I hate the term “jumpstart” when talking about nutrition and fitness. I hate it, but I’ve used it. For example, I had a small program called the “28-Day Jumpstart.” Hypocritical? Maybe, but before you get carried away and run me out of town, let me explain.
Over my years in the industry, I have worked with countless people who want to “jumpstart” their health. They come in thinking that once they get started, everything will fall into place, and they will arrive at their dream fitness goal and stay there forever. That’s a lovely plan that, in my experience, rarely works.
The analogy sounds good on the surface. Your car (fitness, healthy living) is stalled out, so it needs a quick charge of electricity (fitness program, diet plan) to get it up and running. Now that you’ve got it started, you’re good to go forever. Do you see where the problem is?
Have you ever jumpstarted your car and never taken it to a mechanic? I would guess never. If your vehicle doesn’t start, you instinctively know something is not right. Getting it started is just a quick fix in an emergency but doesn’t get to the root of the problem. If you were to go about your life, as usual, you’d most likely be stuck the next time you needed your car to start. The car not starting is simply a symptom of another issue like a bad battery, loose cable, or even a faulty alternator.
Now back to your health and fitness…
If you have repeatedly started a fitness routine or “diet” only to quit after a few months, weeks, or even days, you haven’t addressed YOUR root problem. Why do you keep quitting your workouts? Maybe you are trying things that are too extreme. After all, working out two hours a day or eating nothing but protein drinks and salads can get pretty old for most people. Or you just aren’t comfortable in the gym with the young or hardcore crowd who seem to be more interested in showing off than actually being healthy. I’ve been there. I feel you!
A healthy, active life is not something that you can just slide, worry-free, and without trouble, into a lifestyle. There are always bumps, potholes, and detours along the way. The trick is to find a way that YOU can live sustainably. That can be a very different thing for each individual and sometimes you need people who are on your side and understand. That’s what we do at the Bodysmith.
So we can get your plan going again with a jumpstart, but that only gets you to the real work: finding out what else you need to fix in your plan and life to keep moving long-term! If you ever need any help just reach out to me and I’ll see what I can do.
–Coach Brad
