One month has passed since clients committed to their New Year’s resolutions, and setbacks are common. Some clients may already feel discouraged, wondering if they can still achieve the health and fitness goals they set so optimistically and intentionally just weeks ago.

As a health coach or exercise professional, your role is to help guide your clients on their journeys. When setbacks occur, it’s time to use creative strategies tailored to individual client needs. You have a unique opportunity to help your clients rediscover their motivation and maintain long-term progress. Here’s how to turn those setbacks into comebacks.

Understanding Setbacks: Why They Happen

Setbacks are a natural part of any transformative journey, yet they often feel like an insurmountable roadblock. Imagine this scenario: A client starts the year strong, showing up to every session, meticulously tracking their meals and buzzing with enthusiasm. But as the weeks roll on, motivation wanes, old habits creep back in and life inevitably throws a curveball—a demanding work project, a family commitment or even an illness or injury.

This isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a sign that they’re human and vulnerable to unexpected demands, delays and derailments. Setbacks, while frustrating, are opportunities to reassess and refine the path forward. By understanding the underlying reasons why these challenges occur, you can better equip your clients to navigate them. Here are some common causes of setbacks and how they impact a client’s progress:

• Unrealistic Expectations: Many clients set ambitious goals without considering the gradual nature of progress.
• Lack of Support: Without adequate social support, clients may feel isolated in their journey.
• Plateaus: Progress stalls can demotivate clients who expect steady improvement or faster results.
• Life Circumstances and Events: Work, family or health issues often interrupt consistent effort.

Strategies to Help Clients Get Back on Track 

When clients encounter setbacks, your initial response often sets the tone for their comeback. They might feel overwhelmed, unsure of how to regain momentum or even tempted to give up altogether (all-or-nothing thinking). With the right strategies, you can help clients turn their setbacks into steppingstones for success. By focusing on small, actionable steps and fostering a supportive environment, you can guide them toward renewed motivation. Consider these strategies if you are experiencing client setbacks.

• Reframe the Narrative: Help your clients view setbacks as part of the journey rather than as failures. Share examples of well-known success stories that highlight resilience, emphasizing that progress is not linear. Apply the ACE Mover Method™ and ACE ABC Approach™ as you converse with your clients about what they are experiencing or use visual tools like progress charts to remind clients of how far they’ve come, even if the current moment feels stagnant.
• Reassess and Adjust Goals: Overly ambitious goals can become overwhelming. Collaborate with clients to break their goals into smaller, attainable steps. For example, if a client set out to lose 20 pounds (9.1 kg) but has struggled to maintain a calorie deficit, suggest a smaller milestone, such as 5 pounds (2.3 kg) in two months. It is also helpful to explore why the client is struggling with achieving or maintaining a deficit. Finally, use SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals to provide clarity and structure.
• Implement Habit Stacking: Instead of overhauling their lifestyle, encourage clients to stack new habits onto existing ones. This approach builds consistency without becoming overwhelming. For example, a client who already has a morning coffee ritual could add five minutes of stretching to that routine by doing a few simple stretches while their coffee brews.

Building Resilience with Emotional Support 

Overcoming setbacks isn’t just about physical progress; it’s also about emotional resilience. Many clients struggle not because they lack discipline, but because they feel discouraged, frustrated or even ashamed of their perceived failures. As the professional, your ability to provide emotional support is just as important as offering technical expertise. By creating a compassionate and empathetic space, you can help clients build the mental strength needed to navigate challenges and stay committed to their goals. Keep the following tips in mind.

• Normalize Struggles: Acknowledging your clients’ frustrations is critical. Empathy can bridge the gap between doubt and determination. Meet your client where they are, validate their concerns and explore what they might need in terms of additional support. Rely on your motivational interviewing skills to guide this conversation.
• Focus on Non-scale Victories: Many clients obsess over their weight or specific metrics, which can lead to discouragement. Shift their attention to other forms of progress and encourage clients to create a journal to document these victories weekly. Examples include:
  • Increased energy levels
  • Improved sleep quality
  • Ability to lift heavier weights or complete longer workouts
• Encourage Mindfulness Practices: Stress often exacerbates setbacks. Teach clients mindfulness techniques to help them stay present and reduce anxiety about their progress. For example, they might incorporate short, guided meditation or breathing sessions. It may also be a good idea to schedule “mindful workout” days focused on slower, intentional movements like yoga or Pilates.

Creative Strategies for Renewed Motivation 

When clients hit a slump, sometimes the usual approaches—like sticking to their workout plan or revisiting their goals—just aren’t enough. They need a spark of excitement to reignite their passion and remind them why they started. Creative strategies can provide that much-needed energy boost, turning the journey back on track into an engaging and enjoyable process. By incorporating elements of fun, variety and innovation, you can help clients rediscover their motivation and make progress feel fresh again. Here are some ideas to “surprise and delight” your clients.

• Introduce Challenges: Gamify fitness by creating fun challenges that clients can achieve within a week or month. Use social media groups or apps to build camaraderie, connection and support among clients who wish to participate.
• Leverage Technology: Fitness and health apps can provide daily reminders, progress tracking and motivation. Be sure to personalize any recommendations based on each client’s preferences, ensuring the tech fits seamlessly into their routines.
• Celebrate the Wins: Recognition boosts morale and motivates clients to keep going. Share success stories (with permission) on social media or in newsletters, highlighting milestones such as completing a 5K or reaching a strength-training goal. Take caution with how you approach sharing or celebrating wins, as not everyone responds to public recognition in the same way. Sometimes the most powerful celebrations are those done in private.

Long-Term Strategies to Prevent Future Setbacks 

While addressing setbacks in the moment is important, setting your clients up for long-term success requires a proactive approach. The goal isn’t just to help them recover from challenges but to equip them with tools and strategies that minimize the likelihood of future roadblocks. By nurturing consistent behaviors, building resilience and empowering clients to take ownership of their progress, you can create a foundation for sustainable success. Consider the following strategies when helping clients plan their long-term wellness vision.

• Create an Accountability System: Accountability partners or small-group training sessions encourage clients to show up even when motivation wanes. Offer check-in sessions or reports throughout the week. Use these as opportunities to find out what wins the client experienced, what challenged them and how they are planning to move forward.
• Provide Continuous Education: Clients are more likely to stay committed if they understand the “why” behind their actions. Offer brief lessons on topics like the importance of recovery, nutrition basics or the science of habit formation.
• Foster a Growth Mindset: Help clients embrace a mindset that values effort over outcomes. When clients focus on what they can control—like consistency—they’re less likely to be discouraged by temporary setbacks.

Measuring Progress and Adjusting Plans 

Tracking progress is an effective way to keep clients motivated and on course, especially after a setback. However, progress isn’t always straightforward, and the methods used to measure it can sometimes discourage rather than inspire. By using diverse and client-specific metrics, you can highlight wins—big and small—and adjust plans to better suit their needs and circumstances.

This approach not only keeps the journey adaptable, but also ensures clients feel empowered by their progress rather than constrained by rigid benchmarks. Here are a few ideas to consider.

• Use Data to Reassess Progress: Show clients their achievements through measurable data. Use a variety of tools such as non-scale victory journals, confidence scales, reflections and/or performance and body-composition indicators. Schedule monthly progress reviews to ensure goals remain realistic and adaptable.
• Help Clients Establish a Reward System: Tangible rewards incentivize clients to keep pushing forward. Coach clients toward identifying what rewards would be meaningful to them.

Setbacks: An Opportunity for Redirection 

Helping clients overcome setbacks requires empathy, creativity and a solid strategy. By addressing the root causes of their struggles and collaborating with your clients to reveal tailored solutions, you can transform moments of doubt into opportunities for growth. Remember, every setback a client experiences presents a chance to learn and build resilience. With your guidance, clients can develop the habits, mindset and motivation needed for lasting success.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to help your clients make healthy, productive and permanent life changes, considering becoming an ACE Behavior Change Specialist (worth 2.5 ACE CECs). Led by a panel of prominent behavior change experts, this program will teach you the key tools to promoting behavior change and creating a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.