It’s a new year!

And everyone is embarking on a new health and fitness routine. Unfortunately, I’m witnessing a lot of mistakes being made right now with these routines… in fact, there are three mistakes in particular that will sabotage your efforts right now and prevent you from getting the results you ultimately want.

January 12th was quitter’s day.

This episode is airing after January 12th, so if you’re here and still invested in your health, allow me to applaud you!

Why does a National Quitter’s Day even exist?

Tell me tell you a story: My friend got roped into a planking challenge and then her friends encouraged her to join them for workout class. She ended up hurting her thumb, probably straining the ligaments in her thumb because she was doing burpees.

She tried and went to the class one more time, but just couldn’t do the moves because her thumb hurt and she felt so out of shape she felt like a fool.

And this is a perfect example of how Quitter’s Day plays out in real life.

My friend got hurt. She got discouraged. She became fearful. And it sucked the wind out of her sails.

And unfortunately this personal experience is now what she thinks of when the thought of “getting in better shape” pops into her brain.

Heaps of Motivation **

Like most women, you probably have lots of motivation right now.

If you were to look at the levels of motivation for making habit changes in January compared to any other month of the year, it’s not even close.

• You’re surrounded by millions of other people turning over a new leaf and buckling down on their health and fitness, so you feel that undercurrent of cultural support.
• Every commercial on TV or ad on social media, or even the influencer you follow on social media is making the topic of health a high priority right now

It’s very inspiring!

But in this environment, a lot of mistakes get made. And there are 3 mistakes in particular that I want to highlight for you today, so that you avoid these.

The 3 most common mistakes people make when making health and fitness goals and embarking on a plan

Mistake #1: Setting a goal that is simply too hard.

We usually set goals when we’re HIGHLY motivated. Coming right off the holidays, when you might feel at your unhealthiest, and you’re the most “off track”, you will inevitably be extremely motivated to do big, grand things. To make BIG changes in your habits. Those goals require extreme levels of motivation for an extended period of time, which is next to impossible.

Instead, set a goal that matches your lowest levels of motivation. It’s common and normal to have highs and lows with your motivation, over the course of the week, the month, and the year. Motivation is like an emotion, it ebbs and flows. Totally normal.

• Think about what it feels like when your motivation is on the lower side, when your thoughts are: “I don’t feel like it today.” “What’s the point?” “I’m not in the mood.” The goals and the plans that you create need to match THAT level of motivation.

Mistake #2: Setting the same goals as others or the same goals you always have.

This is the mistake of “same-same”. You look around and see what everyone else is doing, so you plan to do that. Or you look back at what you’ve done in the past, and you plan to do that. “I used to run 30 minutes every other day and felt great when I did, so I’m going to get back to doing that again.” “My friends are going to this Crossfit gym or doing Orange Theory 3 days a week, so I think I’ll join them.”

Instead, set a goal that matches YOU in YOUR current season of life.

• Where is your body at right now?
• Do you have injuries you need to address, and would doing Orange Theory or a 30-day push-up challenge make them worse?
• What are your time constraints right now?
• What logistical constraints do you have?

Mistake #3: Trying to set and reach your goals all on your own.

I’d say that this is probably the most common mistake and the most fatal. As a professional, there are so many times where I want to say to someone, “Just let me help you! Stop trying to figure this out on your own!”

We live in an era where we have whatever information we want at our fingertips at the drop of the hat. We have Youtube videos, and podcasts, and articles, and Instagram gurus. And because we’re viewing all the information, we convince ourselves that we have the capacity to implement the information all by ourself.

I’ve been watching a show recently on HGTV called, “Help! I Wrecked My House!” The show is all about DIYers that try to do all these big projects on their own, and they have no idea what they’re doing. Finally, they admit that they’re not getting anywhere and they call in the professionals, and then, and only then, do they get the house of their dreams.

Instead, set a goal and create a plan that does not involve you DIY’ing it. Hire a coach!

The success of this next year is on the line!

If you unknowingly set out on a plan for your health and make these mistakes:  

• Embarking on something that’s simply too hard for you and requires too much motivation
• doing the same thing as others or as you’ve done before,
• and trying to figure it out on your own.

…You’ll find yourself frustrated and possibly even injured and even more unhealthy.

But that’s totally avoidable.

Back Pain…

There’s a gal that I’m coaching right now through my Back & Hip Fix program. She’s 57 years old and for the last 15 years, her back has felt tight and achy, but she would just push through it and be strong. She would keep going with whatever random workout came her way, trying to stay fit, but always ignoring the pain going on in her back.

But just before the new year, she told me she was ready to slow down and actually deal with it.

So she completely reframed her health and fitness goals for this year

• No more pushing through and doing extreme things that were never sustainable.
• She finally decided to slow down and address the big elephant in the room that was preventing her from making a breakthrough - her back pain.
• So she hired me to get her going on that, and now she’s soooo much more positive about the future.

Let me challenge you.

• Have you accidentally made any of the 3 mistakes I mentioned?
• If so, pivot. There’s still plenty of time to revisit your plan and make adjustments so that you experience incredible results this year!

More Resources & Links

Need help getting started for free? Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide!

Ready to take the plunge & work with Megan? Check out her signature Jumpstart 30 course for beginners!

Suffering from Back & Hip Pain? Check out the Back & Hip Fix 30-day program here!

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