When I begin working with a new client like Marie, I ask them to rate themselves on their current health and fitness- not when they were an athlete in college, or their 20 years ago self. We use that very familiar scale of 1-10, 1 being “I am in serious trouble and need help now!” to 10 being “I’m in the best condition of my life and my medical tests reflect optimal health!” You see if I simply ask “How are you doing with health and fitness?” I most certainly would get responses like… “Good”, “Fine”, or “OK”. Something extraordinary happens when you assign a number to a question. When you put a number to something subjective like health and fitness, there is a quantified place for a conversation to begin and something powerful to build on. Marie said what most folks say... a "6"- average. Well, Marie doesn't only want to be "average"- who does? This strategy helps to ground the client to their current situation and provides an opportunity for the trainer and client to set realistic goals, all while climbing toward a 8, 9, or even 10!
Hi! Yes, I typically ask about their relationship to movement and their consistency. If they tend to program hop, they may have been looking for the next gimmick or weight loss method and need better guidance. I ask if they are willing to stick with something I program, even if it means that they won't "see" the changes but rather feel them internally and develop a better long-term relationship with exercise. This realization can be hard to accept, but if we only use fitness to lose weight, we will never have a solid connection to our bodies or movement.
I have trained people with impractical goals, such as shedding 30 pounds within a month merely through strenuous sessions. Spotting the impossibility of their aim, we sat together and talked about the real essence of weight loss. I spoke about my own slow and steady approach to health and pointed out the issues with rapid fat loss diets and severe workout schedules - they often result in frustration and fatigue. We drafted a pragmatic course that integrated, wholesome eating, regular physical activity, and alteration in habits. In three to six months, they reduced their weight by 15-20 pounds and gained noticeable muscle definition, vitality, and self-assurance. The incident underscored for me the criticality of setting attainable short-term goals while teaching people about the facts that underlie enduring adjustments to their fitness levels. By managing assumptions from the outset, we could applaud their advancement and keep willpower high throughout their pursuit of fitness
I had a client aiming for rapid weight loss; I explained the importance of sustainable progress, emphasizing how realistic goals and consistency would lead to lasting results, and we adjusted their plan accordingly.