Why Most People Fail Fat Loss

Why Most People Fail Fat Loss

Most people don’t need a stricter plan, they need a better system.

This system starts with your psychology, not your actual training or diet. You first need to decide what it is you’re truly going for and why. Is it just fat loss, or is it a healthier lifestyle? Is it because you want to better yourself, or because you’re comparing yourself to others?

Doing it for others

Unsurprisingly, many people start their journey due to something called extrinsicmotivation which is when you do something for some type of reward or recognition from someone else. This can be a great motivator to get you on the right track, but extrinsic motivation doesn’t usually result in long-term change or adherence.

Do it for yourself

What you need in order to truly make a change in your life is intrinsic motivation. As you might guess, this is when you do something for yourself instead of others. This type of motivation is fueled by curiosity or personal fulfillment, which is what leads to long-term adherence.

This type of motivation isn’t always easy to build. It takes time and a lot of internal reflection to figure out what your real goals are. Next week, I’ll dig a bit deeper into how to set the right types of goals to help you stick to your plan, but for now, we can discuss the typical barriers that keep people from following through.

Barriers to Exercise

Some of the common barriers that keep people from working out include a lack of time, unrealistic goals or expectations, lack of support, social physique anxiety, lack of convenience, and ambivalence.

Lack of Time

We all have busy lives, and many people think a workout has to be “long enough” to see real progress, which makes it seem impossible to fit into their schedule. Often, the real issue is a lack of structure rather than a lack of time. An effective workout can be as quick as 20-30 minutes, as long as you’re giving it your all. The easiest way to make sure your workouts are quick and effective is to show up with a plan of the exercises you’ll do, as well as the sets and reps for each of them.

Unrealistic Goals and Expectations

Sometimes you can get ahead of yourself and set extremely high expectations. When this happens, it becomes much harder to feel like what you’re doing is actually working. It’s very common for people to go “all in” and completely change their lifestyle. They’ll go to the gym six times a week and eat well balanced, low-calorie meals. While this sounds good on paper, if you weren’t already active and you were previously eating fast food regularly, then you’ll be lucky if you make it past week one. You need realistic and manageable goals that will help you focus on small, repeatable actions rather than chasing extreme outcomes that take time to achieve.

Lack of Support

The people and environment around you plays a bigger role in your success than you might think. When there’s little support from those around you, sticking to any program can be much more difficult. Whether it’s a lack of accountability, discouraging comments, or simply surrounding yourself with people who don’t prioritize their health, your environment can seriously hinder your progress. Having even a small level of support can make a huge difference. It can be a workout partner, a coach, or even just a supportive friend. When you have someone who understands your goals and cheers you on, it’ becomes much easier to stick to your goals and make a change.

Social Physique Anxiety

A lot of people are afraid to go to the gym. Social physique anxiety, or the fear of being judged by others, can make the gym feel extremely intimidating. It can be embarrassing when you don’t know what exercises to do or how to use the equipment, and it can make you feel like everyone is watching you. In reality, most people in the gym are focused on themselves and most likely felt the exact same way when they first started working out. Having a workout partner or coach can help ease some of this fear by providing you with the guidance and structure you need to feel more confident  in the gym.

Lack of Convenience

I’m sure we’ve all had a plan that gets disrupted in one way or another and you immediately lost all motivation. The same thing happens when working out becomes an inconvenient part of your day. If a workout requires a long commute, complicated planning, or disrupts to your daily routine, it becomes much harder to stay consistent. Simplifying the process with a shorter workout, a closer gym, or just a clearer plan, can make consistency feel much more manageable and realistic.

Ambivalence

Ambivalence is the feeling of wanting to make a change, but also not wanting to give up the comfort of your current habits. For example, someone might want to get in shape and be healthier, but they don’t want to sacrifice their current routine to do so. This internal conflict can cause tension that prevents full commitment. This is probably the hardest barrier for people to overcome because it requires accepting change and discomfort. No matter how good your plan may be, ambivalence can lead to inconsistency and a lack of commitment.

The Missing Piece

Almost everyone has experienced one or more of these barriers, including myself. This is where most people get stuck, and it’s not because they aren’t trying, but because they don’t have a system that actually works for their life. It’s not about needing a stricter plan. It’s about having a structured approach that accounts for these challenges. Once you start addressing each barrier individually and adapting your approach to your schedule, staying consistent becomes much more realistic.

If you want to know how to set goals that will actually help you make a change, then come back to the blog next week! If you want help building an effective and straightforward plan that fits your schedule, you can set up a free 30-minute consultation with me by clicking the button below!