At one time or another, most people have some sort of fitness goal. A goal may be diet related, weight related, or health related in general. It has become a huge part of society in many parts of the world, and yet we often fail. People every year set goals that they, most unfortunately, often do not achieve. This pattern of failure is tied into self-discipline with the lack of an ability to keep it in the long run. This occurs because people set their goals too high to begin with which does not allow them to fail. People want a quick solution for habits that have been long in the making.
Some of these actions that become too difficult to keep doing includes working one’s muscles excessively while lifting large weights, which especially for a beginner is too difficult to manage. Another goal may include wanting to become a great runner and trying to reach this goal by attempting to run 3 miles when 1 mile was of great difficulty. These naturally set people up for failure before they have really begun. Another thing people often do when making resolutions is to set too many goals at once. Unless they are a super-hero, it is all simply too much.
So what is the answer? How to we, as humans, avoid this type of failure?
The answer lies in setting little, manageable goals periodically throughout the year instead of trying to reach all of them at one time. This may include daily, weekly, and monthly goals that lend to a different healthier lifestyle instead of some sort of quick fix that is truly impossible.
Here are the best tips you should put into your arsenal to ensure only success in your next year. (Failures are okay too! Just learn from them.)
Set Reasonable Goals
As stated in the beginning of this article, setting unrealistic goals often sets one for failure. While failure can often be a source of self-growth, it can often discourage and make people give up. By setting realistic goals, one can stay on track of their resolutions and stay motivated to keep going. If your goal is to lose weight, realize that your body took some time to get to whichever weight you are now, and that the most realistic, healthy way for that body to lose that amount is to lose the weight during the same length of time it took you to gain it. While it is possible for the loss to be quicker than the gain, trying to go too fast is unrealistic.
As stated in the beginning of this article, setting unrealistic goals often sets one for failure. While failure can often be a source of self-growth, it can often discourage and make people give up. By setting realistic goals, one can stay on track of their resolutions and stay motivated to keep going. If your goal is to lose weight, realize that your body took some time to get to whichever weight you are now, and that the most realistic, healthy way for that body to lose that amount is to lose the weight during the same length of time it took you to gain it. While it is possible for the loss to be quicker than the gain, trying to go too fast is unrealistic.
In the worst cases, those who lose their weight too quickly often gain all of it back and then some. This is because the time it took to lose the weight has not been enough time for the individual to adjust mentally to the new lifestyle. Or, worse, they view the change as a temporary diet and revert back to old ways once their goal weight has been reached. To be successful in this, you must look at these changes as lifestyle changes, not temporary ones.
Another reasonable thing to try to set for yourself is a schedule that you can adhere to. Be somewhat ambitious, but not enough to make the other areas of your life impossible to manage. Try to find that perfect balance while incorporating your personal fitness goals.
Prioritize “You”Many people find themselves barely getting by life due to all the different responsibilities they have. It can be difficult to add more time to the already-packed schedule for self-growth, but it must be done. Subtract just a little time from the other duties and give yourself the time to accomplish at least a little of your goal every day. Or, you could do this on a weekly basis. Maybe set a larger period of time once or twice a week that you can manage for yourself. If you do not set yourself into your daily, or weekly, or monthly schedule, then you will view yourself as a hindrance to accomplishing what needs to be done. By putting yourself into the schedule, you will become just as necessary as the other tasks. This is confidence building as well.
When you have your personal time, this time could be used to accomplish your personal fitness goals, or be any time for you to better yourself in some way. This may include meditating, splurging yourself maybe a few times in the year (think massage), or working out, of course.
If you feel that you need to be isolated in this time, try to make it happen. If you have kids to look after this can be difficult, but sometimes isolation can be a form of meditation, allowing you to truly be in the moment and attack your goals full throttle.
Get Someone Else InvolvedOne of the most motivating things that you should look into in the beginning process of achieving your personal fitness goals is to get someone else involved. This person may take the form of a fitness coach, or even a friend that can work out with you. In either situation, try to find a person you know will only lift you up; the last thing you need is someone negative or lazy. You need to stay motivated in this personal change, especially in the beginning when old habits have the biggest threat over your success.
Having a fitness coach is beneficial because they are professionals that could aid you in making the best decisions. Be selective though. Some trainers may emphasize certain diets or workout routines over others, and while all of these different ways of eating and working out have proven to work, they may not work for you. Some may emphasize that you eat meat when you are a vegetarian, or emphasize that you have yogurt when you are lactose intolerant. A fitness coach should be someone that can be important to you on a personal level.
Make it Advantageous Most people assume that fitness goals are advantageous, and they most likely are. Down the road, however, these goals can turn into something that actually hurts you. For example, you may have achieved your fitness goal, and are looking to keep on going. This does not sound bad at all. But sometimes, one can take it too far, becoming obsessed with the work, and at that point, the working out does nothing but hurt you. Your fitness goal should only be a positive experience that betters you. If you find that it, or your approach to it, is making you feel bad, or hurting you physically, it is time to reevaluate the process to make it only advantageous for you again. Self-reflect periodically to ensure that only the good is there. If you develop unhealthy ideas and habits from something that was only supposed to bring you healthy ideas and habits, then these fitness goals have lost their purpose.
Another way to keep your personal fitness goals a good thing is to surround yourself with the right tools. This may include getting the right fitness equipment, workout clothes, bicycle, or hiking trail that give you no excuse to not work out. Find your tools that keep you motivated and ready to continue.
Keep it Fun Unfortunately, many people look at working out as being a chore. In order to be successful, you must find some way to make it fun. Working out with a friend, or finding that perfect music playlist can be just what you need to have a blast.
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