Success in fitness is so much more than just willing yourself to do better. Motivation comes from a deeper place.

I was having a coaching call with a client and she told me she had a fear of living her life and going out because she was so afraid of falling off her plan. In the house she’s in complete control. But when family events come up or she travels she fears falling off the wagon and not being able to get back on.

As a coach, one of the things that allows me to do what I do, to truly impact and change lives is that I often know what it feels like to be my clients, because I’ve been there too.

Today I want to share with you what I told her. And what I instill in every client that works with me that leads them to not only find their motivation from within but also sets them up for fat loss success that is transformational in their entire lives.

Once you start to apply these basic principles I’m about to reveal to you, you’ll never lose your motivation to transform your body ever again. And you’ll make fitness your lifestyle – for good.

Have A Plan

The first key to success when it comes to any goal is to have a plan.

It is a major mistake if you think that by simply saying you want to lose x amount of weight, or you want to be in the best shape of your life without a clear road map to get there.

What does a plan really look like?

Well for each of you that can be different. Let’s start where it’s the same.

You need to schedule your workouts. Set your workout times as Standing appointments that are immovable except in the event of an emergency.

Next you need to know what you’re doing for every workout.

Don’t Just Wing It.

Have a program, have it all spelled out, go on autopilot, then think of one thing – beat your numbers.

Raise the bar in your workouts to keep your body evolving.

Now your diet is where things may differ. You might be the type of person who needs a spelled-out meal plan. Or you may be someone who does better with tracking numbers. No matter which way works for you, figure it out and then stick to it. Do what fits best with your lifestyle while staying consistent.

But here’s the thing even with a plan nothing is perfect so you need to be ready to…

Abandon That Plan

Fitness is a lifelong journey. When you decide that you want to take your health seriously, then you’ve got to REALISTICALLY incorporate it into your lifestyle.

So although I just told you to have a plan, you want to have one that does allow for flexibility. Especially when you go through busy periods in life or you’re left in situations out of your control.

Flexibility could look like you allowing yourself to move your workout times around to what you can fit in during those times when life is pulling you in multiple directions.

Or being ok with missing a few, but making an effort to stay active. Perhaps that means you simply aim for 10 thousand steps a day and 30 secs of planks when you can’t make it to the gym. Or perhaps making a choice to eat less or do intermittent fasting when life gets too busy to sit down for a moment and enjoy a meal.

But here’s the thing, when you make a conscientious decision to be flexible you cannot beat yourself up about this choice.

Which is why the final tip I have for you is the most crucial of the 3…

Give Yourself Grace

My dear, you need to give yourself grace in this process of change.

Here’s the truth, wherever you started in this fitness journey, it wasn’t a perfect place. And even now, if you’ve achieved any kind of success in reaching your goal along the way, you aren’t the same person you were yesterday. You are constantly evolving and changing. Such as life does.

And there will be times where you do fall off, where you don’t feel like “doing it”, where you’re tired, and you’re don’t have the same UMPH you did when you were at peak motivation.

It’s in that moment that I need you to step back. To give yourself the grace to be human. To allow yourself to meet YOURSELF where you’re at right now.

Don’t allow yourself to go backwards completely and lose EVERYTHING you’ve worked so hard for.

Instead, look at where you can do what you can. Set small milestones to accomplish. Simple steps that are a glimmer of you at your best. And keep doing those small drops in the bucket every single day.

Over time, that bucket will fill up. And so will your fire begin to burn DEEP inside of you as you find your passion to master your health once again.

We all need to keep in perspective that the journey to fitness is one that is never-ending.