Total Wellness Transformation: Hank's Journey - My Two Cents' Worth

The Diary Of The Next 50lb Weight Loss

It's Hank here!

I got an email this week from Beachbody Coach Doug who wants to reclaim his health and fitness - but he's having trouble getting and staying motivated and he asked for my advice. Well, that's what this is about!

I'm no expert, but I'm happy to offer my two cents' worth and address his questions and share what worked for me in hopes that it can help him and others.

Doug and his wife are about to celebrate their 7-year wedding anniversary and they have a beautiful new baby girl. Doug and his wife are both in need of a fitness overhaul and he does not want his baby girl to grow up the same way.

He isn't really sure why he signed up to be a Coach, but he knows he wants to make a change. In fact, he signed up to run a half marathon in November and he just started P90X and he's drinking Shakeology! (I find that hugely inspirational. A half-marathon?!?! That's amazing!)

Like all of us, Doug has had some ups and downs, some false starts and some lack of consistency. But he knows he needs to make a change, and that is the first step on the path. Here are some of his questions:

Q: How do you get past that "I am lazy and I don't want to push play" phase?

Consistency. Schedule your workouts. Use WOWY to plan your workouts and connect with others and if you need a little motivation, support is only a click away. I have to get up and get my workout done and out of the way first thing in the morning, or else it won't get done. I don't give myself room to make excuses. Commit to yourself, "I will do this."

I have to have music when I workout. I have a playlist of songs that get me amped up and motivate me to tap into my inner fire that keeps me going. For me, it's a lot easier to get lost in the music than it is to tick off the seconds and minutes until the workout is over.

I've said before, there are days when I wake up and don't feel like it. And I think of Beachbody Coaches and the amazing transformations in the infomercials. And I ask myself if they ever felt the same way. And I'm sure they did - but they got over it, they put in the work and they got the results. This whole dialogue takes about 20 seconds and then I am up and at 'em. I just think of how it feels to have completed the workout, to be dripping sweat, out of breath and tired, but to know I've already accomplished something that moves me closer to my fitness goal. The only way to get that feeling is to push Play and get it done!

Q: I hate to-do lists, but I know they are a good thing. How do you use them?

Well, Chalene Johnson is a big proponent of the to-do lists and so am I. Whether it's daily or weekly, figure out what you want to achieve and put it down. Then take great satisfaction from being able to cross items off as you complete them. I even go so far as to put my water consumption down.

It gives you a visual reminder of what you've already done and what's left to do so you can stay focused. There are great software programs that allow you do sync to-do lists and goals, healthy shopping lists, notes, motivation quotes, etc. on your computer and mobile devices so you always have them close at hand. (I use Evernote - Chalene turned me on to it and it's awesome.)

Q: How I do stay on track and follow through with my commitment?

Decide. Commit. Succeed. You have already decided to do it. You've committed to the half marathon, to P90X, to Shakeology. In order to succeed, you need to engage your friends and family and ask them for their support and encouragement. you need them to help keep you accountable so you can stay on track and see the success you want.

Ask your wife to join you on the journey to be your accountability partner. That might make it easier and will help you both model healthy behaviors and adopt new ways of thinking that you can pass on to your beautiful baby girl as she grows up.

Surround yourself with supporters, not naysayers and haters. If they think you'll fail and you won't follow through on it, let them think it, but don't buy into that negativity. Just think of how great it is going to feel when you cross the finish line of that half marathon and prove them all wrong. (The phrases "I told you so!" and "In your face!" spring to mind.)

You have 53,000 supporters already with your fellow Team Beachbody Coaches! Reach out to them, connect with them. Many of the ones that you find intimidating because of the amazing results they've achieved have been exactly where you are. Let them inspire and motivate you, not intimidate you.

This is your journey. It's a lifestyle, not a project, so like Tony says, "just do your best and forget the rest." It's not going to be easy, but it can be fun, fulfilling and an amazing opportunity for personal growth you never thought possible. I'm on my journey, so take it from one who knows.

Thanks to Doug for his email and to Carl and Team Beachbody Coaches for their support. Like I said, I'm no expert, but I'm happy to share what worked for me. I hope it helps and I look forward to celebrating your success, Doug! I'm down another 2.4lbs, for a total weight loss of 64lbs! Not mad at that!