What Nobody Tells You About The Latest Diet Fads
Meaningful Movement
Takeaway: Many people struggle with fitness programs because they rely on others to provide solutions, which can lead to resistance and a lack of motivation. The key to success is taking ownership of your journey by setting your own goals and finding what works best for you. When your decisions feel personal and meaningful, you're more likely to stick with them and achieve lasting results.
What Nobody Tells You About The Latest Diet Fads
Ever wonder why you keep falling off the wagon with every fitness program you start?
You might think the problem is that you haven’t found the right plan or the perfect coach. But the truth is, even if someone handed you the ideal solution on a silver platter, you might still struggle to stick with it.
The reason? It all comes down to something called psychological reactance—a fancy term for how we instinctively resist anything that threatens our sense of autonomy and free will.
Let’s break this down with a simple example:
Imagine you’re at home, sitting on the couch watching TV. You glance over at the kitchen and notice that the dishes are piling up. You think to yourself, “In five minutes, I’ll get up and do the dishes.”
But before those five minutes pass, your significant other comes home, sees the same pile of dishes, and asks if you can clean them up.
Suddenly, even though you had already planned to do the dishes, you find yourself not wanting to do them anymore. Why?
Because the moment someone else asks you to do something, it feels like your autonomy is being challenged. You no longer feel like it’s your decision, and that makes you resist.
This same dynamic plays out with your fitness goals.
When you’re struggling to lose weight or get in shape, it’s tempting to seek out someone else’s solution—a new diet plan, a trendy workout program, or the latest fitness guru’s advice.
Even when you find a plan that should work, you may feel an unexpected resistance to following it through.
That’s because the plan didn’t come from you; it was handed to you by someone else, which can make it feel less like your choice and more like an obligation.
So, does this mean all fitness programs and coaches are useless? Absolutely not.
In fact, a good coach is more important than ever—but not in the way you might think. The best coaches don’t just give you a list of exercises and a meal plan to follow.
Instead, they help you find your own path. They create an environment where you feel empowered to discover the solutions that work best for you, ensuring that the decisions you make feel like your decisions, not someone else’s.
Practical Tips to Take Ownership of Your Fitness Journey
Set Goals That Are Meaningful: Before diving into any program, take the time to define what you want to achieve. Your goals should be personal and meaningful to you, not just something you think you “should” do because someone else suggested it.
Have A Voice in the Process: Work with your coach to tailor the program to fit your lifestyle, preferences, and challenges. When you have a hand in designing your routine, you’re more likely to stick with it because it feels like your own.
Practice Introspection: Pay attention to how you feel about the actions you’re taking. If you sense resistance, ask yourself why. Are you feeling pressured by someone else’s expectations? If so, take a step back and reassess your approach to ensure it aligns with what you truly want.
Take Small, Consistent Steps: Instead of overhauling your life overnight, make small, sustainable changes that you can build on. This approach not only makes the process less overwhelming, but it also reinforces your sense of control and ownership over your journey.
The key to success in fitness—or any area of life—lies in taking ownership over the process. This will reduce the level of resistance you feel toward adopting new behaviors, and will even make the journey more enjoyable, too.
The next time you’re tempted to look for a quick fix, or fall for a diet that’s overly restrictive and extreme, keep this in mind. If your plan triggers this reactance, the chances are slim that you’ll see the results you want.
P.S. Tired of the same restrictive diet plans and want a better solution? Click below to book your free health assessment with an A-Team Coach and we’ll give you clarity on how to begin.