Your clients are struggling to stay motivated. What can you do to keep them engaged?

Sarah, one of my clients, was struggling to stay motivated during her weight loss journey. To keep her engaged, I set realistic and specific goals for her, such as aiming to lose 1-2 pounds per week and being able to complete a certain number of squats. I also varied her exercises and intensity, incorporating different functional training movements and adjusting the difficulty as she progressed. To make it fun, we introduced challenges and games into her workouts. I also shared my fitness journey with her, including the struggles I faced and how I overcame them. This not only educated her but also inspired her to keep pushing forward. By doing this, I was able to reignite her motivation and keep her on track towards her weight loss goals.

I believe we also need to consider the bigger picture. It is great to set realistic and specific goals, however it is more than just being motivated to achieve goals that is needed. We need to be inspired to take action based on a 'big why' (your Ikigai perhaps) and this needs to be very compelling. It is about asking those deeper questions to understand what it is that a person truly wants from life. When we get this, then motivation is a given, and inspiration takes over.

By adding some variation to their exercise regimens to keep things interesting and avoid boredom. Encourage a sense of accomplishment by celebrating achievements and regularly evaluating development. Furthermore, provide ongoing assistance and inspiration to foster a supportive and inspiring environment that encourages clients to continue participating in their health journey.

The more realistic their specific goals, the more likely clients are to stay on track. We always sit down first of all to discuss what they want and expect. Next, I break their end goal into milestones - little wins to achieve on the way. Often these "little" wins will actually feel huge once they are achieved (such as a 5 kg weight loss for a person who has stalled/ put on weight for years). We build on this motivation to keep going to the next milestone. It is also important to tell your clients that slumps in motivation are completely normal from time to time. This is where discipline comes in. A diary or notepad (hardcopy or digital) collecting their ongoing success can be a great pick-me-up & a vital reminder of their why.

I teach my students to enjoy the process of getting in shape. I do not emphasize goals since it can make people have unrealistic expectations. I remind them that progress is gradual in a way that may not be noticed. Like watching a flower bloom. The process is slow until it explodes into success.

As a functional medicine coach, I've found that varying exercises and intensities through scientific periodisation are critical to keeping clients engaged. This approach combats boredom and maintains excitement for each new session. By continually introducing fresh challenges, clients enjoy enjoyable workouts and consistent progress, avoiding plateaus. Periodisation offers a custom roadmap to their fitness goals, balancing intense training with crucial recovery phases for overall well-being. Educating clients about the reasons behind their routines deepens their commitment. The satisfaction of seeing them reach and celebrate their goals underscores the effectiveness of this method.

Using a combination of routine and surprise keeps clients focussed: E.g., in my sessions there will always be breath- and ab work but clients will never know exactly what kind of exercises we'll do beforehand. One times we'll do a sweaty leg-focussed workout, next time we'll open the hips and shoulder area in a more stretchy session or do a fun hour of handstand variations against the wall. To keep clients committed, explain the why behind the choice of exercises. If they understand why they do what they do they will be more motivated to actually follow their exercise plan.

One thing I’ve found is that varying exercises isn’t just about keeping the workouts fresh, it’s also about teaching clients to be adaptable in life. By constantly switching up movements, we train their bodies to handle a wider range of challenges, whether it’s climbing stairs, lifting groceries, or playing with their kids. It’s like building a mental resilience alongside the physical. Plus, when we adjust intensity or introduce new movements, it sparks curiosity, turning each session into an opportunity for discovery. That sense of anticipation keeps clients coming back, not just for the results, but for the adventure.

Some clients simply want a good workout. They'll be motivated and eager to sweat. Easy. Others expect more than "just" a workout and that's where we can get creative: For more yoga-based sessions I'll use techno music during sun salutations. 90-ies pop music is usually a winner for ab work. I've had clients roll the dice to decide whether today will be arms, legs or a full body workout. Throwing in something unexpected like an arm-balancing or inversion pose can be great to lighten up after a particular hard part. In group classes, have people do partner exercises with someone they don't know well.

Remind your patients why they are doing an exercise. Relate the movement to a hobby or sport they are looking to reduce pain/discomfort or improve performance on. Keep your program fun and engaging with different sets and reps, sure. That is always important. Respect your clients autonomy for exercises they enjoy. But at the end of the day, there might be one or two exercises on the list that the client doesn’t love and is challenged by. Sometimes that exercise they don’t like feels hard to them or boring. Remind them why they are doing it with a direct relation to their goals. That is what helps them realize why they pay you as the professional and why your exercise programming matters to them.

Motivation wird überflüssig sofern folgende Punkte erfüllt sind: - die Person fühlt sich kompetent & sicher genug die übungen auszuführen - sie einen genauen Plan mit Anleitung hat - der Plan zu ihrer zeitlichen Routine passt & das Ziel erfüllt - bei jeder übung geprüft wurde, ob sie sich A: vorstellen kann diese übung machen zu k?nnen und B: auch langfristig machen zu wollen - die Hemmschwelle durch Vorbereitung gering ist. Sind die Punkte gegeben, hat die Person einen Plan, der nicht nur ihr Ziel erfüllt, sondern den sie auch machen m?chte, zeitlich eingeplant & durchgeführt bekommt, sowie die Sicherheit und Kompetenz besitzt ihn umzusetzen. So wird die Hemmschwelle minimiert.

Crear un grupo de seguimiento en el que, cada uno aporte y se sienta escuchado. Para la persona que empieza cualquier tipo de reto u objetivo, es importante el acompa?amiento. Una opción interesante puede ser, crear un grupo con personas que compartan objetivos similares.