Fitness is for life. NOT "how much is this for a month?".

Fitness is for life. Not "how much is this for a month?".

When you hire a coach, don't ask for meal plans or a workout routines.  Ask for the guidance and resources to help you make your own ever-changing fitness plans for the rest of your life.

This means the knowledge of basic body physiology concepts, lifting mechanics, how diets (should) work AND WHY (seriously, understand the why part).  What alternative movements can you do when you're at a hotel or don't have an affordable gym where you live?

You are not fixed and so are your taste buds.  Your sleep, your mood, and the amount of willpower you have will fluctuate throughout the week, month, and years to come.  You need something flexible enough to be sustainable so you can keep doing something you don't really want to do (eat less, move more) longer if you want to reach your goal.   You need new working ideas because your current approach sucks and develop habits that are manageable so you don't quit easily.  Not another silly 28 day plank challenges, vegan diet, or a month supply of belly wraps and detoxes.  

Your physique goals, rate of progress, sense of self-confidence, activity level, and your metabolism will all change, so you better not ask for rigid, dumbed-down "golden rules" of clean eating, 5min ab routines, or whatever stupid shakes your girlfriends are trying to sell you on social media. If you actually believe in articles that suggest "5 best exercises to melt your fat blah blah blah" or "10 super foods that will cure blah blah blah", you already failed.

Be curious and experiment with new ideas that put you out of your comfort zone, not just physically but also challenges you mentally.  Maybe try lifting, maybe try being hungry from time to time, maybe workout with your partner or set little performance goal to chase after, maybe get rid of distractions, maybe actually do some work and make better choices like an adult?  Maybe.

If something has not worked for you in the past or only worked temporarily, it's time to completely overhaul your current approach (and beliefs system) and learn something new before trying to spin, spin, and spin some more.  Stop buying into cookie cutter schemes, reflect and forgive your past mistakes, and start asking better questions.  Think long term and do something incredibly manageable at your level now so you can keep doing this miserable business of "eating less" and "moving more" until you get closer to your goal.  Once you get there, hopefully your new habits will keep you there.

When you hire a coach, don't ask for meal plans or a workout routines.  Ask for the guidance and resources to help you make your own ever-changing fitness plans for the rest of your life.

Michelle Brewer
"After years of trying every type of diet and exercise program, what was one more?  As before, the first month was hard because I was very out of shape. As in the past, I watched the scale with no change, but I felt better and had more energy. And even though the scale looked the same, my new jeans were a whole size smaller. I talked to Jem and he gave me articles to read and Google and I felt better. 

Now into the second month, I took Jem's advice and got serious about my calorie intake (nothing crazy, I like food). The scale I stopped looking at for 2 weeks says I have lost 10 lbs.  All this is great, but what Jem gives has been priceless, training, advice, and just listening has been great.  

I have not only found a great trainer who takes time to teach me what I'm doing, but why I should be doing it. Jem has also become my friend which is a nice bonus. I found an old picture and went and found the same clothes so it would be easier to see the start of my transformation. I hope this inspires folks for the new year. 

I still have a ways to go but I really think I can get there, thanks to Jem.  Now I look more at the lbs I lift than the ones on the scale"