Most people talk about getting fit.

We've all been inundated with: "Booty Burner Boot Camp," "Pre-Summer Shred," "6-Pack Secrets" and the like... and in truth, there's probably some good content within each one of those plans. The path to GETTING fit requires grit and tenacity on those days you don't want to show up or that sweet treat is really calling your name...

Very few people talk about what happens after you get there.

The truth is, there’s a massive difference between achieving a fitness goal and maintaining health, strength, and adaptability for the rest of your life. And if no one prepares you for that difference, it can feel confusing, discouraging, or even defeating once the initial “goal body” arrives. I know I've felt "lost in the sauce" as my initial "goal" wasn't really well defined, and what I THOUGHT were my milestones kept moving.

I think it’s time we talk honestly about the things most coaches don’t usually share — so you actually know what you’re signing up for when you decide to really dedicate yourself to feeling capable, strong, and at home in your body.

Here are 7 things no one tells you about reaching and keeping your fitness & health goals.

1. The Goal Isn’t the Hard Part — the Maintenance Is

Getting fit often comes with novelty, adrenaline, and motivation. There’s a clear target. A finish line. We humans can rely on our grit for an extended period of time, but what about after?

What happens once you arrive?

There’s no applause. No “you’re done.” No permanent arrival point.

Maintenance requires:

•   Consistency without hype
•   Discipline without urgency
•   Identity without external validation (though I'll still cheer you on 😉!)

This is where most people fall off — not because they’re weak, but because they were never taught that health is a practice, not a destination. In becoming: healthy, strong, "fit" (to whatever degree that is for you)-- what comes alongside that is this vision of "WHO I AM"- The person that you have desired to BECOME--> Because maintenance of your initial health/strength/fitness goal is actually just LIVING the habits of that high-capacity man/woman that you know you are + deserve to be.

2. Your Body Will Keep Changing — Even When You’re “Successful”

No one tells you this part.

Your metabolism shifts. Your stress levels fluctuate. Your hormones change. Life throws curveballs. Seasons change. Aging happens.

If your entire sense of success is tied to one specific body composition or performance metric, you’ll feel like you’re “failing” every time your body evolves.

Your body is efficient and very clever. Over time, the programming that once was hard and gave you a great workout- eventually will not elicit the same growth responses as it once did.. (don't fret though, I can show you countless ways to adapt and modify plans to reach your goals).

Sustainable fitness requires adaptability — not "The Perfect Plan".

3. Motivation Eventually Leaves — Systems Must Replace It

Motivation is a spark. Not a strategy. 

I LOVE the feeling when I am absolutely flying through my workouts; I'm high-powered, I feel like I have infinite capacity, I am just moving and hustling from thing to thing.. It's AWESOME.

But if I'm honest... there's a GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME where I do NOT want to do all of that effort! In those moments I return to The Arc + Phases https://youtu.be/KMGbh_tpQdg?si=XGEYr6kxJr-e9Psa . I get on the floor and I tend to the nervous system and do some soft tissue work... inevitably I start doing some flow.. from there I just follow the energy until I'm up and moving... AND THEN-> often times some of the best workouts I've had arose from those days where I barely dragged my butt into the gym.. but with a little bit of time and patience I end up crushing it- and you WILL too!

If your routine only works when you’re fired up, it won’t survive:

•   Busy weeks
•   Emotional stress
•   Travel
•   Injury
•   Burnout

The people who stay fit long-term don’t rely on motivation — they rely on simple, repeatable systems that work even on low-energy days.

4. You’ll Outgrow Old Methods (and That’s Normal)

What worked at 22 might wreck you at 32. (*hint- follow the Arc, and pay attention to what resonates in your body)

What worked during a fat-loss phase might not support longevity.

What built muscle might not protect your joints long-term.

Progress requires introspection to notice what IS and is NOT working, the curiosity to try new patterns and systems, and a willingness to shift and change — not doubling down out of ego. 

In other words- staying healthy means learning how to evolve your training, nutrition, and recovery as your life changes.

5. Your Nervous System Matters as Much as Your Muscles

Ooh, this one is BIG, and I wish I had understood it early in my training career- I would have avoided so many burnouts and injuries...

You can’t out-train chronic stress.

If your body constantly feels unsafe, rushed, or overloaded, it will resist change — no matter how perfect your program looks on paper.

True fitness includes:

•   Recovery
•   Sleep
•   Breath
•   Regulation
•   Emotional safety

When we are pursuing transformation we are expanded the edges and boundaries of what our CURRENT body is capable of. That's the way we grow and expand those capabilities. But if we aren't wise in how we go about that pursuit we can often overdraw from our energy reserve (beyond just muscles, think chronic central nervous system + immune system fatigue).

A principle that is NOT taught often enough in the fitness/wellness/health industry is (two-part):

1. Minimal Effective Dose
2. Maximum Recoverable Dose

We realllly want to find the balance between these two pillars. The minimal effective dose is the stimulus needed to elicit positive change. The Maximum recoverable dose is the outside edge of training, where, beyond that- you end up causing more inflammation and chaos than you gain benefits to the body or pattern you're training.

Why wouldn't you always choose the minimal effective dose? Well, because if you can push a bit more and stay within the maximum recoverable dose, you will elicit greater change.

Remember, strength, cardio, flow... WHATEVER.. without regulation eventually becomes fragility.

6. The Leaner You Get, the Less Room for Error There Is

This is one almost no one warns you about.

The closer you get to your “ideal” physique, the more sensitive your body becomes to:

•   Missed sleep
•   Undereating
•   Overtraining
•   Stress overload

Oh me oh my, how I still rebel against this one... 😮‍💨.. The "fitfluencers" with a year-long shredded physique really are 1) only posting their best days/workouts etc, 2) often dedicate most of their DAY to their physique and recovery thereof, 3) sometimes are indeed enhancing with supplementation 💉.

I have been more "shredded," bulkier and stronger, and every way in between. Along the journey I have found a resting range of bodyweight/body fat where my body is super adaptable in all realms of movement, I rarely get sick, and I feel "up for any challenge". 

THAT is my sweet spot. 

Do I still want to get "Mo' Buffer 💪?"... Yes, of course, always. But I know what sustainable feels and looks like, and finding your sweet spot zone (it will change and become more refined over time) is really something to keep in your mind- It is life changing because you have the ability to turn up or down the heat depending on life circumstances and know that you are well balanced.

That’s why extreme leanness is rarely sustainable — and why capability, energy, and resilience are better long-term goals than appearance alone.

7. Identity Is the Real Finish Line

At some point, fitness stops being something you do and becomes something you are.

Not obsessed.

Not rigid.

Not performative.

Just embodied.

You move because it’s part of your life.

You eat well because it supports your energy.

You train because it keeps you capable — not because you’re chasing approval.

That’s the version of fitness that actually lasts.

The Bottom Line

Reaching your goals is powerful.

Keeping them requires wisdom.

If you’ve ever wondered why it felt harder after you “made it,” nothing is wrong with you. You were just never taught what comes next.

And if you haven't yet "gotten there" - don't worry, you will, and I'll be there to support you.

This is the conversation I care about having — because feeling strong, capable, and at home in your body isn’t about a 6-week transformation…

It’s about building a life your body can thrive in.

Here to Cheer you on.

In Sustainable Strength & Kindness,

Benjamin