Patience, Accountability, and a Sustainable Plan

By Jamie Bussin 

Did you make a New Year’s fitness resolution? If you did, I applaud your good intentions. Really, I do. But making a decision to exercise, get fit, or get your fitness back, is the easy part. The hard part is following through. Unfortunately, if you’re like most people, chances are you probably have already given up on your goal.

Truthfully, I’m not a huge fan of resolutions. For most people they are performative. We all think we could or should be doing better. Most of us don’t spend enough time considering why the changes we think we want to make are necessary in the first place. 

I discussed fitness resolutions with Dr. Stacy Irvine on Episode #267 of The Tonic Talk Show/Podcast. She came up with some great tips for reaching your goal. This is a digest of that conversation.

Part of the problem with resolutions is that for many all the thought and intention has been invested in a goal and very little effort has been put into the journey. Processes are rarely linear. And results often take longer to achieve than what might be anticipated.

If you’re trying to fix your health, understand that the thing you’re trying to fix didn’t happen overnight and the cure won’t either. You have to have reasonable expectations. Those who are familiar with my health and wellness journey know that when I was 38 years old I lost 52 lbs.

But I didn’t set out to lose 52 lbs. Who does that? I just knew that I was obese and that I had to lose the weight, or I would suffer the health consequences. If I had set out initially to lose that much, I’m fairly certain I would have failed. That goal would have been unrealistic for “obese Jamie”. 

Instead I set out to lose 10 lbs. Once I did, I noted how I felt and what it took to get there and then decided to lose another 10 lbs. It was a process. And that process evolved. I hired a personal trainer to help me lose the final 12 pounds when my efforts plateaued. 

And it took me a year to lose those 52 lbs. I didn’t become obese overnight, or even in a month or two. It happened, gradually, over years.  It would have been unrealistic to assume that I could responsibly lose weight and meet my goals quickly. Patience is critical.

For Stacy there has to be proper ideation of the goal. We can achieve wonderful things, but we have to have the reason and passion to do so. Consider what is motivating you towards your fitness goals. Without the motivation and passion to achieve the goal…the goal will not be met.

But achieving goals also requires a good plan and a mechanism of accountability. Stacy makes an analogy:

So let’s say you own a car dealership and you want to hire a new salesperson. Bob comes to you and he says ‘my goal is to sell 300 cars for you this year. And I’m going to check in with you next year and we’re going to hope that I sold 300 cars.’ Let’s say that Mary comes to you and says  ‘I’ve got a goal. I’m going to sell 300 cars for you. I’m going to check in with you every two weeks. We’re going to look and see how my projected sales are going. Here’s my plan: I’m going to go out and I’m going to market to these people and these groups, and we’re going to make sure that you’re holding me accountable to what I’ve just set out to you as my goal’. …So of course, all of us would hire Mary.”

Of course a personal trainer can help you with the mechanics of the exercise that you want to do. But the more important role for the trainer is to assess whether you’ve picked a goal that is attainable; which speaks to accountability and will help you choose a fitness program which provides you with the details of your plan. And, of course, a trainer can help with motivation and support. 

Whatever your fitness goals, make sure that your process is sustainable throughout the process.  Do you have the time to exercise? Do you have the proper equipment? Are you joining a gym? Is it close to work or home? Can you afford it?

Stacy knows that many people hate the gym or find that lifting weights or using machines is boring. If you don’t enjoy the activity there is no way that you’re going to keep it up. If you hate the gym, consider joining a hockey league, or playing pick-up basketball, or even going for hikes. Or even get an active dog, who needs to be walked (trust me on this one). 

Lastly, understand that success will not be linear. It will come in fits and starts. There will be setbacks, such as injuries or illnesses. There will be times when your workout schedule gets thrown off because you’re busy. You might have to skip a day in the gym because of a family commitment. But with a reasonable goal, a long term sustainable plan, support and accountability, you have a great chance of meeting your fitness goals.