I was training my client James the other morning when he began his weekly diatribe:

One of these days I will finally be consistent with working out and have a good body.

Although James does miss a week or two from time to time due to work or travel, he works out two to four times a week and has a beautiful, healthy body.  Let me also say that he is carrying more muscle than ever, recently took two inches off of his waist and said his remark as I was racking the dumbbells from the heaviest set of presses he has ever done in his life.  My reply was also the same as usual— my jaw dropped, I blinked twice and after a moment of silence told him to give himself more credit.  But then I asked him something new,

At what point will you feel your body is good?

His answer was a bit indirect but nonetheless clear to me.  He began asking about some of the other bodies in the room and whether or not it was realistic to achieve that without steroids.  Having known most everyone in the room for nearly ten years I assured him that his was the only body present that had never been aided by steroids.  But even if that hadn’t been the case, comparing his body to those around him was not a healthy way to judge his own success.  I quickly realized that he needed a better way of measuring his progress; otherwise, he would continue being disappointed with his results no matter how fantastic they were.I’ve had many clients and friends who lacked the healthy perspective necessary  to define what a real success would be.  Just last week I had to tell a very hard working and dedicated client that I could not support his ambitious goal of losing 65lbs. in 13 weeks.  My biggest concern is to have a client go through all the work of exercising regularly, eating better, improving their sleep habits, reducing their stress and achieving what anyone else would consider to be incredible results but not be able to enjoy them because they set the bar higher than any drug-free or healthy body could ever attain.Progress is not always going to be linear.  Your workouts are not always going to be consistent.  Work will be too busy for the gym some days.  Family and friends will make demands.  You will get sick.  One morning you will feel great about your body but come evening feel terrible, for seemingly no good reason.  You will have on days and you have off days.But there are countless ways to mark a success.  It may be the effortless ascension of a flight of stairs.  Newfound balance and coordination getting out of the tub.  No back pain this week.  Only took one sick day this winter and it was to play hooky with your lover.  Your sexy jeans fit again.  Carrying a child two blocks instead of one.  Seeing yourself again when you look into the mirror.I would like your measure of progress to be based on an overall improvement of performance and quality of life (sleep, stress levels, food quality, relationships, activity levels).  And instead of measuring improvement over the span of days or weeks, measure your progress over the span of a season or a year.  It just may be that the good body you seek is the body you are already living in.

Jamie Dreyer is the President of Further Fitness NYC.