If you’re like most people, you set a goal, get really excited about it, and then slowly lose motivation after a few days or weeks. But there are ways to defeat this seemingly inevitable decline. Do you want to know the secrets?
Why Do People Give up on Fitness Goals?
When setting fitness goals or resolutions, we always have the best of intentions. Yet for the vast majority of us, these goals begin to crumble after a few days or weeks. Why is this?
Commitment – Whether your goal is to be physically active for 30 minutes per day or you’re wanting to run a marathon in three months, fitness goals require a commitment of time and energy. Eventually, long-term commitments become exhausting and you give up.
Lack of fun – The idea of losing 25 pounds this year is exciting and fun. The actual work required to make the fat disappear, though, isn’t very fun. And in a world where other fun things are constantly calling your name, it’s easy to lose focus and move on to something else.
Impatient – Results don’t always happen as quickly as we’d like. If your goal is to lose 25 pounds and you only lose three pounds in the first month, you might think you’re being unrealistic and want to prematurely throw in the towel.
Plateau – Have you reached a plateau with your results where you can’t lift more, run faster, lose more weight, gain more muscle mass, etc.? When results level off, it can be hard to stay motivated over the long term.
Anxiety – Gym anxiety is an issue that a lot of people deal with and it’s enough to make some people avoid working out altogether.
Injury – You can have the best motivation in the world, but if an injury occurs and wipes you out for two or three weeks, you may find it challenging to pick back up where you left off.
Life – Sometimes life just gets in the way. You get a new job, have a house project that requires all of your time, pick up an extra project at work, volunteer for something in the community, and suddenly your priorities are elsewhere. Exercise slips to the back burner and, before you know it, you’re no longer tracking with your goals.
There are all very real factors. And if you’re going to achieve the fitness goals that you’ve set in place for yourself, you’ll have to neutralize these threats before they become problematic.
3 Tips to Stick with your Fitness Goals
Want to increase your chances of reaching your goals? Here are some proven tips that help dedicated individuals stay on track:
1. Set Smarter Goals
One of the top reasons why people miss out on their goals is that they don’t set the right kind of goals. Here’s an example of a bad goal:
I want to lose 25 pounds.
That’s a good goal in the sense that losing 25 pounds could be a healthy life decision, but it’s a bad goal in the sense that you aren’t likely to hit it without some more parameters in place.
A good goal is SMART. This means it’s specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
A good goal would be:
I want to lose 25 pounds over the next 8 months by running three miles per day at least four days per week, while keeping my caloric intake below 1,500 calories.
Do you see the difference?
2. Hire a Trainer
Accountability and guidance are extremely important. And this is why it’s helpful to have a personal trainer.
If you’re someone who has a hard time going to the gym every morning, consider hiring a house-call personal trainer using a company like Results! Personal Training. This makes working out convenient and less time-consuming. As a result, you’re more likely to stay on track.
3. Make it a Priority
Your fitness goals have to be a priority; otherwise, they’re always going to play second fiddle to other important things in your life.
How do you make something a priority? By writing it into your schedule.
Just like you show up to work at 8am every day and pick up the kids from school at 3:30pm every day, you should identify a specific time that you work out each day.
Putting it All Together
Using a combination of the tips mentioned above, you can formulate a plan that increases your chances of successfully reaching your goals. But make sure you don’t get so caught up in the planning that you fail to take action. It’s time to take action and get moving!
