BAM Fitness Coaching

Image via Wikipedia

Lately, I’ve been hearing some negative body talk and grumbling at the gym.  I try to always encourage and enforce a “No Body Bashing Zone” once my clients arrive at the gym, but occasionally a little negativity breeds more negativity and it’s my job to end it quickly.  I guess that is one of the problems of getting a bunch of women together - very few women are ever 100% truly satisfied with her body and women love to talk.

So, what is my response when the negative talk starts up?  I usually try to move the conversation on to something positive and focus everyone on their own workouts.  But, more importantly, my standard response to everyone at the gym is, “You can’t complain (to me) about your body (fat), until you track your food (consistently) and learn what you are eating.”

One of the biggest frustrations of being a trainer is that I’m only with my clients a few hours a week.  I can help them get strong, get fit and learn how to exercise.  However, I’m not with them at the grocery store when they are tempted by the snack or chip section.  I’m not sitting next to them every evening on the couch when the bottle of wine opens.  I’m not in the front passenger seat when they hit the McDonald’s drive-through window.  I don’t go to the coffee shop and suggest a cup of hot tea instead of the sugary, super-sized mocha.

Do you want to change your body?  Do you have too much body fat?  Not happy with how things are going for you?  Here are some tips. . .

* Get a positive attitude.  Ditch the negativity and embrace and love what you’ve got.  Negativity helps no one.  Negativity only breeds more negativity.

* Eat and act like you are already at the weight you want to be.

* Keep a food journal.  Like I’ve said a million times. . . until you know what you are truly eating every day, you can’t complain about your body weight.  An accurate food journal can be an eye-opening experience.

* Turn your food journal over to someone to review.  Be accountable.  My husband always tells me. . . what gets measured, gets done.  This is the same with our bodies.  If you have to report in to someone, you’ll clean up your diet – guaranteed.

* Be positive.  Be positive.  Be positive.  You can change.  You can do the work.  You can lose body fat.

Ditch the negativity and make a positive change this year.  You’ll be glad you did!  Good luck and have a happy & healthy 2012!