By: Derek Wellock

Every year, particularly in January after the long holiday season there is a huge increase in the general population’s motivation to get healthy, drop some weight and get back to or start a new routine.  The average person will increase their body fat alone by 1 to 2lbs just during the holiday months from November through December. Doing this year over year for 5 years and you are 10 pounds of fat heavier.  It is so easy to let the mindless snacking, skip some workouts and boom before you know it the holidays are over, and you left feeling worse. BOOM. Motivation kicks in. Time for a change, time to start working out, start a diet, a cleans, and take control.  

After 13 years of coaching in the health and fitness industry I have seen so many people start the new year with steam and after a couple of weeks completely give up.  Why? When you’re motivated it is easy to get up early, it is easy to pick the good food, it is easy to say no to the crap snacks laying around the office. But motivation always comes and always goes.  Typically and this is where I see the break in the chain and why our country is getting unhealthier, fatter, and less disciplined with their health. You have to make a choice to take control of your health and those who win, are the ones to stick to the routine and healthy habits when the motivation disappears.  Because guess what!? The motivation will always disappear.

1. Make up your mind and admit to yourself you are absolutely in control and responsible for your life and health.  Unless you take full ownership of you and confront your excuses you will never succeed. Understand that. You will never succeed if you can’t face yourself and be truthful to yourself. 
2. Build a routine.  Those who are the most successful in life have a great routine and they stick to it.  My most successful days, weeks, months and years took place when I had my routine on point.  Build a routine. Fight as hard as you can to maintain the routine, and when the routine goes to shit as it will from time to time.  Remember forward movement is a test over time. You can have an off day and still win the week. You can have an off week and still win the month.  The goal is always an 80% or better completion rate for each week, for each month for the year! Stack your wins. 
3. Start simple.  If you ate awful for 3 months and stopped working out, don’t jump right back into 5 days a week and the full keto or vegetarian diet because of the latest B.S Netflix documentary.  Start working out 3 days a week, and start eating slower, adding some veggies and lean protein to your day, start gaining mindfulness around your food. People who start quickly and hard often stop quicker and harder.  Bitting off manageable bit sizes and making consistent small improvements over time is the best way to make sure your habits become sustainable parts of your life.
4. Get with a coach! I can’t reiterate this enough.  I have spent a large part of my professional and adult life leading and helping people navigate health and wellness.  A coach is a HUGE resource who can help you set goals, layout reasonable expectations for your goals. A good coach will hold you accountable to achieving your goals.  A really good coach will help and be able to navigate the excuses, the roadblocks, and a great coach will then help you overcome them and succeed! I am here to be a great coach for you along with the rest of the Double Edge Team.  So let us help you. We are here to help! 

Suggested reading for 2020 to get your life rolling! 

“Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear
“Max Out Your Life” Ed Mylett
“Power of Habit” Charles Duhigg
“Essentialism” Greg McKeown

Let’s Go!