What the Focus?

I quit teaching Group Fitness classes for about a year and when I came back I was SHOCKED at how low the intensity level of the participants was. People coming to class and not putting forth any effort and even worse people coming to class and staying on their phones. WHAT IS THE POINT?

I assume these people have a goal and objective to work out and get into better shape. Yet they were not focused in on working out and getting into better shape. People seem to think just showing up is enough. It is not enough. You must get focused and put forth the effort to see improvements.

Note: I do understand people have families, jobs, and such that need attention. No shade on that.

Too many Distractions

We live in a world of distractions. E-mail, social media, and text messages come through on a daily basis and distract us from what we are doing. I have been on the cardio machines and had someone next to me talking the entire time on their cell phone about what went down last night. Clearly they were not focused on what they were doing and this could have waited until they were done. If you can carry on an entire conversation while you are working out, then you are NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH.

I want to challenge you to take note of the distractions and FOCUS on what you are doing whether you are in a group exercise class or not. A lack of focus is how people get injured when they work out and it’s also why people do not see the results they want.

When it comes to a healthier lifestyle people become unfocused when they want to try to do everything that everyone else is doing and never give their programs any time to see results. In order to be successful you need to FOCUS in on a particular goal/objective and stay the course!

How can you be more focused?

You must get clear about you want, stop trying to do 1000 things at the same time, set deadlines for yourself, and stick with it.

1. Get Clear about you want

This is why: “I want to lose weight” is such a terrible goal. It is vague and unclear. Weight loss is not linear and you want to lose fat and not just weight. What is it that you want?

More Energy
Less Joint Pain
Be Able to Fit in your pants (This one ALWAYS works for me)
Improved Confidence
Improved metrics such as: cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugars, etc.

Those are clear objectives.

2. Get your Why Together

Superficial goals such as: Look hot or goals that are about living in the past will not serve you well. What is it that you want NOW and WHY do you want it? Stop living in the past and start looking towards the future.

I can tell you that I am motivated to be healthy, active, and vital because it looks like I will be having small children in my 40’s. From what I can see, little children have lots of energy and like to turn life into an episode of Survivor. They will not outlast me!

As this quote says: My actions today will shape the way I will live in the future.

My WHY is deeper and it’s what keeps me going. Shallow goals or goals based upon the past don’t work very well to keep people focused.

3. Develop a SUSTAINABLE Program/Plan

This is where people go wrong. They go for these programs that are unsustainable. Why? These programs promise and deliver quick results. The issue is that the results leave just as quickly as they came because people cannot sustain the programs for very long.

I am currently running a challenge group where we are just focused on walking for 30 minutes for 7 days. Do you know how much that can improve your health if you commit to just walking 30 minutes a day? I recently spoke with someone who was commenting how she asked someone how they dropped a substantial amount of body fat and now appear to be very fit. He said, “For the past six months, I started walking for about an hour a day.” There were no quick fix and dramatic programs. He just walked consistently for 6 months. It was something he could do and something he could sustain.

THOSE are the types of steps that will lead to lasting success

4. FOCUS on the sustainable program you are doing and minimize the distractions.

This is where my friends that bring their phones into class need to pay attention. If you come to the gym for a 55 minute cycle class, then FOCUS on that 55 minute cycle class. How horrible would it be to go to a class where the instructor is on her phone every 5 minutes. It would be the WORST class ever and you wouldn’t get much out of it.

If you’re at the gym to work out or whatever you’re doing, FOCUS on that.

Don’t lose your focus by chasing shiny object syndrome

I think a workout program should have variety but I see far too many people chasing after the latest gimmicks and doing so many different things that they don’t stick with and don’t see results.

Take one action towards your objective, be consistent, and then add on from there. Don’t feel pressured into doing what everyone else is doing and getting distracted by the latest gimmick that is promising a miracle.

5. Be Consistent and let Time do its thing

People lose their focus if there are no overnight results. I’ll say it again: Quick Fix Results usually leave just as quickly as they came. It’s hard to stay focused on your objectives over the long term but it’s the only way to success.

Be consistent. I truly believe the only overnight successes are scams. You may have to work a long time to get the right results.

Avoid going on the March to Nowhere

Set check ins

Monthly, Quarterly, 6 months, and 12 months.

Are you on your way up or are you on your way down? There is no treading water in this life. You are either on your way up or you are on your way down. Which way are things going?