Many of us have areas and habits we want to improve to help meet our nutrition and fitness goals. What works for one person might not work for another. However,  there are common themes in our clients’ habits that often lead them to success.

Here are some of the habits our coaches say our most successful Waggers practice:

Plan ahead and use reminders.
Whether it’s by preparing and packing food or researching events/locations where they will be staying ahead of time, successful clients stay organized. They also find it helps them stay on track by using reminders to drink their water, check their diary each night, reiterate their goals and deliver positive affirmations.

Remain curious rather than critical.
Our clients strive to understand their “Why” in every situation. This provides them with feedback on improvements to be made. Perhaps you make a mistake and go over your macros one day. Understanding WHY this happened allows you to cut back or change your choice to ensure the error does not happen across the week.

Have spousal or significant support.
Feeling supported is key to success. Supporters help those around them understand the value and meaning of their goal. Successful clients aren’t afraid to ask for ongoing support and accountability. They enlist accountability in social situations and in helping keep temptations out of the house and making healthier choices!

Establish and maintain routines.
Successful clients know the value of maintaining strong routines. These take the guesswork out and help automate their decisions. This saves both time and brainpower! Routines such as sleep and self-care are two great examples.

Foster a positive mindset with big-picture thinking. 
Every journey is different, and we’ll all be faced with challenges. It’s important to understand the opportunities for growth available in our experiences. Continued consistency and effort are what will drive results long term. Successful clients learn to challenge the negative thoughts/feelings/emotions that do not serve them. Food is fuel, and one day of making a mistake or being flexible will not harm our long-term progress.

Communicate honestly and openly with your coach.
Maybe a mistake was made, you’re struggling with negative thoughts or perhaps there has been untracked snacking. If we don’t hear about it, it’s hard for us to help. Practicing openness and honesty is a sure way to faster results and inner freedom.

Set goals.
In order to move forward, it pays to know where you’re going! Setting specific, measurable and tangible goals around training, lifestyle, self-care, and habits is the fastest path to success.

View meals as what you want to eat independently, not what a meal “should” look like.
We want to listen to what our body is asking us for, and create meals based on individual and varying ingredients, not see our options limited to what has been a labeled a “normal” meal. When we do this, it increases creativity and freedom to create meals that work for our needs.

See your relationship with food as an ongoing process.
One to be nurtured and that will CONTINUE to grow. We are all here to learn. Mistakes are inevitable and welcomed!


What our clients have to say:

“I’ve taken Greek yogurt and protein for a ‘midnight lunch’ at a wedding because I knew it was going to be pizza. I bring my own protein pancakes to family brunch sometimes because it’s easier. I offer to bring sides that I know I can eat. I always have veggies cut up and protein baking made. I put my food and my workouts into my phone so I’ve already made the date with them and I don’t break plans!” – Julie Baldoc

“They generally don’t see that it takes a bit of work to start with (it does ease up) and I’ve just learned to not give a damn if people laugh at me if I bring my scale to a restaurant. Or if the cashier gives me a weird look when I buy tuna packets as if I was getting ready for the apocalypse, haha!”– Eli Marie Mouchard

“I drink 8 oz. of water when I first wake up in the morning and a minimum of 80 oz. of water while at the office (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.). I have a 20-oz. water bottle that I use all day. It gets filled up at 7:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., noon and 1:45 p.m. There is a café in my office where I can fill it up with soda water, which is easier for me to drink more of as all I need is a squeeze of lemon.” – Brittany Shibla

“BE HONEST: It is tempting sometimes to fudge your macros so they look good on MFP. But who does that benefit?! Certainly not me. It’s self-sabotage! I am not doing this to impress a coach and seem like I am doing the right thing. I track what I eat as close as I can so that Chris has the most accurate picture of what is working or what needs to change in order to get the results. How can he help me get to my goal if he doesn’t know what is really going in my belly?” – Julie Tambien

Training happens in the a.m. My capacity for decision making diminishes as the day goes on so I need to do the things that are priorities early in the day. If training is important than I have to do it first. It also gives me 60–90 minutes with myself to reflect, plan and get ready for the rest of the day.” – Aysha Daniels

We all continue to develop, learn and grow as we progress in our journey. If you’re not already fostering these habits, when better to start than today! Reach out to your coach for additional support if you need it, and never be afraid to ask for help!

Did you connect with what our clients had to say? Do you want this to be you? When you sign up for Working Against Gravity, we’ll pair you with your own personal nutrition coach. You’ll have formal weekly check-ins with your coach, plus the ability to message them 24/7 anytime you need to chat.
Together, you’ll decide the steps to take to reach your goals and master healthy habits. You’ll also join our exclusive online community, where you’ll find additional accountability and support.