Lindsey and I had our first couples coaching call a couple nights ago

We are so excited for these couples and marriages that are investing in improving their health together

There were so many times in our marriage where I would pursue one health or fitness goal as Lindsey would pursue another

It just never felt right or fully connected, which was a big reason we decided to test this with other couples

It is always more powerful, impactful, effective, and fun when we pursue a goal together

Other people must have felt the same way that we did, because we had probably 20+ couples reach out with interest - but we had to limit it to 5 couples based on our time availability right now

Well, technically we ended up with 6 couples because Lindsey and I are still working on saying no to people that know they need to change and are excited to make the changes

We honestly cannot wait to see the transformation this group sees in their health and their bodies that leads to more confidence, more energy, and all the mental benefits that come with a strong and healthy body

And even more than that, the change that it can lead to for their kids (and future kids) as they live out a healthier lifestyle

On our first call we got a chance to hear from each of the couples on what results are most important to them and why they were excited about the program

What was interesting though, without us even prompting the question, most people talked about why they hadn't succeeded in the past

How they got to the point they are today

How they got to the point where they knew they needed to make a change

And while everyone didn't communicate it in the exact same way or with the exact same words, Lindsey and I quickly picked up on a common thread between most people and why they struggled in the past

Consistency.

We heard things over and over from the group along the lines of...

"I was consistent for a while, and then ____ happened, and then I fell off"

For some that was having a kid, an unexpected global pandemic, a job or schedule change, or a lack of accountability

Sometimes falling off looks immediate and abrupt. You were working out 3 (or more) days a week, eating well, and then just like that you stopped.

Sometimes falling off looks a lot more like a slow progression. You loosened up on your diet a bit here and there. You missed a few days at the gym as things got busier or over the holidays. What started as 'here and there' turned into 10, 20, or more pounds of weight gained

There's incredible momentum that comes with consistency

That momentum can work very powerfully for your good

Or..

It can work very powerfully against you once it gets rolling in the wrong direction

I'm not telling you anything you don't know when I say that consistency is the key to the results you're getting (or not getting) in any area of your life

You've probably heard that 100 times over

The more I've been around the health and fitness industry, working with thousands of people at this point, consistency might be the greatest weapon you have at your disposal

But also the greatest weapon that can be used against you if you're not careful

Consistency can be related to your workouts, with your nutrition, a healthy daily habit such as journaling or avoiding mindless time on social media, or with any area of your life you're looking to improve.

When it comes to health and fitness - most people simply don't stay in the game long enough to see results

And most people are fooled into thinking they're maintaining when in reality they're slowly slipping in the wrong direction

You might be one to let external things get you off track way too easily. This is a job change, work commitment, or any external demand someone is putting on you that gets you off track

You might let internal things get you off track way too easily. This is typically letting your emotions or mental state get in the way of the results you're after. Maybe you just don't feel like working out or eating healthy today, you're too tired, you're stressed and crave sugar, or you quit something because you're bored or because it's too hard

Two years ago, realizing that I was out of balance in my priorities, I essentially stumbled upon a system that has worked incredibly well for me to build on my strength, body composition, mobility, and overall longevity without working out more than 2-3 days each week

I thought it was too good to be true, so I tested it with some family members

Then some friends

Then eventually with paying clients

The results came back positive time and time again

People kept getting results with half the time spent working out as they're used to

While I think the system we use with our clients is exceptional, and works very well, for several reasons

I don't think it's the best system, program, or workout there is

It's pretty darn good

But there's a lot of pretty darn good programs out there

There's some specific and intentional physiological benefits we leverage with our strength, mobility, and nutrition protocols

But after testing and refining this for the past few years, I've changed my mind on why I think a program like ours is so successful for helping people lose fat, build muscle, and easily maintain it

I think the one thing more powerful than the physiological benefits are the psychological benefits that we leverage

Working out 5-6 times a week, beating yourself up with cardio and high intensity workouts, and crash diets are attractive for several reasons

They have the potential to get results fast

But I don't know a single client I've had, or a single person in our coaching group, that hasn't tried that before

Yet despite trying that one, five, or ten dozen times

They're still not where they want to be at

Or they wouldn't be reaching out for help

A program is only as effective as the length of time you can stick with it

Similar to investments, you don't want to pour your hard earned money into investments that spike for a week only to crash even lower than where they started

Yet we see this being the approach of choice for most people looking to get healthy

They throw a hail mary at another program hoping results come quick and stay forever

Imagine if a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now you didn't have to keep telling yourself "I should really start exercising and eating better"

What if your health and fitness was just effortlessly maintained that it allowed you to invest that precious energy spent worrying about your body into other more important areas

Relationships and your family. That business you want to start or grow. That hobby you keep putting off.

If that sounds like you, here's a list of some better ways to get results that actually last:

1) 80% (or any percent) Is Better Than 0%

Drop all or nothing tendencies. Most people we talk to that 'fall off' after being consistent for a while have been stuck in this mindset.

When you believe 100% (or even 80%) is necessary to get the results you want, and you get placed in a situation that doesn't allow for 100% (basically EVERY day of your life), then you will say screw it and fall off your plan

When you can ask yourself what you can do right now to make your health better, instead of waiting for the time to be perfect, you will find yourself making progress in the toughest of life stages (or at the very least minimizing damage that you'll have to recover from down the road)

Following 40% of your meal plan or workout program sure beats doing nothing

It may not get you your dream body but one better decision can lead to the next over time

2) Plan Ahead

If you can't see yourself following this diet/workout/habit 6 months (or 6 years) from now then you better have a very good reason of why you're doing it

I truly believe you could follow thousands of different eating styles, workout programs, and end up at a similar place if you just stay consistent

To stay consistent requires planning

You're not missing workouts when you anticipate the things that can come up that would prevent you from working out (childcare, gym closures, etc)

You're far less likely to grab fast food or something convenient when your meals are prepped and healthier options are more readily available.

3) Use Systems That Set You Up For Success

What habits and systems set you up for the most success?

For your nutrition, do you do your best when you prep all your meals? When you track your food in an app? Or when you use a convenient hand tracking system for your macros like we recommend with our clients?

For your workouts, do you have a plan that's laid out so you can get right to work? Or are you winging it and trying to figure that out on the fly?

If you want to run or go to the gym first thing in the morning, something as simple as laying out all your stuff the night before could keep you from skipping or wasting time the next morning

Find what it is for you that sets you up for long-term success

4) Get Accountable

Everyone hates the word accountability but so few actually have it

Our program and nutrition recommendations are far from perfect, but there's a reason our clients get the results they do

They have a coach they have to report to each week and one that's frequently checking in and making adjustments to keep them on track

You don't need to pay for coaching to develop accountability

Enlisting a friend, family member, workout buddy, or even posting on social media can be enough of an external driver to keep you on track

Self-accountability is possible, but it's really dang hard. Most people aren't able to keep themselves accountable long enough to see the results they desire

Don't be afraid to lean on external accountability to get the results you're after

5) Set A Timeframe

You're capable of enduring a lot more than you think you are

Most people don't set clear timelines that give them a defined end point that they're working towards

I bet your likelihood of running 50 miles is far higher than you running 50 miles if I simply told you to run until I told you to stop

When you don't know what you're working towards, it makes it a lot harder to stick to it when it gets tough

If you find a new program or way of eating to start, commit to sticking to it for a certain amount of time. This will keep you from bouncing from thing to thing and never getting the results you deserve

6) It's Okay To Quit, But Never To Give Up

I'm not one to say that you should never quit anything

If you know something isn't working, don't push through it simply because you said you would

Now to be clear, I'm not saying quit any time it gets hard or uncomfortable

You'll never get the results you desire in any area of your life if you have that mindset

However, there are times when you certainly should quit

If it is physically hurting your body or your joints, or doing anything that would sacrifice your long-term health, that's certainly a reason worth quitting

If it's getting in the way of areas of your life that are higher priority - your relationship with God, relationship with your spouse, relationship with kids, your mental or emotional health - then there is no shame in quitting

While it's okay to quit - you have to promise to yourself that you'll never give up

Quitting might mean changing your plan or adjusting your strategy, but this is not the same as giving up

Giving up involves that 'screw it' mentality that involves doing nothing to move towards your goals

No matter how small the action is, you can always be doing something to move forward

Slow is fast and fast is slow.

When you stay with it for long enough you'll be amazed at how fast and how far you can go.

Keep at it,

Dr. Dave