Success often leaves clues. One that appears frequently and is worthy of modeling is consistency. For fitness professionals, a considerable amount of attention is devoted to those whose goal is weight loss. Proper diet and nutrition are essential to this end. What's been discovered is that all diets work, if you consistently work them. The following list merely scratches the surface of popular diets on the market:
• Mediterranean • Keto • Carnivore • South Beach • Atkins • Gluten-Free • Plant-Based • Low-Carbohydrate • Low-Fat • Intermittent Fasting
Practitioners have experienced both success and failure with all of the aforementioned. With so many divergent paths to weight loss success, what advice can be given to anyone struggling with this challenge?
Varying dietary methodologies notwithstanding, what is evident in those who've made significant physical transformations, is their decision to change. Simply put, they no longer view themselves through their former internal lens. Their conversations are noticeably rooted in the present. They've replaced 'what was'– not with what will be–but with 'what is.' They see the present, as the moment when right decisions are made. One aspect of personal growth is having the capacity to identify the obstacles that contributed to one's former predicament. The greater challenge is to avoid the premature celebration of the new vision, at the expense of the day-to-day activities that produce it.
I'm seldom if ever accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer. Yet one bit of wisdom that has served me well, is the recognition that every person I meet is a potential teacher. Anyone whose achievements are publicly recognizable is to be studied. Although their brand or mission statement may not be my particular cup of tea, I recognize that their path to achievement is the result of adherence to certain fundamental principles. Superficial aesthetic or rhetorical differences often distract us from the clues left by successful accomplishments. I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach intelligent, successful people.
Although weight loss has never been my personal challenge, becoming the best version of myself is an ongoing one. Crystal and Dianne, the women pictured in this article, are real life examples of people whose internal vision has transformed their outer shell. What we now celebrate externally is simply the manifestation of their inner thoughts and ability to transform those thoughts into action. They've demonstrated their ability to create a vision, decide on a course of action and achieve the desired results. It would serve me well to extract and apply the principles of their success in any chosen endeavor.