted from work. Once I started noticing my pattern, it was hard for me to get back to my fitness regimen.
I was damn near ready to quit.
Until one morning, while checking my email and saw messages (yes multiple!) from my coaches. This was so bizarre because I never had a coach contact me outside of the gym. They were checking in to see if I was okay, but what they were really saying was:
“Hey! You’ve been slacking. You’re gonna lose your progress if you keep doing this. Get your butt back to training.”
That was the motivation I needed. My exhaustion didn’t matter at that moment and I went back into training that day.
My coaches brought me back!
It was the first time I had a coach help me refocus on why I started. That’s when I truly realized how valuable a coach can be. Coaches are great leaders who motivate, inspire, and challenge you. They help you reach your true potential. However not all coaches are the same.
You need to find someone who knows how to keep you focused. After having multiple coaches in my fitness journey, I thought this might be a great topic to discuss.
Here is how to pick the RIGHT coach for you:
1. What do YOU want?
This is a genuine question: what do you want? Do you want to be super slim? Build muscle? Run a marathon? Or do you just want to be able to lift your own body weight? Really get specific in your goals and what you want to achieve. The more clear your goals are, the better chance you have at finding a coach that can help you.
For example if you really want to be weightlifter or a marathon runner, look for a coach that specializes in that field. The internet is your friend here.
2. Do they check in?
I remember having coaches that only spoke to me whenever I was at the gym. For some people, this works for them. However for me, I like to build a foundation with my coach. I like to let them know what I’m thinking and what their ideas are on achieving my goal. Remember, this is a TEAM effort between you and your coach.
Do you want a coach that will check in with you even in and out of the gym? Or do you prefer to just see them only when you’re training? Whatever works for you, make sure that you both come to an agreement on communication.
3. Do they push your limits?
Coaches are there to help you change – and sometimes change is scary. They’re there to break your old habits and rebuild you into a stronger human. A good coach tests your limits and will not let you off the hook easily. Think about it: if we only did a workout whenever we felt like it, we’re never gonna grow. So make sure you have a coach that helps you growing and tests your limits. You’ll thank them in the end.
And that’s it for now! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Also if you like this post, make sure you share it with friends and family.
Til next time,
Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash