Have you ever set a fitness goal, got all excited about it, only to have it fall by the wayside for some unknown reason? If you’ve answered “yes”, you are not alone. Many people set fitness goals and then lose track of them. Life gets in the way. We get too busy. We forget why we started in the first place…
What led me to write this article was a question from one of my clients before she started training with me. She said to me: “I always want to improve my fitness level, but I can’t seem to motivate myself to actually follow through and achieve my goal. Do you have any ideas on how to change that?”
Since she wasn’t the first person to ask me those questions before starting her program, I thought that maybe if I wrote this article then I could just send it to the next person who asks me this. That way, we can maximize the efficiency of our session time and my clients can read this one on their own.
A lot of people expect immediate results and give up within less than 90 days of starting their fitness program if they don’t see those results as quickly as they wish for. I hope that this article will help you trust the process, which ultimately leads to results.
1. Find an activity you like to do. Just because I like to run, doesn’t mean that you have to run as well. If running is not your thing, try biking, Bellyfit, Pilates, Yoga, etc.. There are tons of different exercises and activities that you can do, so you are bound to find one or two that make you feel amazing. If you like an activity and it feels great, then you are more likely to continue even when you don’t see immediate results.
2. Schedule your workouts ahead of time. If you plan your daily workouts the same way that you plan meetings, you are less likely to skip the workout. Blocking off about half hour to one hour each day, whether it’s before work, at lunch time or after work. Your workout is your own appointment with yourself.
3. Find a workout buddy. Do you have a friend, family member or co-worker that has similar fitness goals as you? If yes, then that person would be your best choice for a good workout buddy. You can motivate each other and be accountable to each other.
4. Work with a trainer. A trainer will motivate you, encourage you, help keep you on track and design you a safe and effective fitness program. When you work with a trainer, you are accountable to the trainer as well as to yourself.
5. Don’t be afraid to try new exercises or fitness classes. If you’ve never done spin class or Tabata training class, why not try it once just to see if you like it. You have nothing to lose when you try a new exercise or a new class and what if it becomes your favorite activity? Plus, a group setting can be very motivational because you will meet other like-minded people who might have similar goals. Be adventurous with exercise and you will not get bored.
6. Sign up for a charity event that involves exercise. Examples include: Run/Walk for the Cure, Jump Rope for Heart, or Ride to Conquer Cancer. Those are all great. That way, you know that not only are you exercising, but you are also helping the community. Also, many local running races give you the option to run and fundraise for charities. You can do it as part of a team or on your own. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to take part in road races.
7. Find out why your goal is so important. If there is a significant reason as to why reaching your goal is so important, then you are more likely to keep yourself motivated. Why did you start fitness? What do you hope to accomplish? Why is the result important to you personally? Answer these questions and you will be able to find the reason to keep going because you will keep your eyes on the prize.
8. Write down your goal with as much detail as possible. Writing down a goal shows that you are committed to it, makes your goal more concrete and gives it more clarity. It also allows you the opportunity to review your goals without having to wonder what your actual goals were.
For example, if you want to lose weight, write down how much you want to lose and in what period of time (be realistic) and then write out an action plan outline for how you are going to get there.
9. Track your workouts. Get a calendar and put a check mark on each day that you worked out. It would be even better if you also indicated what you did that day. For example: Wednesday, Jan 1, 2014-2 mile run. That way, you can see how much you are progressing over time as well as keeping yourself accountable.
10. Put $5 away into a safe place each time you do a workout to save for something you want. Think of something you want to buy but aren’t able to afford immediately. Then, get a jar and call it “change”. Each time you complete a workout, put $5 into that jar. Pretty soon, you will have a few hundred dollars in that jar, which you could have spent on something else. Instead, you put it in your “change” jar, so you will reap the rewards, both physically and financially.
If even one or two of the above tips resonate with you, I will feel like I’ve accomplished my goal.
Please share if you find these useful. 🙂