Ensuring Successful Weight-Loss
How to Turn Goals into Action: A Guide to Helping Clients Achieve Success
Setting a goal is just the beginning. Known as a "goal intention," it’s essentially an instruction to achieve a desired outcome. However, studies show that only about half of these intentions actually lead to action. So, how can you help yourself improve these odds?
1. Encouraging Intrinsic Motivation
The most effective goals are those driven by intrinsic motivation—goals that hold personal value and align with an individual’s own desires. According to self-determination theory, people are more likely to stay committed to goals they genuinely care about, like becoming fitter, healthier, or more confident.
In contrast, extrinsic goals—such as losing weight to please others or succumbing to societal pressures—often lack the emotional pull needed to sustain effort. As a trainer, it’s crucial to ensure your goals are ones they choose for themselves and feel deeply connected to.
2. Help Clients Identify Their “Why”
Goals like weight loss can sometimes create inner conflicts between long-term aspirations and short-term temptations. For instance, someone might justify indulging in unhealthy food with thoughts like, "I’ve been good all week, so I deserve a treat."
To overcome this, uncover a powerful “why” behind your goals—something with strong emotional resonance. Whether it’s being able to play with their kids, improving their health, or feeling more confident, a meaningful “why” can motivate them to prioritize future benefits over immediate gratification.
3. Encourage Strategic Planning
Opportunities to act—such as getting extra steps in or prepping meals—can be missed without proper planning. When clients have busy lifestyles, these moments can slip away, derailing progress.
Stay on track by encouraging them to plan ahead. Ex. Suggestion: scheduling workouts in your calendar or outsourcing tasks like meal prepping to save time and reduce stress. Proactive strategies make it easier to stay consistent, even during hectic periods.
4. Promote Consistent Tracking
Many people avoid tracking their progress when they feel they’ve fallen short, a phenomenon known as the “ostrich problem.” However, consistent self-monitoring—even when things aren’t perfect—is essential for identifying patterns and obstacles.
Encourage your clients to track everything honestly. For example, if you admit you drank wine due to stress, use this information to create a proactive strategy: “If I feel stressed, I’ll do X instead of drinking wine.” These tailored if-then plans prepare you to tackle challenges before they arise.
5. Focus on Habit Formation
Goals can be easily derailed by competing priorities, like work deadlines or emotional stress. When this happens, you often revert to old habits, such as ordering takeout instead of cooking.
Help establish new habits by using if-then scenarios: “If I don’t have time to cook, I’ll grab a healthy meal from [M&S supermarket or insert option whatever supermarket does healthy food].” Habits are built through repetition and reinforcement, so the more you practices these strategies—and receive positive feedback—the more likely they are to stick.