This month’s post is by guest blogger and personal trainer, Paige Johnson from Learn Fit at www.learnfit.org. Check out her website to learn more. Also, photo credit to Pixabay.
Thank you Paige for you contribution!
When you reach your fitness goals, you feel accomplished, have more confidence, and are much healthier. It is no wonder people love being fit! While it can be hard to stay on track with your fitness goals, it is worth it once you reach them. People can usually picture themselves at the end of their fitness journey, but do not always take the necessary steps to get there. If you have the right tools, however, you will be able to keep your fitness goals all year. Keep reading for our six best tips — we believe they will make it much easier to get the results you are looking for!
Change how you set goals
Make sure that the goals for your workouts are set around the process rather than the outcome. This will help you to stay on track, and you will be much more likely to succeed. Many people only look at the finish line. Instead, look at what it will take to get to the finish line. Will you be able to accomplish those workouts? Will they be fun? Set your goals around the entire process, not just the result.
Be realistic
When you are choosing your fitness goals, make sure that they are realistic. If you have not exercised in years, your goal should not be to complete a full Ironman triathlon by the end of the year. Instead, it may be better to dedicate yourself to training for a 10K. This would be an incredible achievement, and it will help you to get fit during the process. Being realistic will help you understand how much change you can implement, and how long it will take you.
Plan ahead
You should always be thinking about your next workout. Whether you are going on a run, heading to the gym for a cycling class, or weight training at home, always make sure that you have a plan for your upcoming workouts, too. By doing this, you will not burn yourself out today and be too worn out to work out tomorrow. For example, if you plan on running three miles tomorrow, you should focus on muscle groups other than your legs for today’s sweat session.
Find support
People who work out together and have support are more likely to reach their goals. This is because there is someone there to encourage you and keep you accountable. If none of your friends have the same goals as you do right now and aren’t up for being your workout buddy, pick a gym where you enjoy the environment. You will find yourself meeting the same people regularly, and may even meet friends there. You will surround yourself with the support you need from like-minded people.
Be specific
Make sure that you define your goals very clearly so you know exactly what you’re trying to achieve. Pick a specific race with a date or a smaller pant size that you want to work towards. By doing this, you will have a specific goal that can excite your mind and body when working out, and one that you know that you can achieve with hard work.
Don’t rely on the scale
Too many people rely on measuring their results with the scale. It’s important not to do this. One of the main reasons is that muscles weigh more than fat. This means that if you are working hard and gaining muscle, you may weigh the same (or even more) as when you started working out; however, you could look completely different. We suggest that you have another goal instead of simply losing weight, like reducing your body fat percentage or cutting down the time it takes you to run a mile. These ways of keeping track of your results are so much more beneficial in the long run.
Keeping your fitness goals long-term can seem intimidating. Once you have the necessary tools in place, it can turn into a lifestyle change that allows you to live the life you have always wanted. Try a few of these tips to see how you can more quickly implement your fitness goals.
