One of the biggest problems I’ve discovered when helping people reach their fitness goals is that those goals are either superficial, too broad, or unknown. One of the first things I tell anyone who is looking to change their lifestyle to a more fit one is to sit down and write out their fitness goals. I realize this may seem very rudimentary, but you would be surprised how many people don’t fully understand what it is they are trying to achieve. This simple step can keep you motivated through your workout regimen and can be the difference in burning out after 6 weeks or maintaining good health for a lifetime.
First and foremost, I don’t want to promote maintaining your goals and then slacking off or stopping once they are achieved. I wish to promote a lifestyle change while knowing what it is you wish to achieve. Like most things in life, if you have an end goal in mind you are more likely to achieve it. Also, like life, once you reach your “Point B” in fitness, it’s time to make another goal. The first thing you have to decide is what level of fitness you wish to achieve (also note that you should take genetics into account. I wish to be 6′4″, but that’s not going to happen in this lifetime). Do you wish to add size to your frame? Do you desire tone? Do you want to be more explosive athletically? Do you simply want to be able to brush your teeth without your belly shaking like a bowl full of jelly? These are all legitimate starting goals. Go on. Write yours down. I’ll be waiting right here.
Now, the second thing you must do is clearly define the steps to these goals. When I was in sports I wished to put on size and be more explosive athletically. I clearly defined month by month and week by week how I would go about achieving these goals. I wrote down what I needed to consume on a monthly basis in order to put on size (rule of thumb is that you can’t put on what you don’t put in), the workouts I needed to maintain in order to put on size and be explosive (there is a simple technique that can allow you achieve both during the same workout that I will discuss another time), and how much I needed to stretch to avoid injury. These “mini goals” should be written down on a week by week, if not a day by day, basis.
Finally, you should make sure that your fitness goals are quantifiable in some way. You can’t simply say, “I wish to be more explosive athletically.” What does that mean? How do you know you’ve achieved that? The answer is to make sure you have quantifiable data to help support your goals. If your vertical leap increased by 7 inches, it’s safe to say you are moving in the right direction. If you wanted to put on size then give yourself weight room goals and measurement goals (measuring parts of your body, of course). Once you have quantifiable data to help support your achievements, motivation is simply an after thought.
Now, remember, write down your goals, clearly define the steps to achieve those goals, and make sure you can assess your development in a quantifiable manner. Once you achieve your goals, it’s time to start a new list. And this is how you develop a healthy and fit lifestyle!
Note: Keep these list somewhere that you can see them daily. It will help remind you what you wish to achieve!
[ Photo : Artslink ]
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