7 Habits of the Successfully Fit: People Who Stick to Workout Routines While Others Struggle to Even Start

by Nik Helbig

I have been working with clients for some time. At gyms, the success rate of weight loss and fitness looks something like this:

90% see improvement in 100 days (10% take longer or dropped out or are already fit)
60% who still take sessions keep improving in 100-365 days
15% keep improving after coaching ended

Most people who stick to gyms plateau (stop developing), or work very hard at the beginning just to give up within a year.

There is a minority group of people who are able to pick up the fundamentals learned during the sessions, and motivate themselves on from there. That’s about 15%.

The majority need refresher coaching to keep their momentum. Most will admit that they need the coach in person to get going.

This is good news for the coach, since it ensures continued paid sessions. Last year, however, got me thinking. My time is limited and sticking around in the same gym with the same clients will not be so productive — neither for me nor them. The ideal is to see the majority get empowered to work their best – with or without help.

Months ago, I observed the 15% who stuck on to their fitness programs autonomously; and took notes of how they were able to successfully motivate themselves without supervision. Here are the findings in brief:

7 Habits of Successfully Fit People

1.  Belief.

They have the belief that they can keep up autonomously. Depending on their personality traits, some people are natural self-motivators, while some ‘force’ a belief on themselves that they will be able to keep going. Either way, belief is the most important factor. If you believe you have the power to keep fit and get stronger, you are on your way to getting what you want.

2. Independence.

They are independent from the start. The clients I encounter who lead their own programs, and take initiative to push hard, the guys who will take any challenge put to them in the sessions, are most likely to do it on their own.

3. Consistency.

Clients that keep to their program schedule without taking unnecessarily breaks, are more likely to develop the habit of keeping to training plans even on their own.

4. Interest.

When techniques and science are explained to them, successful clients take notes and ask for more reading references. These guys take interest in the whys and hows. Their new found knowledge becomes an invaluable tool to push themselves forward.

5. Feedback.

Clients who provide feedback to the coach are often those who think about their sessions and measure their own progress. The trainer sees you from the outside, but only you know how your body is reacting his advice.  Feedback from clients allows trainers to  better cater to your needs.

6. Goal Setting.

Clients with with defined goals tend to stay on track longer than those who simply leave us to set goals for them. Setting goals is a habit and it does not matter if these goals are audacious.

7. No Option.

Successfully fit people give themselves no option but to carry on setting new standards.  Everything they do, be it exercise, or home cooking or diet tracking becomes routine, and a “must do” habit.

Anyone who is fed up of yo-yo diets, on-and-off fitness regimes, or failure to follow through on a health or fitness plan can help themselves learn to adopt these traits. It is — as with everything — all about being aware of what it takes.

I hope this gives you the strength to pursue your fitness goals.