PART II: HOW VICTOR’S COMMITMENT GOT HIM THROUGH A LONG ROAD OF STRUGGLE
It was three years ago when I first shook hands with Victor, a banker with an abundance of charisma. Victor wasn’t the most genetically gifted trainee. He had a small bone structure, as well as a little belly pushing his belt, to prove it.
But boy, did he have determination. And big goals typical for a man of his age and stature.
“I want to lose fat around my waist and put on more muscle.”
As with most new clients, he was highly motivated and excited to start as soon as possible. But as Victor was a novice to training we had to kick off from scratch. I coached him on proper training techniques to get the most out of his sessions. We worked on lifestyle habits and slowly improved his eating regime. He was working on all the right things as the first 12 weeks rolled over. And…
Although he improved his training and eating habits, there was only small progress in terms of body transformation. And so we continued work on his goals for a full year. But the progress was painfully slow.
Trying out the magic fat loss solutions
Because of his highly demanding job we decided to put more emphasis on his recovery and stress management. We even got him on some supplements that had been proven to work. Being positive that unmanaged stress was the missing link that was holding back his results.
Another year rolled over and we didn’t see change as fast as we both wanted.
Two years into his training we reached out to a naturopath. She confirmed us that the issue indeed was his stress, but also gut health. More supplements.
Another year rolled over. No major visual difference in his physique. Someone else might have asked for their money back. After all, I wasn’t delivering him results quick enough.
But Victor didn’t ask for his money back. Despite not getting the results he expected he was committed to continue to seek answers.
Then the penny dropped…
I remember this day like it was yesterday. A memory vividly burned on my retinas, along with meeting the Santa for the first time. And the first time I ate cheese.
I hitched a ride with him in his car and noticed a big, empty cup of frozen Coke next to his seat. And as any coach with a keen eye for investigating work would do, I was compelled to ask,
“Victor, why is this cup in your car?”
And out came his casual reply, “Oh, it’s from a frozen drink I have two to three times a week. I haven’t included in the diet diaries since it’s just water.”
For me this moment is like the final scene in Fight Club. You know, when the buildings are exploding and you finally realize what’s going. Except that, unlike the end of Fight Club, this was a positive revelation.
The past THREE YEARS he had ignored to include a huge part of his calories in the diet diaries. Of course he hadn’t done it on purpose. He misreported his diet because he didn’t know.
After this monumental moment of me being Edward Norton and Victor being Brad Pitt we agreed on the new condition of our work together: only eat what is on your plan and report everything else.
Here’s what happened the following six months:
In six months he completely transformed his physique. But it wasn’t just physical. He also gained new highs of confidence about himself and his appearance. It’s an impressive six month transformation, that took three years.
Unlike most people, he had the commitment to push through during tough time. When pelicans were flying through the turbines and the plane wasn’t taking off, he kept at it. He was dedicated to his goal and believed in the process.
When the challenge proves bigger and harder than expected we often we look for excuses to give up. Only the people who are committed will stay the course. They are the ones to reap all the glory in the end. And all the unlimited high fives and fistpumps.