You can’t lie your way to greatness!
You can lie to everyone about your fitness level, but your body knows the truth, and it shows. I often write about how stressful midpoint and end-of-camp weigh-ins can be for me. Many of my clients are honest about how they got to their current health status, but some live in delusion. They believe their own lies because they’ve told them so often.
Their self-perception is often skewed. They look in the mirror and see only what they want to see. They think ignoring their weak points will make them disappear, or they don’t see any weak points at all and Lord knows we all have them.
They forget about the late-night snacks or the outings with their friends, complete with the endless mimosas that they posted on social media. The forget about that vacation where they had the time of their lives and all the damage it caused. They mention only having high blood pressure as if it’s an acceptable disease to have but fail to mention the high cholesterol or pre/diabetes. They do PT test or an exercise and get an attitude when you correct their form, because face it, they can see themselves from all angles while exercising and their trainer whose actually watching them can’t. LOL. Personally, I love being corrected by my trainer and yes, Tadda has a personal trainer. Although I have been a training and running a gym for almost 16 years, we all need someone we’re accountable to. Someone who wants to see you improve safely and will give constructive criticism when needed. Believe me, we all get tired or don’t always use proper form, especially if distracted or the music is just too good.
Failing to be honest with yourself and your trainer is detrimental to both your success and your trainer’s. Your trainer wants you to be victorious in the gym just as much as you do. However, you can’t be great and lie yourself through it. Eventually the truth will reveal itself through your size, energy, sickness, blood lab values, medications, injury, or clothes size etc.
Lying manifests itself in many ways;
By omission – withholding health information from your trainer effects their ability to keep you safe. Medications can impact your heart rate; doing certain moves when you have osteoporosis can make your condition worse; and prior injuries or surgeries can influence your workout plan.
By complaining – instead of listening to your trainer you complain because you’ve lied to yourself about your abilities. You might complain about the trainer’s advice on proper form to avoid admitting you’re not using it, or about the scale because you haven’t acknowledged your eating habits. Complaining makes little sense since you’re paying someone, who is certified as a trainer, to push you and bring out your best.
By making excuses – Excuses are another form of lying. Be honest about why you missed a workout or what led you to overeat. If you’re dealing with family issues, alcoholism, or mental health problems, and your trainer doesn’t know the full scope, how can they help you? And for most of us, let’s be honest - excuses are what have kept us from reaching our full potential.
Taking responsibility for your choices can set you free. I know it’s hard to admit when we’re wrong or hope our actions will remain secret. But bad eating habits, lack of exercise, and excess adult beverages will reveal themselves, whether we like it or not. No one wants to look bad or disappoint themselves or their trainer, being honest with yourself and your trainer is crucial on your fitness journey.
Honesty and integrity are essential values that help build strong relationships and achieve lasting success. Deceiving or misleading others might bring short-term gains, but it can ultimately damage your reputation and hinder your progress. Embracing authenticity and transparency allows you to grow and succeed in a more meaningful and sustainable way. No Mess.
