About 90% of people that I’ve seen over the years never change.

They show up a few days a week, some more, but their bodies don’t change at all.

Why do they keep coming in?

Are they wasting their time?

I’m sure most of them figure that they are earning points for showing up to the gym..points with the doctor, their wife/husband, status among friends or whatever..some probably just show up out of habit or guilt.  Most of these reasons deal with other people…the ‘feeling like I have to go’ motivation, which is very weak in most cases.  but most people’s motivation really stems at their own self esteem and ego about looking better.

Tell a woman that she has to put on a bikini in front of 600 people and she will make the change. There is major motivation there.  But if someone just feels like they need to lose some weight and buys a gym membership, there is no connection or deep seeded motivation to create the discipline and consistent effort that is needed.

In order you to get the fast, jaw dropping results,  that we all desire, you are going to have to work…work hard…work consistently and probably gonna have to make some serious lifestyle changes to make it happen.  So here are 5 things you will have to think about.

1. Write down the Desired Result! If you are gonna bust your ass for three months in the gym, what do you wanna do it for?  What is your desired outcome?  How do you want your body to look? What will change?

*the key when writing your goals the to use the SMART method. It needs to be specific, measurable, ‘as if now’, realistic and time based.  For example: Today is December 31st, 2009 and I, Corey Beasley, can squat 400lbs.  Now think about it, write them all down and we can move onto step 2.

2. Nutrition is the most misunderstood, most important factor you will deal with. People are seriously emotional when it comes to eating and most think of dieting as some torturous, agonizing penalty that forces them to eat salads everyday of their life.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When you really learn what is healthy and how to properly integrate new foods into your lifestyle, you will be surprised how good food really is.

* The most simple way think of healthy eating is this: If GOD made it, eat it.  or If it occurs in nature, eat it. The more we (man) touches it, RUN!  Man has taken naturally occurring, amazing foods and has ruined it.  Processing, pasteurizing, refining, adding to, preserving, genetically modifying, adding chemicals to and basically screwing it all up! The best cooks in the entire world only work with top quality ingredients and you should too.

3. Movement is the basis for exercise and most people spend their life at a desk, in a car and in front of the television.  Gee, I wonder why everyone’s back hurts…hmmm. Most people just need to blow their ass off the couch and go for a walk.  Others may belong to a gym, but either never go, are inconsistent or they have no intensity when they are there.  I think this comes from a lack of motivation and knowledge.  If you are uncertain about starting to workout or how to change up your current plan, ask for help!  There is information all over the place!

*If you do look to hire a professional trainer, please take the time to investigate a good personal trainer or strength coach.  Every local bodybuilder, gym rat or newbie fitness trainer does not understand the body, much less your body.  If you look for advise, make sure the person is qualified and has experience dealing with people like yourself.

4. Recovering from your newly found lifestyle.  If you go from sitting behind a desk to working out 3-5 days per week, you are going to encounter some minor aches and pains.  Working hard in the gym may create some soreness, muscle tightness and other aches and pains.  There are a variety of recovery tactics that have worked wonders for myself, like massages, ice, heat, contrast showers and many more.

* remember to start slow and listen to your body.  Please take the time to learn movements correctly and consult a physician if any pains last more than a few days or swelling occurs.

5. Guidance during your new program is essential. Having someone that can teach you, motivate and push you during your program will be a huge factor in your success.  It is proven that working out with a partner increases your chances for success significantly!  It always makes you work harder, spot, correct and make sure that you are doing things safely and properly.

* Find someone who will hold you accountable so that you don’t get off track.  You have proven up to this point that you don’t have the self discipline to do it on your own, so find somebody good and have them keep you focused this time. 🙂

So, why is it that you go to the gym?  Do you have it written down?

I truly hope that it motivates you more than the obstacles or temptations you may have. Cuz, believe me, when you work hard and make huge progress, people WILL notice.  They will be motivated and will look to you as an example.  You will earn an kind of instant respect from people that know you.  It will help you stand out from the crowd and you may start to carry yourself more confidently.  Who knows, maybe you’ll even get a new job or even a raise!

Now go out there, kick butt and make something great happen this week.

Want more guidance?

Check out IR’s ‘award winning’ personal trainers in Orange County, CA