One thing I’ve learned already on this fitness adventure, is that it pays to set realistic goals. It’s great to walk into the gym and say you’re going to lose 100 pounds in three months, but it’s not very realistic. It’s also demoralizing when you realize after your first couple weeks there that you’re not going to be able to do it unless you resort to some pretty unhealthy habits. And that pretty much defeats the purpose. Far better to make realistic fitness goals right from the start and have a much better chance at succeeding.
So how do you go about setting realistic fitness goals?
First, write your goals down. Put them in a journal, post them on your bulletin board or on your kitchen cupboards. I started this blog to keep track of my fitness goals, and there’s no reason why you couldn’t do so as well. The main point of writing down your goals is to make you accountable for achieving them. It’s really easy to say you’re going to do something, but if you put it in writing it makes it more real than if you just mention it in passing. When you put it out there where someone else can see it, then it makes you more accountable too.
One thing I learned from the trainers at my gym is to not focus on weight loss when you’re setting fitness goals. Sure that may be your overall goal, but it’s too easy to get discouraged. It’s better to make achievable goals such as:
- making it to the gym five days a week;
- lifting five pounds more this week than you did last week;
- trying one new class every week;
- cutting your coffee down to one cup a day.
Small, easily achievable goals will set you up for success much faster and the weight will come off because you’re doing the right things.
Next, pick a date to start and stick to it. You should have your start date written down in your goals so that it’s easier to stick to. Put some thought into picking your date, don’t just do it on the spur of the moment by announcing you’re going to start a fitness program on the morning after you’ve spent all night partying. Believe me, it doesn’t work. The last thing you’ll feel like doing on New Years Day, or any other morning after is getting up and going to the gym, or going running. Even yoga can be too much if you’ve got the hangover of all hangovers.
The other reason why you want to put some thought into a start date is that you want to give yourself time to do two things — hit the grocery store for healthy food choices, and get rid of all the junk food in your cupboards.
It’s no secret that healthy eating and getting fit go hand in hand. You won’t get as good results just exercising alone as you will if you change your eating habits at the same time. Set up a meal plan for the week, make a trip to the grocery store for everything you’ll need as well as some healthy snacks, and you will be less tempted to reach for the chips when you’re feeling a little peckish.
Oh right… there won’t be any chips to reach for! You will have also cleaned out all the chips and other unhealthy foods in your cupboards before your start date. It’s so easy to buy snacks like chips in bulk at the grocery store just to have them on hand, especially if you live with others who are not as health and fitness conscious as you plan on becoming. If you can, avoid having junk food in the house before you even start your fitness program. And then, make a deal with yourself that if you ever crave it so badly that you can’t go without, you will walk to the store to get it.
So now that you have your cupboards filled with healthy food, and your goals all set out what happens when you meet those goals? It’s time to celebrate! When you achieve a goal you’ve set for yourself, find a way to celebrate that doesn’t include food. Treat yourself to a spa day, or a movie, or a good book or something else that’s just for you to celebrate all the good you are doing for yourself by setting realistic fitness goals and achieving them.
Photo Credit: © Arne9001 | Dreamstime.com
