If you have a coach, online or otherwise, you will do check ins.
Every two weeks I check in with my clients. They upload pictures into our Trainerize app and send me a form answering questions about the last two weeks. I want to know of any slip ups, concerns, positives.
I want to tell you things not to do. I want to show you what a good check in looks like and how to help your coach do a great job.
Not every coach has the process streamlined as I do, but I have many clients who successfully check in with me. I can help them because my clients KNOW fully how to check in properly and I can turn around their changes in a snap.
They give me as much information as they can so I can do the best job I can for them!
Secret number 1:
Take your pictures properly:
1. Same day every week or two weeks as your coach requests.
2. Early morning after you use the bathroom. This is your DRY weight.
3. Wear the same outfit each time. Bikini or not, be consistent in your wardrobe.
4. You don’t need your face in the pic. Competitors full body in heels.
5. Shoot your full body! Not half your body or cutting off your legs. That’s no good!
6. Send your form and upload pics immediately in the morning after you take them.
No, you may not send them later when you ‘have time’. Make time. This is what your coach asks for. Do it as a priority.
Extra: I covered this in another blog, but you should never send naked pics, bent forward pics or any pics that make you feel uncomfortable to a coach. Coaches don’t need that. If your coach asks you to do creepy things, fire them.
GIANT SECRET READ THIS
Don’t binge eat or drink before you send your pictures. You are bloated and puffy.
When I have sent pics to my coaches, I wanted them to see the truest representation of my weeks results.Even if I was on high carb day I will work around it so I’m not puffy. My pictures each week were what kept the train moving forward. If you don’t think about the little things or you half ass your pics, you may not get the right changes!
Don’t be like this
“I binge drank and ate all day yesterday. You need to change my macros. My stomach is not getting any smaller”.
Common sense should tell you that you will NOT look your best after a binge. It takes me 4-5 days to lose the bloat from a binge. There should be no binges but for sure.. you need to let your coach know, be accountable and try to find a way to NOT do that again. I don’t change macros on clients who are actively binge eating. We need to focus on being consistent.
I don’t judge my clients for derails, but let’s just say, if you binge and don’t tell your coach, she knows you did anyway. I can see it when they walk in the door. Be honest so progress can continue.
Plan ahead
I have had clients “forget ” to take their pictures so they shoot them at night after they have had a whole day of food, and life. We use the early am pictures for consistency. You should care and plan for your check ins. My checks ins keep me on the right path. If I have to stand in front of my coach or the camera, I am very sure of what I am eating. I never do my check in’s on a Monday. My high carb day is on the weekend. I keep it tight as it can be 3 days before my Friday check in. You may not care as much as I do. But at least you know why we need it consistent. I’m picky with my clients. I never have issues with competitors because they get it.
YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG..
Check ins are good. They are exciting and it’s your time to shine. You literally have done all the things to check off your list each day so be excited. People turn in checkins , looking down and all sad looking. Come on.. Let’s show the coach what you did!
I go full on hair makeup and jewelry and heels. Maybe you don’t care about that but I’m more motivated to give my coaches something they can see I’m proud of!!
Secret 2
Don’t send your coach crappy pictures and expect them to know what is going on. If the bathroom is all foggy or the pics are blurry.. that’s just a mess. Hold the camera straight on not pointed down. That makes you look wonky!
If your guy is 6 foot 4 and you are 5″ have him hold the camera lower . Men usually don’t care. We can teach them to be good photographers.
If you need help taking your own pics, use the method our entire team does. click here
EXTRA BONUS SECRET
If you hire a coach to hold you accountable, be accountable. No one MADE you drink craft beers 4x a week. If you are here to lose weight, get lean, cut, or whatever.. do it. Your coach isn’t here to say.. Oh.. I totally get that.. craft beer is so hard to resist! This is what you signed up for. Don’t get mad when your coach has to do her job.
SUPER DUPER BONUS SECRET
Facebook tells all. If you are one to post your wild nights on Facebook be aware that your coach sees this. I cannot unsee half the stuff I see clients eating on facebook. I don’t think it occurs to them when they ask for new macros because the olds ones aren’t working.
That giant margarita above doesn’t fit anyone macros and we all know it!!
MISSING CHECK INS
If you purposely blow off your check ins, many coaches will fire you. We have a limited amount of time for clients and actually invest a lot of tme into programs. If you disappear, that’s on you. Your best strategy is to work with your coach on trouble spots. Ask for help, guidance. No one is perfect. I want my clients to be successful but if they are missing check ins, I ‘m pretty sure they are off their plan. Check ins are accountability. Be accountable and don’t waste people’s time if you aren’t really committed. I’m mean.. right!
Forgetting to check in? Are you kidding me? Not acceptable. Coaches have a schedule and you are on it. You can put it on your schedule too. If you are forgetting them, you are not preparing for them. If you expect your coach to prioritize your check in after you forgot, you will most likely lose your place in line. Rude.
CO-COACHING: one of the worst things you can do is ask 12 other coaches if your coach is giving you the right macros, workouts. Post it on Facebook and watch the blowback. If you don’t have confidence in your coach, leave them.
If you are taking advice from the guys at the supplement store, your brother, a trainer at Gold’s and adding spinning to your program because you “need more cardio” do yourself a favor and leave your coach. No one can possibly know what your coaches long term plans are. There are many variables. I have had clients think they need cardio and I took it away from them. They got ripped abs because they ate more food and lifted instead of doing what they want. There is a long game . Remember what your mama said, too many cooks spoil the soup.
Update: Competitors. If you hire a coach who is bro then suddenly you dislike chicken turkey or fish.. that’s on you. Don’t go whining to Facebook because you hate your meal plan. Likewise, if you join a bikini team and plan on running your own game, please just don’t. You hire a coach to coach you. Let them do their job or leave the team. If you have questions or concerns, by all means be vocal but don’t disrespect someone you agreed to work with.
Extra workouts:
If you are adding workouts, changing your plan on your own, your coach has no way of knowing if their plan is working. This is so important. I ask my clients every week if they are doing more than I gave them. I’m not feeding them for 6 extra spin classes. I don’t co -coach. That is not best practice. You need to be honest with your coach so you will be successful.
phew!! Ok,,
Let’s look at some positives!!
GOOD!
These are great pictures. My clients no longer have to do them side by side because we use Trainerize. But if you have to.. they should be the same size.
In fact.. always shoot them exactly the same so you don’t look wonky!
These look great. Her whole body is in the picture.
Competitor check ins:
In competition prep/bridal prep, every week is crucial. I need to see exactly what is going on and your coach does too.
Being as accurate as you can with all the information you have will help your coach create the best plan of action for your progress.
Good luck!
