When I started in this industry way back when, I had no idea that I would still be doing it all these years later.
Time flies when you are having fun.
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1) Its an awesome job.
Things have changed a LOT from my days of teaching 15 aerobics classes per week, to now teaching only a couple of face to face sessions. Most of the time I am helping clients to change their lives via the internet. (which I NEVER would have believed 20 years ago).
For me there is NO amount of money and no better feeling than knowing I have helped someone make a breakthrough and change their life for the better.
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2) I am much less focused on how I look and much more focused on how fitness makes me feel.
This makes me somewhat of an anomaly in this age of Instagram and Fitspo images. I guess having my daughter Holly did that to me. I am no longer the centre of my whole universe.
These days my focus is more about –
- what I can do
- how I feel
- how I can help someone
Its no longer about having six pack abs.
Don’t get me wrong, I still like to look great in my favourite outfit and I can still worry (too much sometimes) if and when I let things slide a bit. But how I look is no longer my main focus.
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3) I have seen lots of fads come and go.
One thing I know, you can always rely on the old school basics. Move lots, use your muscles, get out of your comfort zone a couple of times per week and do that in a way that you enjoy.
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4) There is no “One size fits all”
There are many ways to achieve a goal. Just because one protocol worked for you, doesn’t mean that its right for everyone
On the other hand, just because something does not work for you, doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else. (It took me a long time to learn that one).
See also – What’s the best diet for weight loss
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5) I think the current trend of striving for perfection can be harmful.
Whether it be clean eating 100% of the time, ultra low body fat, hours and hours of exercise or striving for the perfect body. No-one can be perfect all of the time and you should not expect that from yourself. I have seen many cases where this results in disaster.
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6) Consistency beats everything.
An ‘OK” fitness session done 3 times per week for years, beats the perfect fitness session done a handful of times until you get bored of it.
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7) Health and fitness messages from most media sources are like “Chinese Whispers”.
What may start out as useful relevant information gets so far watered down and manipulated that it can end up doing more harm than good.
Perfect example. The “eat less fat” message of the 80’s. Somehow this became misconstrued as “eat as much of anything else you like, as long as its low fat”.
Look at what a mess that got us all into.
I see the same thing happening with the quitting sugar wave happening currently. Didn’t we learn our lesson the first time?
See also – Why I don’t like the sugar = bad message
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8) People will always look for the magic pill or perfect formula.
News flash !! It doesn’t exist. Stop looking and do the work.
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9) It doesn’t have to be so hard and so awful.
Some TV shows and media messages can portray the image that you need to live on lettuce leaves and workout so hard that you have to puke or faint, in order to achieve results. This is SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH and it makes me mad. 🙁
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10) I hate the bitching and fighting from some people in my industry.
- Weight lifters hate yoga
- Runners hate body builders
- Zumba lovers hate running
- Everyone hates Cross-fitters.
This is a HUGE generalisation of course, there are a LOT of really awesome people in the industry. However it does go on and it saddens me.
90% of the population does not get enough activity in their day. I think it’s great when people swap their sitting time for moving time, in whatever way that floats their boat.
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11) You can be overweight and fit. You can be thin and unfit (and unhealthy)
The two things are different and seperate processes. Being thin requires you to eat within your energy limits. Being fit requires you partake in regular exercise sessions and get outside of your comfort zone.
In a perfect world, the two things go together, but as we all know, the world ain’t perfect.
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12) When I look around at the modern world, I wonder how EVERYONE isn’t overweight.
Yes, I know that sounds harsh and somewhat defeatist, but everything is set up for excess, convenience and limited movement.
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13) I worry what we as a society will look and feel like in 20 years time.
We seem to be eating our way to an early grave. Will it turn around? I sure hope so.
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14) Of all the fads and gadgets I have seen come and go, I really like activity trackers.
I have been telling my clients for years and years, there are 168 hours in our week. Exercise makes up such a small portion of our time. Activity trackers monitor what your whole day and your whole week looks like. I think this is a really great step in the right direction.
However, please know they have downfalls too. See also – Activity trackers = weight GAIN… Wait, Whaaaat?
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15) I love my clients. Both face to face and online.
I really do have the best bunch of people to connect with. I am a lucky girl.
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16) Belief / mindset is everything.
The body will only go where the mind will lead it.
Whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t…. You are right. (my favourite quote)
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17) Knowledge is no longer power.
Its a great start of course, but knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.
Action speaks louder than words.
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18) Being fit and in shape does not make you a better person than anyone else.
You can look fantastic and your life can still suck and you can still be a pain in the butt. On the other hand, you can have a few extra wobbly bits and your life can be AWESOME. There is a big difference between body image and self image and somehow we (as a society) are confused with this.
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19) Focus on the positives and you get more things to be positive about. Focus on the negatives and you get more things to worry about.
There are usually 100 things going RIGHT in your life at any one time. Yet we (myself included), can choose to put most of our attention into the 1 or 2 things that are going wrong. STOP IT NOW!! (message to myself)
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20) People are too concerned with WHAT to do, when they should be concerned with HOW to fit it into their life.
We pretty much know the formula for health and fat loss. You can Google a diet and fitness plan anywhere on the internet.
However results only last when you find a way to fit a program into your life without taking over it. THIS is what I specialise in teaching my clients.
This is the most important thing we can focus on for health, fitness and fat loss.
See also Become the expert on YOU
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Want more coaching on how to reach YOUR fitness and weight loss goals?
Find out how I can help you HERE >>> Coaching with Chriss
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