Approximately 50% of New Year’s resolutions involve exercise and fitness, and most of these resolutions are abandoned by June. In fact, most people who set fitness-based resolutions expect to fail them during the course of the New Year!
It’s counterintuitive to set a fitness goal that you know you’ll fail. In fact, success and failure aren’t great measures for a goal’s effectiveness. The best goals allow us to improve ourselves over time rather than judge ourselves on a pass-fail criterion.
That said, achieving one’s goals is a great feeling. The satisfaction of your hard work paying off can motivate you to new levels, and encourage you to maintain your new fitness level. So how do you pick a goal that’s attainable and pushes you forward in the longer term?
Setting a fitness goal can be overwhelming, and it is different for everyone. Read on to learn how to set the right fitness goal for you!
Identify What’s Important to You
Think about what you hope to achieve when you set your fitness goals. If you’re looking for weight loss, you won’t care about running performance. If you want to improve your cardiovascular health, the number on the scale will matter less to you.
If you have a strong motivating factor, it will encourage you to stick to your routine.
Common Fitness Goals
There are a few common goals that people choose when they start a fitness journey.
The most common goal for fitness is weight loss. Many people start hitting the gym and eating healthy in order to achieve their aesthetic goals or hit a number on a scale. This is a great goal; maintaining a healthy body weight is connected to longevity and long-term wellbeing.
Other people want to build muscle, in order to shape their physique in specific ways. By focusing on strength and muscle gains, you can fend off injury and look better.
Improved cardiovascular ability is another common goal in the fitness world. This means improving your endurance. This might be tied to a goal like running a specific race or biking for an hour non-stop.
As soon as you know what you’re looking for, you can start setting your goals.
How to Set Fitness Goals
If you have a numeric goal and can quantify your progress, you’re more likely to stick to it. However, the number you set should be realistic. Many people set big goals in short time frames and find themselves disheartened when they don’t meet their targets.
Weight Loss Goals
Have you ever dieted for a few weeks, expecting to lose lots of weight? When you step on the scale and the number is higher than you thought it would be, you might be tempted to pull out the ice cream. All that hard work appears to be for nothing.
The yoyoing diet behavior in the above example is one of the main reasons most diets fail. It’s important to understand that your body is a machine that responds to consistent healthy behavior. This takes time!
The longer you stick to a healthy routine, the better your results will be. Set a goal number that is attainable but not too stressful.
Start small, like losing four pounds in a month by improving your diet and exercising 20 minutes every day. These are small steps that will help you begin to build a routine of health. Then you can increase as you feel comfortable.
Cardio and Muscular Goals
If your goals are for endurance or muscle toning, patience is also required. If you push your body too hard, you’ll end up injured and can set yourself back even further.
Increase your weights or runs slowly; don’t ramp up quickly in an effort to achieve your goal in half the time. It doesn’t work like that!
For example, most running coaches say you should increase your mileage by no more than 10-15 percent each month. More than that risks stress fractures, muscle strains, and tears.
Long- and Short-Term Goals
A great way to break up your goals is to arrange them by how long they will take to achieve. If you want to lose 50 pounds, this is a long-term goal that will take a time to achieve. So, start with the first five pounds, a short-term goal.
Is your goal to run a marathon? Start with a 10k! When it comes to how to make a fitness plan, incremental progress is key.
Break down your long-term goals into smaller stepping stones so you feel success and achievement periodically. This will keep you motivated.
How to Achieve Your Goals
If it seems overwhelming to start and build a fitness plan, you might be wondering, “Do I need a personal trainer?” The answer is almost always yes!
Starting with a personal trainer is a great way to set goals that are realistic and attainable, and to form a plan to reach them. In addition, working with someone keeps you accountable! If you’re working by yourself, there’s no one to encourage you or guide you on your journey.
When it comes to how to choose a personal trainer, it’s all about who you feel comfortable with and can help you meet your fitness goals.
Gym Truck Chico is one company that can help you set and achieve your fitness goals. One of the hardest things about getting fit is going to the gym. With Gym Truck Chico, you don’t even have to go to the gym; they’ll bring all the equipment they need to you!
In addition, they’ll help you set long-term goals and short-term benchmarks to help you stay focused and accountable. Working with a trainer, you can learn how to start a fitness plan, take care of your body, and prevent injury.
Set a Fitness Goal Today
Now that you know how to set a fitness goal and achieve it, there’s no reason not to start your fitness journey today! You can reach your goals with a bit of persistence, planning, and help from a personal trainer. Don’t put it off any longer!
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