Firstly: fairly obviously, this post is going to discuss weight loss. If that’s something which isn’t a safe topic for you, or something you disagree with, please feel free to stop here…
Whether weight or fat loss is the right thing to aim for or not is not the topic of today’s post – this is a broad topic and, ultimately, I believe the question of whether or not it’s the right idea depends on an individual’s feelings and choices. As a personal trainer, I’m happy to work with a client on fat loss, with a caveat – I have to be confident that they are doing so for reasons which are both positive and healthy for them, and there also has to be the right for either party to withdraw from that goal at any point. If I believe that one of my clients is at risk of or suffering from a physical or mental health condition, I will discuss my concerns with them and, if necessary, refer them on to another qualified professional in order to seek help.
What to do after hitting weight loss target
With all of that said, this post is inspired by a positive conversation that I’ve had with one of my clients who, when we first started working together, had set themselves a weight loss goal. We discussed it together: I was quickly satisfied that my client had chosen a goal which was safe and realistic, in terms of the amount of fat they wanted to lose, and how long they expected it to take (plus what they were going to commit to in order to make it happen). Together, we established 6-week, 12-week and 6-month goals, as I do with all clients, and we set to work.
We passed the original 12-week mark together, and I enjoyed working with this client – they’re interested and committed, and we get on well. They were happy to keep working together, so it was time to re-assess goals again and, with them being close to the original weight target they set themselves, we had a, “now what?” discussion.
Weight loss target achieved: what’s next?
This conversation will be different for everyone… because we’re all different. In the case of this client, they genuinely enjoyed the training we’d been doing, and have decided that they’d like to continue training in the gym by lifting weights – music to my ears! This is because they saw progression in their body in terms of fat loss, but also the additional benefits of improved posture, increased strength and stamina (both inside and outside the gym), better sleep, and more. This person has realised that all of this comes with a level of upkeep, but that they can also keep developing their skills and learning more.
So I’m able to factor all of that in. They also shared with me that they’d particularly like to improve their strength in a certain area of their body, so I’m able to work with that one too. I didn’t suggest a lifting goal – whereby we might aim for them to be able to perform a specific lifting manoeuvre for a certain number of repetitions at a particular load – as it wasn’t yet relevant to this person.
Beyond weight loss: the next steps
Essentially, this client has progressed from the starting point of a mix of fat loss goal plus the more holistic focus of gaining confidence in the gym, to now wanting to increase their confidence and improve their skills. By ensuring that we still have a goal which is relevant and achievable for them, we ensure that they’re not just going into a vicious circle – the goal was never the end of the journey, but a point along the route.
What if I want to maintain my weight?
Of course, maintenance of your weight can also be a valid goal. With this, I would always suggest that you aim for a weight range, rather than an exact number; this will account for daily or weekly fluctuations, as well as simply allowing you to be that bit kinder to yourself. None of us will be the same weight constantly, so it’s neither a realistic aim nor an appropriate one.
A final word that I can just about squeeze in on this issue: just because you once picked a number that you thought you should see on the scale, doesn’t mean that’s the one you should be the rest of your life. Or even the rest of this year. A friend and I discussed this recently – she’s tall and lean, weight trains far harder than I do, and has the consistent goal of wanting to get stronger. She’s recently noticed that she’s definitely heavier than she was a few years ago, when her goals were the same as they are now. Is she worried? No. Because her weight isn’t the goal, her strength is, and the strength is going in the right direction, so she has let go of the number she used to like, as it clearly wasn’t appropriate for her main goal.
Want to talk goals, and what might be right for you? Book a free consultation and we’ll get started.