How to be “whole beings” rather than simply physical people

Discover your Fitness potential through Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual therapies the In and Out Approach

Many clients and people walk through our doors hoping to be touched by the “personal training fairy” and walk out with a perfect body 6 weeks later. The reason this happens is that the popular media sets an impossible standard of physical appearance and convinces people that with the right help they can achieve it. The real problem here, as I see it, is not as much the impossible standards as the fact that fitness popularly has been about physical good looks and not much else. This sets people up for false beliefs and a failure approach for sure. As professionals we know better and need to send the Right message and take a stand.

Simply put, people exercise to look good. Leaving out two other missing links!

This is backward thinking. To deal with it, I use an approach I call “in and out fitness.” In and out fitness is all about remembering the real person inside the body, valuing that person and teaching him or her to value himself or herself enough to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. This method has been an effective tool in getting my clients to understand what fitness really is so they not only become active but also learn to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and to get better understanding about Lifestyle changes versus just a one time quick outer change.

Most of my clients have health issues, and many are ashamed of what they look like. The first and most important thing that I do when I meet new clients is to simply accept them for who they are without any preconceived ideas. In other words, I try to “see them from the inside out.” I know this better than anyone being an obese child myself. Judging people without knowing their personal life story is not right. Why people look and feel the way they do is typically a deeper issue than we realize.

In our first phone call or meeting, I strive to find out something about them I can compliment. I want to reassure them that they are not the sum total of their looks. I want them to know that if they view exercise as a way to become healthy instead of just a strategy to look better, weight loss and good looks will often be by-products of exercise. I do what I can to make them feel comfortable with me. I am genuinely interested when I talk to them about their issues and goals. I then address any misconceptions that they may have about fitness. I use the professional resources available to me to dispel any myths they may have and try to interpret these resources in a way they can understand. (This can be different for each individual.)

I want my clients to understand what they need to do to meet their goals and to think about redefining those goals if necessary, based on what they are actually willing to do. I believe that honesty goes a long way in developing relationships with clients. Most people appreciate this honesty. Creating achievable goals step by step and asking proper questions helps me to set up open, honest, and winning coaching to help my clients feel empowered to reach their potential.

Another thing my clients appreciate is my attention to their preferences. During our initial exercise sessions I carefully observe and ask questions to determine their “exercise personality.” Do they like vigorous work or are they more low-key? What philosophy do they live by, and how will it affect their exercise and eating habits? How busy is their life? What are their favorite activities and music? With this information, I can design a program that will be not only as safe and effective as possible but also interesting enough for them to want to follow.

An exercise program is only successful if the client adheres to it. For example, I have a client who only likes to work out in natural light. When she comes in, I turn off the lights in the room and open the blinds. I have another client who loves using exercise balls only because he feels safe, so I make sure we only use balls during his training sessions and I bring educational articles on ball exercises with me for his appointments. If a client likes specific music I bring them their prefered music and create a theme for the workout. For some clients, I ask what kind of day they’ve had and make sure the program I have created is flexible enough to accommodate bad ones. I may offer a choice of two or three different exercises or programs a client can do that day. For other clients, I always have a set program, so the only thing they need to think about is performing each exercise correctly. Personalizing the program and approach helps people enjoy working out and, more importantly, feel valued. Valuing clients keeps clients, and we all know how important that is in this business. The more Personalized the better after all these are human beings and the influence we have in their lives can be very great!

By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Weight loss Expert, Nutrition Specialist, and Wellness Coach, Author, NSA Speaker

P.S. Call Now for Your Whole Person approach experience to Health & Fitness today 480-212-1947 or fax consultation request to 623-399-4199 or visit www.myfitnesselements.com