Interview with Personal Trainer & Nutritionist Kathleen Trotter

Instead of trying to find the perfect diet, workout, and mindset program to follow, create something tailored to you. You have to make and set your own priorities and boundaries. If you don’t, someone else will. Certainty is the opposite of growth. Don’t let your love of being certain and right stop you from moving forward. If you want to grow you have to be curious. You grow by questioning your thoughts and assumptions. Take a pause and say, “Self, where has that thought process gotten you so far?” Stop sabotaging your own success by being married to how you always do things. Don’t eat vegetables? Become someone who does. Don’t strength train? Try it. You know where your edges are—of course you shouldn’t eat things you are allergic to or do something that will cause injury—but don’t let yourself off the hook just because you don’t love a particular food or because you don’t think you are someone who goes to the gym. Challenge your habits and beliefs. You can grow to love, or at least tolerate, movement, but not if you don’t try. Your taste buds can adapt over time; for example, you are probably currently at least mildly addicted to sugar and salt, but your taste buds will only adapt if you break the addiction. Start. Just start. The journey of a thousand steps starts with a first step. The coin that makes you a millionaire only makes you a millionaire built on the backs of the other coins. Pick any sappy motivational platitude you want; they all mean the same thing—Start! Stop thinking and just do. Work to understand yourself better. Consider interviewing yourself—learn who you are, who you have been, and who you want to be. Ask questions such as: How old am I? What are my genetics? What are my financial realities? What are my past injuries? How much time do I realistically have to commit to movement? What is my exercise personality? Do I need to work out at home or at a gym? Do I thrive on competition?