A few weeks ago I introduced you to a couple of successful losers, Kelly and Justin. Together they lost close to 180lbs! Through an interview, they shared some tremendous wisdom gained from the journey of changing their bodies. Now, I want to take you behind the scenes.
Let’s dig a little deeper. I’m going to explain 3 powerful principles that Kelly and Justin (and just about any ‘successful loser’) discovers on their road to a new and improved body. Here are three secrets to lose weight and keep it off!
1) They changed their attitude.
Whenever I talk with other trainers or coaches, there’s one truth that always comes up – You cannot force results on someone. No one, no matter how hard they try, can drag you to success. You must want it and pursue it yourself. Once you’ve realized that desire, it’s often necessary to change your attitude. Change your attitude toward exercise, toward certain foods, toward making 
lifestyle changes.
The authors of the best-selling book Change Anything say you must “Learn to love what you hate.”
If you need to lose weight, there’s a reason. You probably borderline hate exercising regularly or eating lots of vegetables or saying no to dessert. The list goes on and on. You CAN learn to love what you hate.
“One of the secrets to enjoying an activity that isn’t yet hardwired into the pleasure center lies in our ability to see, feel, and believe in the future it will bring us. It’s also possible to diminish the pleasure of a bad habit by connecting it to the pain it will eventually cause.”
In changing their attitudes, Kelly and Justin learned a vital truth I teach every client – Make decisions now with your future in mind.
2) You must learn to live in the middle.
If I had a quarter for every person that’s boasted to me, “Ya know Corey, I like to go all-out! I’m really an all-or-nothing kinda person.” That’s great . . . except for the nothing part. All or none does NOT lead to success.
Changing your body is not like pushing a rotten tree over. It’s not ready, set, now give it all you’ve got one good time. Changing your body is like cutting your grass or maintaining good hygiene. It requires repeated, consistent efforts to be successful.
You must learn to live in the middle. While it may seem backward, living at the extremes is easy. At the extremes, there is no wondering. All of your questions are answered by some ultra-strict, do-this-or-you-suck mentality. There’s also no issue of balance because there is no balance – you’re at the extreme! When striving for the middle, questions routinely pop up and have to be answered, because you are striving for balance. Certain things take you in one direction, other things take you in another.
In the middle, you achieve steady long-term results.
At the extremes, you get quick results that can (and will!) fade just as fast they came.
3) You must “own it” and take responsibility for . . .YOU.
One of my clients is an Alcoholics Anonymous legend. He’s been sober for many many years and spends a ton of time each week counseling other recovering addicts. He’s full of tremendous wisdom, but one of my favorites is – “I’ve never seen a victim get sober.”
And I’ve never seen a victim change their body.
Victim mentality is one of the most crippling mindsets. As long as something is not your fault – not your doing – not within your control, then you’re a victim and will remain powerless.
On the other end of the spectrum, one of the most empowering beliefs is that of ownership. You cannot and will not progress, grow, or succeed until you take ownership of your life. It’s not always pleasant. It might be tough. But it is one of the most liberating experiences you’ll ever have.
Justin said it this way – “The #1 person that’s going to stop you is yourself. You are a product of the choices you make.”
That, ladies and gents, is owning it!
Renowned author and speaker Brene Brown says, “If we own the story then we can write the ending.”
We’re all writing and telling a story. You can write whatever you want, but not until you own your story. As long as your junk is someone else’s fault, you will never author the ending you want. Don’t give someone else the pen. Craft your masterpiece!
Wrap Up
People often think they’ll lose weight and get fit once they find the perfect workout or diet or trainer or gym. When, in actuality, what they need to find is the strength to change . . . themselves. Justin and Kelly achieved tremendous weight loss success, but it wasn’t by accident and it certainly wasn’t because of some magical diet or workout. Their journey took courage, effort, and consistency.
Justin and Kelly’s experience provides tremendous wisdom for anyone seeking a better body. I hope my behind-the-scenes view of what they accomplished has given you some valuable insight. I’d like to share one last piece of coaching advice. It’s three simple letters . . . act. Take action. Don’t just read this post and nod. Find some practical way to take action today! A good first step might be downloading this Small Food Tweaks Free Ebook. It contains practical, do-this-now advice about how to lose weight and keep it off.
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