The Plan Works — If You Do
One of the worst things I experience as a coach is getting the breakup text or email from a client. To be fair, there have been many (former) clients that have done amazing, had great results, were fun to be around, and loved my gym. But when life circumstances take them elsewhere, it’s time to move on. I’m completely fine with this. If my coaching has significantly encouraged someone to improve their overall fitness, and continue it elsewhere, I’m content.
However, the worst part of breakup texts/emails, is when it happens from someone who didn’t even commit to the program. They barely showed up to workouts, they didn’t follow a nutrition plan, they struggled to manage their sleep and stress. Then after weeks or months of this bad cycle, I get the text or email…
“It’s not working out.”
Yeah duh, because they’re not working out, literally.
This type of client never achieves their desired goals, because they never fully committed to putting in the hard work to start.
I shouldn’t have to say this, but getting in really good shape and transforming your body is REALLY FREAKING HARD!
Most people think that if they workout 2x per week and are somewhat mindful of what they eat, then fat will fly off their body, inflammation and pain disappears, and everything will be amazing.
Wouldn’t that be nice? The reality is that life, stress, and chaos is still happening all around us. Work stress, financial pressure, family and other relationships ALL require our time, energy, and focus. It can be a lot at times. Trying to change lifestyle habits in the middle of all of this is so tough.
But there’s hope! I’ve helped hundreds of people succeed over the years, but it’s very challenging. You will be tempted to quit and retreat back to your old habits.
One thing I can promise you. If you don’t quit, and stay the course for many years, your life will forever be changed.
When you begin regularly working out, eating healthy, sleeping better, and respecting yourself enough to prioritize your health, you will NEVER go back to the old you.
Everyone wants results. Leaner bodies. Stronger lifts. Better conditioning. More energy. Confidence. Performance. Longevity.
But very few people are willing to do the one thing that actually produces those outcomes:
Follow a plan long enough for it to work.
Not start it.
Not hype it.
Not post about it.
Not research it endlessly.
Not jump between programs.
Execute it. Consistently. Relentlessly. Patiently.
The Real Pattern That Keeps People Stuck
Here’s the cycle most people live in:
They commit to a program →
They go hard for 1–3 weeks →
Life gets busy →
Motivation dips →
Consistency drops →
Progress slows →
Frustration builds →
They quit →
They blame the plan →
They jump to a new program →
They repeat the same behavior.
And then they say: “That program didn’t work for me.”
No — inconsistency didn’t work for you.
The uncomfortable truth is this:
Most plans fail because people abandon them before adaptation happens.
Physiological change takes time:
Strength adaptations
Fat loss
Cardiovascular improvements
Neuromuscular efficiency
Hormonal adaptation
Movement skill development
These are not instant processes. They require months and years of repeated exposure to the same stimulus.
You don’t get fit by novelty.
You get fit by consistency.
Consistency Is the Real Performance Enhancer
The best athletes, the strongest lifters, the leanest physiques, the most conditioned performers — they all share one trait:
They follow the plan when motivation disappears.
They train when it’s boring.
They train when it’s repetitive.
They train when it’s hard.
They train when no one is watching.
They train when progress feels slow.
Because they understand something most people don’t: Success in fitness is not about intensity — it’s about endurance.
Mental endurance.
Emotional endurance.
Behavioral endurance.
Discipline endurance.
Anyone can go hard for two weeks.
Few can go steady for two years.
The Mental Game: Outlasting Everyone Else
The strongest advantage you can have in fitness isn’t genetics, supplements, or the perfect program.
It’s this:
The ability to not quit.
Outlasting everyone else is a strategy.
While others quit:
You show up
You follow the plan
You trust the process
You stay boring
You stay disciplined
You stay consistent
And slowly, quietly, relentlessly — you separate yourself.
No drama.
No hype.
No constant resets.
No identity crisis every 30 days.
No “new plan” every month.
Just execution.
That’s how real fitness is built.
Why Jumping Programs Destroys Progress
Every time you switch plans:
Your body resets adaptation
Your nervous system resets learning
Your skill development restarts
Your progressive overload disappears
Your habit structure collapses
Your routine stability breaks
You stay in the starting phase forever.
And the starting phase never produces big results.
You don’t build momentum by restarting.
You build momentum by staying.
Following Through Is a Skill
Consistency isn’t a personality trait.
It’s a trained behavior.
So is discipline.
So is focus.
So is resilience.
So is follow-through.
The people who succeed didn’t magically get better genetics.
They trained the skill of not quitting.
The Truth No One Wants to Hear
The plan probably works.
The nutrition probably works.
The training probably works.
The structure probably works.
You just haven’t followed it long enough.
And until that changes, no new program will save you.
Because the problem isn’t the plan —
it’s the pattern.
Build the Mindset That Builds the Body
If you want real results, adopt this mentality:
Follow the plan even when progress feels slow
Trust boring consistency over exciting novelty
Value discipline over motivation
Choose structure over chaos
Choose patience over impulse
Choose follow-through over hype
Because the people who win in fitness aren’t the most motivated —
they’re the most consistent.
Simple Rules That Actually Work
Pick a plan
Commit to it for a real timeframe (12–24 weeks minimum)
Track progress objectively
Remove emotional decision-making
Execute even when you don’t feel like it
Stop searching for better — start finishing
Outlast everyone else
Last Thoughts…
Great fitness isn’t built in hype cycles.
It’s built in silence.
It’s built in routine.
It’s built in discipline.
It’s built in repetition.
It’s built in commitment.
It’s built in follow-through.
The strongest competitors don’t win because they found the perfect program.
They win because they never quit the process.
-Coach Tanner