Exercise Training: Can You handle Your Truth?

Have you ever seen the movie a “Few Good Men?”. In that movie there is a famous scene in which Jack Nicholson tells Tom Cruise’s character,“ You can’t handle the truth”!  Do you think you can handle the truth when it stares you in the face?

Before I start training my clients, I go through an assessment with them and part of it is taking pictures. I take the pictures for two reasons. I want them to use the pictures for motivation when they lose sight of why they are training and the second is for them to really see how they look to other people. Do you know how you look? You might say,”yeah I do” but I can tell you, you really don’t. Many of us never come to grips that we are really overweight until we are able to see it through the eyes of others.

Once I am done with the client’s assessment, I put a package together and part of the package includes the clients pictures. I take pictures from the front, side, and back. I want to show all the angles, so they can get a good view of how they look. Before I start the first session with them, I go over the packet and more often times than not, the first thing they want to do is look at the pictures. “Do I really look like that?”, they ask. Then they say, “ I look disgusting”. I like to call this, the moment of truth. It is the first time they are looking through the eyes of others and are really seeing what people see everyday. I also think it is the first time they come to realize I need help and can’t do this alone. Can you handle your truth when its staring right at you?

I had an interesting conversation with a friend who wanted me to talk to his mother about losing weight. He’s a bit concerned about his mother’s health and thought it might do some good for me to talk to her. I didn’t refuse to talk to her, but I told him it probably wouldn’t help because she’s not ready for her truth. Its easy to walk around in denial whether than face the truth head on and realize you have to make a change. The truth forces you to take a good hard look at yourself, but its always easier and more comfortable to lie. Lying takes no effort, but the truth requires accountability and change. Human beings are resistant to change and accustomed to habit. It is in change where you find your truth unless you are willing to keep living the lie. Until next time, see you on the lean side. Enjoy the clip below!!!

Darren McDuffie
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist