How do you handle clients who set unrealistic goals?
So many people go to trainers in hopes of losing an unrealistic amount of weight in such a short time. TV makes it look like it can happen within weeks! When the client is unable to reach that goal they are disappointed, naturally. What do you trainers do to help a client understand this is a lifestyle change and will not happen overnight?
That’s a tough one, but doable.
Help them with goal setting techniques by sitting down with them and writing on paper different goals and techniques to reach these goals (I have handouts on goal setting that I use with my clients). Break down goals into time zones, starting with 1 year, to 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, and 1 week. This way, youwork backwards fro mthe unrealistic goal towards more realistic and feasable goals. I have found once clients are given the tools to set realistic goals and, more importantly, see these goals being reached, they acclimate to better goal setting.
Remind the client that they didn’t gain the weight overnight and are not going to lose it overnight. It takes approximately one year to create a healthy lifestyle. Advise if you were with them 24 hours a day and monitoring there every move they too can drop the weight as quickly as seen on TV. Can they afford to pay you for that?
I have a consultation with every new client. They must understand from the first moment that rapid weight loss is not what I support. Balance and long term success is the goal.
If they need rapid weight loss right now, I will be happy to work with them in the future after they’ve rapidly regained it. Then we’ll teach them to make good decisions and support them to be successful over the long term.
I don’t let my clients set unrealistic goals, I educate them from the beginning and I use those TV shows as “reality checks”.
I monitor and modify as we train, if they aren’t getting the results they expected I fine tune their program.
We as trainers owe it to our clients to be educated, informed, certified by a National Organization and stay current with the latest fitness reports and studies.
It’s up to us to set the standards!
