How to Set Fitness Goals and Stick to Them

I feel pretty bad introducing this post. I simply have not looked after myself or my fitness since before Christmas! I’ve got into the routine of eating and drinking some not so healthy food and drink. With that I have become sluggish and I haven’t been to the gym since November either. (tut tut) I have used every excuse in the book. I set myself unrealistic targets all the time. I expect to feel healthy, look slimmer and feel fitter overnight and we all know that just isn’t going to happen.

I hope that (that should say I KNOW) after reading today’s post I will look at things a little different. Big Thanks to Aimee Rogers from Revitalise Fitness who has written todays inspiring post. Big thanks to Aimee for today’s post.

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I’ll pass you ove to Aimee…….

So here we are nearly a full month into 2015! Did you make any resolutions for this year? For a lot of people a New Year is a perfect time to get started on some healthier habits. After a period of rest and indulgence over Christmas it’s a good time to start rethinking bad habits and making changes.

I am personally not a lover of New Year’s resolutions. Often the resolutions are too general. I encourage clients and followers on my Facebook page to make a start whenever they feel motivated to do so. You don’t need to wait for a new week or a new year to start making small steps to improving your health. A better way of staying motivated is to make achievable goals, these need to
be specific and realistic.

For example a typical New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get fitter. A better goal would be to get fit enough to run a 5km race for charity by May. This is realistic, measurable and specific. This type of goal also keeps you accountable. To the charity you have said you will raise funds for and to the people who kindly sponsor you.

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Try not to be too ambitious. Make yourself a list of three to five things that you would like to achieve this year. Some examples could be

Cycle to work
Join a running group
Stop having three spoonfuls of sugar in my coffee
Organise a monthly weekend walk with friends

You can then break these goals down into more manageable chunks and time frames.

Reduce the amount of sugar in my tea to two spoonfuls by March.

This makes the goals a lot more achievable and a lot less scary!

Another really good way of staying motivated as the year goes on is to treat yourself to some new workout kit. There are still a lot of very good sales on in sports shops at the minute, some offering up to 75% off. You will look and feel more confident and look forward to wearing your new workout gear rather than dreading being seen in a baggy old t shirt!!! By incentivising your goals you are much more likely to want to stick to them. Yes the training for that triathlon will be tough but the weekend away to recover after it will be worth all the hard work!

Look in your local area for exercise sessions. Working out as part of a group makes you much more likely to stick to your goals. You will make new friends and be accountable to each other, encouraging and supporting each other to stick to it. I have just started an outdoor fitness session called Park Fit and even though we are only a few sessions in lots of new friendships have been made. If you are unsure the session will suit you, ask the instructor if you can have a trial session to try it out. Everyone’s first session at Park Fit is free so you can see what we do and if you are going to enjoy it!!

Track your progress. Although you may not like the starting point you need to record it to be able to show the changes you are making. By taking pictures and measurements every month you will see if you have made any changes towards your goals. If you haven’t, be honest with yourself, why haven’t you made any changes, what do you need to do next month to make sure you definitely see some changes being made.

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Another good trick is to try some visualisation. Imagine yourself in the position that you are aiming to get to. If you are trying to lose weight and change your body shape then what clothes will you buy? Where will you buy them from? Where will you wear your new clothes too? Be VERY specific, I mean even down the pose you will strike when you take a selfie wearing all your new clothes and the Facebook status update you will post when you reach your target!!! Try this visualisation technique regularly and it will soon get easier.

If you have been trying to stick to your resolutions or goals and you are starting to struggle then get people on board to help you. Make a list of five people you can get to support you in some way. Then write down three more. Next to this list of names write down what they could support you with. It could be helping you plan some healthy meals, it might be going along with you to a new exercise class for moral support. It might just be that you text them when you are feeling sad and unmotivated for a virtual motivational boost! Now send them a message and tell them you need their help!! I’ll be surprised if any friends refuse your request.

Building a motivation board is a great way to keep you on track. Pinterest is a good way of doing this. I’ve created a board to help with some new healthy habits to try in 2015! Feel free to pin from this board onto your own 2015 motivational board.

My goals for this year are to live more simply and to stop over complicating things, get rid of junk, both from my house and my mind and to do more things that make me happy. Please comment below and let us know what you have planned for this year. Remember you don’t need a New Year to make some new goals for you and your life. Start today!!