If you work in the fitness industry, you know that–especially at this time of year–you have some VERY excited clients who are ready to take on the world to reach their goals, some of which are very high or unrealistic given genetics, time frames, or the commitment involved. You don’t want to crush their excitement by starting them off too slow (slow and steady behavioral changes have been shown to work best long term), but you know you need to help reset their expectations (“I’ll hit all my goals in six weeks! And then I can stop and it’ll all be fine!”) so that when things DO take a while, they don’t crush your client’s enthusiasm.
So, how do you go about doing this?
Get them excited.
Get them involved. It’s their program, their diet, their goals. This provides them the opportunity to find things that work for them, that they like, and it gives them a sense of ownership over a program. Find things they LOVE doing and work them in to your sessions. They’re more likely to stick with something if they enjoy it. Do they hate salads? Don’t tell them to eat salads all the time. Ask them to try cooked or raw vegetables instead–to find things that they like and will eat. Do they LOVE heavy deadlifts and HATE high reps? Include both within your programming. Get their feedback. They won’t love everything you ask them to do, but find a happy mix.
Then, leverage that excitement and enthusiasm. Are they super motivated? Use it–give them some AMAZING sessions at the very start to hook them. Have them leave feeling better than when they arrived. Allow them options–do you want them to do a strength day but they want to feel tired? Let them choose a finisher (preferably from a pre-selected set of options that you provide) so they leave feeling tired but still did the work you know will help them reach their goals. Set performance based benchmarks together to aim for–and celebrate hitting them, even if it’s with a quick shout out on IG or a “I’m really proud of you for your consistent hard work–look at what you’ve just achieved.” Introduce them to other clients, put them into a support group online, give them positive feedback and encouragement (and stay consistent with that throughout your time with them).
Manage their expectations.
You don’t have to crush their dreams by telling them the reality of working out–that it can become really mundane, that their expectations that they’ll crush 5-6 lifts a week when they’ve never lifted before or have not been lifting consistently recently are probably unrealistic long term, that it takes a really long time and sometimes genetics just aren’t going to allow you to look like that celebrity you come in pointing to as your ideal goal (I will never look like Jennifer Lawrence, for many reasons, not least of which is because there’s a 3″ difference in our heights). But don’t be afraid to sit down with them and discuss these things.
Let them know that if they really want results, it’s about consistency, not trends or fads or 6 week plans or 21 day challenges. Talk to them about the reality of burning out fast (those “resolutioners” who disappear from the gym after 3-6 weeks because their plans were unsustainable)–by explaining you want to make sure they feel successful in everything they do. They say they want to work out 5-6 times a week? Is it something they can see themselves doing long term? Is it actually feasible for them? What might stand in their way? Ask them what they see as potential roadblocks, ask what they can 100% commit to at first, and go from there. Let them know that their bench mark is maybe 3 times a week, and anything beyond that is a bonus. Let them know you can always add days down the line. Provide them with options for their other days–at home workouts, long walks, yoga, something else they really enjoy.
Continually encourage them.
I’m not going to lie–that motivation is going to dip REAL fast for most people. Accountability is a HUGE part of being successful with your clients. And no, it’s not always easy to keep them accountable. They drop off the face of the earth sometimes, or come up with excuses (real life does happen). Find a way to continually check in with them. If you’re an online coach, have a system in place to chat with them and check in regularly. If you work with them in person, ask them how they feel each time you see them, or if you’re willing to, text with them. Keep your message consistent–that consistency is key, that perfection is unneeded (and unrealistic anyway), that just by showing up they’re doing something, that one or two bad days does not define their process.
At the end of the day, it’s a balancing act, and one that you’ll hone over time. Keep communication between you and your clients open and two-way, and see what happens.
The Fit Witt 