Setting Fitness Goals

Did you set a fitness related goal this year? If so, are you on target to reach your goal? We are approximately ¾ of the way through this year. Are you ¾ of the way to reaching your goal? If not, don’t worry, it’s not too late to get back on track and make some major progress. Setting goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the keys to success. Stop letting your goal slip away. Start by following these three simple steps:

Step 1: Set Reasonable Goals
First you need to define your goals. Figure out what it is you really want to accomplish. Are you trying to incorporate a regular exercise program into your lifestyle to reap the health benefits such as lowered cholesterol, lowered risk of hypertension and diabetes or lose weight and firm your muscles for the summer? Think long and hard about what it is you want to accomplish and why you want to accomplish it. Once you’ve done this commit your goals to paper so you can review them daily. Make sure to set a realistic time frame for achieving your goal or you’ll be telling yourself you want to get back to your playing weight for the rest of your life.

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, break your goal down into smaller micro goals. A four week period is big enough to show progress but small enough to handle. Trying to lose 30 pounds in the next four months may sound like a lot, but if you break it down to losing seven to eight pounds over the next four weeks, it becomes a little more doable and keeps you on track for your larger goal.

Step 2: Build Your Plan
After you have clearly defined your goal you need a plan to get from point A (where you are now) to point B (reaching your goal). If you want to lose weight you need to create a caloric deficit. One of the best ways to do this is to incorporate resistance training, interval training and slightly reducing your caloric consumption. Click here to get help building your plan.

Step 3: Stay Focused
Staying focused means reading your goals, exercising, and eating properly on a daily basis. On occasion you may miss a workout or deviate from eating proper, that’s okay. Put those lapses behind you regroup, refocus and follow your plan. Give yourself credit for each step of the way. Once you accomplish your four week goal reward yourself with something (a day trip, a night out, a pair of shoes, or whatever you’re into) for staying on track and then move on to the next four weeks.

Once you have a goal, the way to reach it is with baby steps. Follow your plan and get a little closer each day.