2022’s upon us, which means one thing: New Year’s Resolutions!
And, for many people, the first resolution on their list will be to get in better shape. Are you one of them?
Well, with almost two-thirds of “resolution setters” quitting within the first month, the secret to success is being realistic from the outset. Be ambitious, for sure, but don’t set your sights so high that your goal becomes unfeasible!
Want some help striking the right balance? Check out these top tips on how to set achievable fitness goals.
Don’t Equate Success with Speed
Many people in your position fall into the trap of trying to lose weight as fast as possible. Don’t be one of them! Trust us, your aim should be to drop those excess pounds in a healthy way.
Doing things too quickly can actually be bad for you- not to mention unsustainable in the long term. Ironically, you can even mess up your metabolism to a point when you put weight on instead! Take your time and aim to lose no more than 2lbs per week, which equates to an extra exercise session or two each week.
Be Specific
The key to achievability is being specific. The more specific you can be with your fitness goals, the better!
So don’t just tell yourself you’re going to “lose weight” or “gain muscle”. Set out to lose a specific amount of weight or gain a particular quantity of muscle…and in a certain amount of time. Likewise, “eating healthier” is a far less effective goal than “eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day”.
Make It Measurable
The reason the specifics matter is that it makes your goals measurable. It’s no longer a loosely defined pursuit! You have set numbers you’re attempting to reach.
Imagine someone who wants to lose 14lbs in 6 months. All of a sudden, they know they must lose around 2.3lbs a month or 0.6lbs each week to achieve their goal. Furthermore, they can weigh themselves at the end of each week/month to see if they’re on track and use various health technology systems (such as mobile apps) to record their progress!
Get Support
No man is an island, right? Your health and fitness goals will become instantly more achievable (not to mention enjoyable to pursue) if you do it with other people. You’ll be able to motivate and cheer each other up through the inevitable ups and downs.
At the very least, try to tell your close friends and family what you’re aiming for. If nobody knows your resolution, then it’s much easier to give up. Telling them will create a useful dose of social pressure to keep you accountable!
Time to Set Fitness Goals
Countless people set New Year’s Resolutions every year. Yet only a small percentage of them resist the temptation to quit! If you’re intending to make fitness goals for yourself this January, then we hope this post will help.
Keep the insights in mind and you should be a step closer to achieving what goals you set! Hungry for further help and insights on this topic? Search the rest of our blog today!
