Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

​ “I brought my hockey stick, but forgot my skates.” If you were a hockey coach for a high level team, with a very competitive game at stake, how would you feel if your athlete told you this?
Chances are, there is a possibility that the athlete can find another pair of skates, but they might not be their size, and will not be the elite skates that they are comfortable performing with. Their performance will suffer, and they will not be the best hockey player they can possibly be, because they failed to prepare themselves properly. The same thing occurs with nutrition and training, they require planning and preparation. Anything else is setting yourself up for failure.
 Oftentimes, I see many competitors and physique athletes complaining about their lack of results, while at the same time they are eating out during their prep, or listening to the advice of unexperienced individuals. I understand that we are all humans, and that life sometimes puts bumps in our road, but many simple diet mishaps and missed workouts can be fixed with proper preparation. A prep requires a lot of time, and you must be able to budget your hours and plan your days with time ahead in order to ensure the proper amount of time invested. Same occurs with meals, you must always carry your meals with you if you are a busy individual. Leaving the house without your meals and expecting to be home by a certain time can be a risky game to play. As a guideline, I always carry one extra meal from when I think I will be arriving at home, in case I get caught outside of the house, I have no excuse to not stick to my nutrition plan.
 Throughout the years, I have trained many individuals who have an incredible work ethic with great potential. They push themselves to a level many can’t fathom, but when they do work on their own, they cannot summon the same amount of effort from within. Same thing occurs with their nutrition, they leave the house unprepared and end up snacking on foods that are overly processed and low in nutrition. As much as these individuals have it in them to be able to reach all their fitness goals, they never will maximize their results with this lack of preparation. If you are having trouble planning your meals, and find yourself constantly straying from your nutrition plan, here are four simple tips you can implement to take your results to the next level:

1. Hire a nutrition coach with experience, who cares about your results. Oftentimes, many individuals find that having someone to stay accountable to will help them stay on their plan. This also ensures that you are getting help from an individual who has done this for many others, and will know the right steps for you to take.
2. Plan your meals ahead. This is easier said than done, but it is possible to do with some effort. Cook batches of food in bulk a few times a week, and pack all your meals for the next day the night before. That way you know what you have to eat, and there is no excuse that you didn’t have food available.
3. Life happens, so make the best of it. Sometimes life gets in the way of our plans, unforeseen circumstances occur, and this is normal. But this does not mean if you are caught out to eat, it has to be pizza, wings, a coke and dessert. If you find yourself in a tight situation, you can always find something nutritious to eat now in days. Even Macdonald’s can offer you a grilled chicken breast salad with no dressing. In situations like this you must ask yourself, “is this temporary happiness really better than achieving my goals?”
4. Talk to your close ones about your fitness goals. A lot of people don’t like to talk about their fitness goals as they feel that this makes them come off as superficial or vein. But your close ones care about you, and they will care about what makes you happy. Talking to them about your goals makes you feel accountable and has others constantly asking about your goals; nobody wants to say “oh I quit, it was too hard for me” when asked how their goals are coming along. This will also help your loved ones understand that this is important to you, and they will support you on your journey.

As we have seen in this article, preparation is key in terms of training, nutrition and success in many aspects of life. Without preparation a sustainable plan cannot be made, and this can be the downfall of your success. Make sure to follow these 4 tips, and you will be on the way to reaching your maximum potential!