It’s generally accepted that when you do something in the context of community and relationship, then you will be more likely to succeed. If you were moving homes, you could:

    • Move by yourself (maybe this works for some people but that sounds like a nightmare to me);
    • Hire someone to do it for you (we’re getting there…), or
    • Pawn the job off on the people who care about you the most (winner!!)

If you’re anything like me your going to land on option 3! So, why does everyone in the world want to try to reach their health goals completely on their own!? It’s like moving, but infinitely harder and more confusing!

So, what are you going to do about it? Consider two things.

Find yourself a workout buddy (or two)…

The same friends that will help you move are going to want to help you be healthier! Chances are they could use some accountability as well! I own a gym and I’ve been working with my training partner for over a year now, and its been a blast! I’ve had training partners on and off my whole life and the relational component not only makes the workout more fun but it also ensures that I’ll show up. We all know that half the battle is just getting to the gym. Being healthy can be such a burden, but if you’re suffering then why not drag someone else in on it?

Give it a try, and keep it simple. Commit to meeting at the same time once per week for a couple of months. If it works out, keep it going, if not, keep hunting for a good person or group of people to workout with!

Side thought, if you’re already a fit person who works out regularly, please get a training partner. I’m sure you have someone else in your life who would appreciate a hand.

Sometimes having a training partner isn’t enough though. Lets be honest. the fitness/ health industry is a bit of a maze. My second tip is: consider hiring someone who knows the maze really well!

For a lot of people wrapping their minds around hiring a personal trainer is tough. I don’t blame them. The personal training industry in not regulated and filled with dumb-dumbs. But there are a couple things I want to explain.

Finding a GOOD personal trainer WILL be one of the best investments you ever make

 I want to really emphasis the “GOOD” part… Personal trainers spend their whole days watching movement, they can spot quality movement from bad movement better than any other health care practitioner. That sore knee now could be a knee replacement in 10 years and that chronic back pain now could be a stone’s throw away from a spinal fusion. If you have issues now, poor quality movement will only make them worse. Trust the people who spend their whole day discerning good movement from bad movement… Being fit is great, but if its just going to park you in a wheel chair down the line then it’s truly good for nothing.

Take your time when shopping for a personal trainer. Even if your health situation seems urgent, it doesn’t mean you should rush the process of finding a personal trainer. Some things are worth taking the time to shop for. Check out my blog post ‘Hiring a Personal Trainer’ for deeper insight on how I became a good personal trainer. It’ll give you a point of reference for when you’re shopping around.

Another thing worth looking into when buying training is whether or not the personal trainer/ the personal training studio offers a money back guarantee on their services. If the gym truly hires competent trainers, then offering a money back guarantee shouldn’t make them sweat (fitness pun!).

Now this all sounds good, but what if you don’t have the budget for it? Personal training doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! If you buy personal training with a good trainer, you’ll also be buying an educational experience. You can’t just train, train, train, then run out of money and revert back to where you were before! A good trainer weighs the balance between your budget and your needs. We very commonly kick start clients into a new program and then taper down the session frequency until they are ready to self direct their own programs. That and flexible financing options makes personal training affordable for anyone!

Whatever you do, don’t do it alone. Being healthy is a team sport!

Here’s a couple ideas that I’ve seen work:

-Work through a book together, I highly recommend Clean Gut by Dr. Alejandro Junger. Try meeting up once a week for a 45 minute walk, and then sit down at a coffee shop and talk about the last chapter and what your goals are for the week.

-Hire a personal trainer as a group. It’s way cheaper than paying for it by yourself and you can use the session for whatever makes the most sense given where you’re at. Maybe it’s:

1) learning new exercises to build a program?

2) doing a nutrition consultation to see if there’s any easy fixes to your current routine that could give you some quick results?

3) doing session to learn how to stretch and foam roll properly?

It’s always a good idea to have a health person looking out for your blind spots

-Make a bet, appeal to your competitive side! See who can:

1) go the longest without eating bread

2) do the most steps in a week

I recently made a bet with a client where if she lost she’d have to walk from Oakville to Milton! I got free tickets to a Jays game out of my training partner because I didn’t eat after 8:30 pm for more than a month!

You can’t be an island and also be healthy… If you need some help, drop your friends in the Sandbox a line, that’s what we’re here for. To help you stay focused on what makes your life healthier and happier.