How Darrell Stays Motivated and His Tips for Others
"I feel good; healthy feels good. I don't ever want to go back to how I felt before the weight loss and before my health turned around," he told POPSUGAR. "I want to set a good example for my family, my future children, and my coaching clients." He also has a blog and podcast called So THIS Is Fitness. In addition to training people at Anytime Fitness in Attleboro, MA, he also takes virtual clients that he coaches through their health and fitness journey.
He also wants to set a good example for this training clients, coaching clients, and the people who follow his blog and on social media. "I put myself out there on all those platforms to provide a little inspiration," he said. "I know there are people listening, watching, and reading who are in a similar boat now to where I was in the beginning. The hope is the inspiration I provide will spark some motivation inside them to do the thing and make a change."
Darrell's Tips for Others on a Weight-Loss Journey:
- Attitude is everything: "A positive attitude, positive self-talk and the belief that you can, in fact, succeed in your efforts and reach your goals has a big impact on the end result. Try not to let the rough moments get you down. People almost always underestimate themselves and don't give themselves enough credit. You're probably doing much better than you think, and you're probably capable of much more than you think."
- Build a support system around you: "It is so tough to do this alone, and I don't know how it would've gone if I didn't have my wife (then girlfriend) by my side. This might mean your significant other, family, friends, coworkers, your coach; anyone who you're in somewhat regular contact with who can impact whether you do or don't reach your goals. The hope is that they'll actively support and encourage you, helping make the journey easier."
- Understand it's a marathon, not a sprint: "It's going to take time, and shortcuts do not end well. Do it right, and give change the time it takes."
- You're going to mess up: "It's normal. You have to know 'screw ups' or lapses in your fitness efforts are completely normal. Nobody is perfect, and you're bound to hit a plateau or have an off day with nutrition or miss a workout. You have to ride the wave and take it in stride. Most journeys are not on a straight and level road, and that includes your health and wellness journey."
- You can't cheap out on your health: "As with most things, in order to hire a truly skilled professional to help you achieve your goals, cheap is often not the best choice. Being a coach is about more than just slapping together a workout plan, and if you're getting your fitness training for free or dirt cheap, there's probably something missing. There's a lot of value in that professional's time and expertise if you're willing to communicate and use them to their fullest capability. Plus, your fitness expenses now will be much less expensive than your health and medical expenses later."
- It's not just about eating less and moving more: "Yes, those are major components of the process, and I don't want to understate that. I do think it's important people understand though that physical fitness is just one aspect of health and wellness. Emotional health, stress levels, interpersonal relationships — it all works together and affects each other. One of the biggest reasons why people fail in their fitness and weight-loss efforts is stress. Make sure you're paying attention to the other areas of your life and feel good about your universe as a whole."