Admittedly you would have to be pretty naive to think that you could achieve your health and fitness goals without making any sacrifices. But how do you know how much sacrifice is necessary? On one hand, you should still be able to do and have the things you enjoy, and on the other hand, you can’t keep doing the things that take you away from where you want to be.

Sometimes it can be a fine line and our role as coaches is to try and help you understand what changes are necessary for long-term success all while you feel like you still have a lifestyle you can enjoy. Let’s be honest, the reason you don’t stick to the changes you’ve made in the past is that you felt too restricted or deprived and you weren’t enjoying it.

So how does it work, how can you get the results you want while still having the things you enjoy?

The quick (but not simple) answer to this question is balance. Have a balance between the things you need to do and the things you want to do. No, you shouldn’t (& don’t have to) give up everything you enjoy but there is no escaping the fact that changes need to be made.

This process can sometimes take a while to figure out and fine-tune but unless you start somewhere you won’t know. Most of you will believe that you have to give up a lot more than you actually need to. The common rule is the more you sacrifice the better your results will be. Where this falls short is the fact that you’re usually miserable, it’s, for this reason, it’s not sustainable.

I believe making a few significant changes in the beginning to create some momentum and quick results is really important and beneficial, but you need to know where to go from there. Having a plan on what you will change, when you will change it, and what allowances you will make over time is paramount.

So yes you do need to make sacrifices but you need to make sure those sacrifices are sustainable and overall work towards creating a better lifestyle for you to live.

Nathan Spring