We all want to look good. Who doesn't want that body we see in the magazines and movies, where the girls have the perfect flat stomach and the guys have amazing abs and huge biceps? Unfortunately those expectations can be FAR from reality.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having high goals and striving to achieve them, but looking like a fitness model can end up being a determent in your journey, mainly because those bodies are typically very hard to achieve and take literally years to get there. Also because maintaining that level of training is something that requires 24/7/365 devotion and total commitment.
I've been in this industry for almost two decades. I used to be that guy... taking tons of supplements, weighing the food, obsessed with my weight and constantly beating myself up for not being able to look like Jean-Claude Van Dam (If you don't get that reference, you're too young to be reading this blog anyway). But in the last few years I understood something crucial: Your journey is yours, and yours alone!
Yes, you have to have goals, but LOOKING like a movie star or an Instagram fitness model shouldn't be one of them. Even if you get there, you'll never be truly satisfied with your progress. You will constantly be pursuing the unrealistic and you always end up feeling unaccomplished and giving up.
When it comes to goals, try to set up realistic ones: First, don't start by aiming for a 6-pack. Instead, set up a goal to eat less fatty foods and less carbs for 2 weeks straight. It's a short term goal and it is totally achievable. Add to that going to the gym 3-4 times in the week. Stick to that plan for a few weeks and see how it works. If (and when) you achieve it, you will feel accomplished and successful. Then you can scale up your goal to include weights and cardio intervals for a few weeks, or maybe add a few runs on days when you don't go to the gym. Little by little, your body will start changing.
Trainer's tip: Strive for consistency, not quick results. Keep it realistic, stay with it, and do'n give up. Your body and your mind will thank you!
