How do you motivate clients through plateaus?
1. Review their goals with them to make sure they are still valid.
2. Discuss their goals to find out what the motivators. Sometimes clients lose sight of the reasons for goals and why the have it.
3. Make sure they look forward and not back.
4. Help them understand that bumps in the road are normal and part of the process for change.
5. This one really makes a difference to keep clients focused; help them find an event participate in; run/walk a 5k, a bike event etc…
This will bring extra purpose and focus to their goals and workouts.
Motivation is something found within one’s self. For weight loss I let them know they are doing a great job, and then we look at their stats. First is their diet, a lot of times little things start to creep in, like taste testing, an extra snack. Make sure that they are at the low end of their calories allowed per day. The next step is their cardio: are they mixing it up? If they are always running, I will switch them to cycling, or ellipical machine, or one of the many group classes offered at the gym. Not only will this increase their calorie burn, but more important it will get them into something new and hopefully get that motivation burning within them. Strength training, mix it up, increase or decrease the weight, do more circuits, or more set training. Bring something fun in, like a hula hoop, can’t tell you the smiles I have gotten from somehting that simple.
Another thing I have used is coupling up two clients with the same goals. Train them together every so often, they build a relationship and work together. They realize they are not alone.
These are a few things that have worked for me. Good luck.
I would like to understand what everyone is defining as a plateau. I have found that most people misinterpret a plateau which a word that is plagued within the fitness industry through a number of different programs. It is becoming the new buzzword, which I think is completely ridiculous. However, most of the time these “plateaus” can be defeated through a correctly structured exercise program (Correctly sequencing exercises, and progression) as well as dietary aspects. Learning how to eat is instrumental in any weight loss success. Not only understanding what and how much (portion size), but also, WHEN is something else that can largely contribute to your overall goals. There are other obvious extraneous variables to defeating plateaus, however these two are best from a fitness professional to help regulate.