Here’s an ideal situation for me as a personal trainer and nutritionist: A new client comes to me and wants to start eating well and exercising. We start talking about healthy food v. not-so-healthy food and I discover that this person simply doesn’t know much about nutrition. She doesn’t know that there is a difference between starchy and non-starchy vegetables. She doesn’t know that there are different kinds of fats and that saturated fats are not good for her heart. She doesn’t know what fiber is, how it affects the body, and where to find fiber sources. Once I lay it all out, she changes her diet, gets healthier, maybe loses a few pounds, and feels so much better! The same scenario happens with exercise. I review the different types of exercise, and the physiological benefits. She takes it in, and starts moving. WOO-HOO!
Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Most of my clients know a lot about good nutrition and exercise but have issues with implementation. My job is to help them slowly change their behavior to create new, healthier habits. It’s not easy but IS doable and it works.
If a client gets stuck and can’t make progress no matter what we come up with, my first question to them is, “Is there an underlying issue that we need to uncover?” Often time the answer is yes.
As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of denial. When something bad happens, my first knee-jerk reaction is “OH I’M FINE.” I say this with conviction, even when I’m far from okay. I’ve learned, over the years, to recognize this, and try to shatter the façade quickly, so I can face what’s really bothering me. It is NOT easy. Having said this, I’m able to see the same pattern with my clients. It is so much easier to focus on diet and exercise than it is to face deeper problems such as loneliness, unhealthy relationships, regret, grief, past trauma, or anxiety. If these suppressed feelings never come to the surface, I know with certainty, that diet and exercise behavior surely won’t change.
If you think you’ll feel happier eating better, losing weight and being a consistent exerciser but can’t seem to shift your behavior over time, you have to dig deeper. It is likely that there is an underlying issue waiting to come out. Reach out to a professional. Any good nutritionist or trainer will recognize if something is out of their scope of practice. Often, therapy is a great option to consider. Ironically, when we are brave enough to face our demons and let them come out, the diet and exercise problems resolve.
Bottomline: If you’re stuck and frustrated, stop spinning your wheels. Instead, be open and curious and ask yourself if there is anything to uncover.
