I’ve had some fascinating conversations over the years with my friends in the fitness industry about ‘tire-kickers’.
These (in our world) are people who are perpetually program hopping, always looking for the best deal or price, without ever being committed to the actual lifestyle changes that are necessary to get and keep results.
Tire-kickers always ask about the price first, not the result, which is usually a dead giveaway that this person is going to continue to ‘kick the tire’ down the road of futility.
Then, inevitably, when they fail to keep their results, they can blame the program, coach or facility, and not ever justify looking at their own actions.
These people usually waste my time, and theirs, which is why I don’t allow people to just “get me on the phone and ask me how much it costs.”
This reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a gentleman who responded to an email I sent recently about Personal training with me.
He had let his weight creep over 400lbs during Quarantine, and is not feeling really good about himself right now.
The thing is, he’s worked with me before, and lost a bunch of weight, to the point where he was feeling better about himself and seeing the results.
He even told me about a fishing trip where he bent over to tie up and dock the boat, but the dock was un sturdy and he almost face planted into the lake with no-one there to help him.
He said “John, had I not worked with you before, I don’t think I would have been able to catch myself, and now that I’m heavier, I know I need to do something …”
This man knows he’s 100lbs or more overweight, and during our conversation he asked if I thought intermittent fasting was good, cause he was thinking of ‘doing it’.
That told me where his mind was, and while I could’ve probably sold him on a package and gotten him paying me sooner than later, I didn’t want to.
This man doesn’t know why getting healthy matters to him in the first place.
I know because I asked him, and he didn’t have an answer …
Sure, he wants to feel better.
He wants to lose weight.
He wants to reduce pain.
But he hasn’t.
And he won’t, until he knows why he’s doing it AND makes a decision to change (which leads to taking the actions that actually produce change).
Life got in the way before and he stopped working with me, and stopped working on his health altogether.
What’s to stop that from happening again?
I know this man is interested in my service, but I’m not sure he’d see the value in personal training with me right now because the cost is not low, and he is unsure of what he actually wants, no clarity.
I don’t just work with anyone, because most people don’t appreciate the cost of how much (time and $) it will take to get the help they need.
In fact, most people underestimate what will actually have to happen in order to produce lasting change, which is why the barrier of entry is high with me.
If you’re not going to put skin in the game, how can you expect it from me?
I understand price is a concern for some people, however, I also know if it was your kid, or the person you loved most, you’d beg, borrow or steal to get that paper and make it happen.
Let’s use the case of this man who is at least 100lbs overweight.
How much does it cost him per month to remain 100lbs overweight?
Here’s what I know …
I know it cost him more than what he was paying me before to be that overweight, and you don’t even need to be 100lbs overweight to benefit from this lesson, so stick with me even if you have 5 or 10lbs …
Personally, I have lost and kept off over 80lbs for the better part of 15 years, and I’ve helped many others lose damn near or over 100lbs themselves, including a woman recently who had both knees replaced – so it can be done!
In fact, I was talking with my mentor Justin recently (the transformation podcast) about a similar situation with someone he knew who helped a client lose over 100lbs, and this guy was a real wiz with numbers, the analytical type …
This guy estimated it cost him over 40k a year to remain 100lbs or more overweight!!!
$40,000 a year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some people don’t make that in a year, let alone can spend it to stay unhealthy.
Now, you might be wondering HOW is that possible?
Welp, you gotta do A LOT of extra eating to be 100lbs overweight, and most likely eating out more.
Alcohol is usually another waist expander, and probably coffee drinks with creamers and all that fake crap in them.
Oh, and the medications, plus doctors visits, to manage the overweightness and stress.
Plus, you gotta buy clothes right?
And usually those clothes come from a specialty store, or have them made special.
Shoes wear out faster cause, well, more tonnage to tote.
Furniture may need to be modified.
Having to buy extra seats on an airplane cause you can’t fit.
And even the cars you drive may need modifications to accommodate the extra girth.
How about the emotional cost, the loss of productivity at work, physical discomfort, and so much more?
We could keep going, but I think you see the point,
When you look at it that way, the REAL cost of spending a few hundred dollars a month with me is a net negative compared to the 3k plus PER MONTH a person would have to spend to stay unhealthy at 100lbs overweight.
Imagine how much more you could do with that extra money and health in your pocket …
So, whether you have 100 pounds to lose or no pounds to lose, have you ever considered the REAL cost of a fitness program and professional coach?
If you’ve got nagging symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, poor sleep, lack of sex drive, or any other host of irritants that a fitness program can eliminate…what are they costing you?
How about diabetes or heart disease?
What about poor self-confidence or lack of motivation?
It’s hard to put a number on, but take a guess … it’s got a cost.
It’s a pretty safe bet to hire a coach who can get the results you want (and has gotten them himself), and is a lot cheaper than spending money on managing sickness, illness, and lifestyle disease.
If you’re reading this and want to reply “But I’m living paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford a coach!”
Well, look at your expenditures.
What are you spending on other than bare essentials?
$5 coffees?
Alcohol?
Eating out?
All those things that cost money and contribute to the problem – what can you eliminate?
How about cable or streaming subscriptions or a smartphone?
Nobody NEEDS those things.
Now, evaluate what being unhealthy is costing you each year.
You can eliminate costs if you invest now … even if you have to borrow the money or do a 6 months no payment program …
“I can’t afford it” is usually boiled down to one of these …
- You don’t want to change
- You’re afraid to change
- You think it’s not going to work
I can work with 2’s and 3’s but 1’s probably didn’t read this far.
If you really are ready to change, and you know why you want to, or at least would like to start figuring out why, then please reply because we can help you not only figure out why, but we will actually make sure you get there.
Be Well – John
Changing the way Life is done.
Mindset. Fitness. Nutrition.
P.S. Here are 4 more ways you can become happier and healthier:
1. At-Home Workout Program
We created a 3 tiered entry-level program for those who want/need to stay at home to workout, and you can access it for FREE.
There is NO EQUIPMENT needed, only an open mind and doing the work!
You can get it now: CLICK HERE
2. Online Coaching Program
We’ve created an Online Program to fit all budgets.
Everything from On-Demand Videos, to LIVE Streaming Classes, Accountability Coaching Calls and more!
If that sound interesting, you can find out all the details now: CLICK HERE
3. Join our BADASS Community on Facebook
We want to work with and be around as many BADASS people as possible. Folks who might forget how BADASS they are and just need the space to remember.
So, we started a FREE group on Facebook called BADASS, which is our own private community where we go deeper into what we do at Bair Knuckle Strength.
The truth is, it makes the world a happier, safer, more enjoyable place when you love your BADASS self.
If you’re ready to see what we do, just CLICK HERE!
4. Rise
Rise is the story of ‘never feeling powerful … to … never feeling powerless’. It’s about John Bair’s life, why he does what he does and how his suffering created happiness.
This handwritten book takes you through an intimate, yet, self-revealing journey, which allows you to implant yourself into the story, as it relates to your own, and reveal the steps you’ll need to take, in order to make change a successful reality.
Available in DIGITAL, AUDIO, BOOK