If the reigning MVP of the NBA offered a less-knowledgeable basketball player some tips, surely the other player would accept the advice. On a similar note, if the IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year has some insight on how to live a healthy life and reach your fitness goals, it's worth paying attention.
Mike Z. Robinson, owner of MZR Fitness in San Luis Obispo, California, was voted the 2015 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. Robinson has helped hundreds of clients improve their health and fitness, often using a similar set of guidelines.
1. Create a Plan
Robinson recommends using specifics when planning your fitness journey.
"Visualize the end and what you want your main goal to be," he says. "The more specific your goal, the more likely you are to reach it."
Instead of being vague and setting a goal to be "fit and toned," strive to lose a specific number of pounds by the end of the year. Be detailed with your routine, such as planning 30 minutes of cardio three days per week and two days of strength training. Additionally, try setting nutritional guidelines, such as how much water you'll drink and how many meals you'll eat each day.
"Identify a goal, detail the steps to get there, and give yourself a deadline," Robinson says.
More: 4 Simple Tips to Stick to Your Fitness Goals
2. Try Not to Skip Workouts
If something unexpected pops up on a workout day and you're only left with 15 minutes, do whatever you can in those 15 minutes. Even if it's just a power walk around the block, it's better than nothing. Postponing workouts and changing plans can be a dangerous habit.
"Stick to your workout dates, because with each missed workout, you start to lose confidence and begin to question whether you can actually stick with it all," Robinson says.
3. Eliminate Excuses and Negative Self-Talk
Robinson recommends avoiding any doubts you may have about your health and well being.
"You're not too skinny, you're not too overweight, you're not too old, you're not too slow," he says. "You're nothing but yourself, and you deserve a higher quality of life. Exercise because you love yourself and your body, not because you hate it."
Robinson adds, "Remember that everything that happens inside an exercise routine makes everything outside of it better."
More: 5 Excuses That Kill Your Exercise Routine And How to Avoid Them