Setting Realistic Fitness Goals

So you’re ready to start exercising and want to lose weight, build muscle, get fitter or all three.  Whilst in many areas of life we are encouraged to aim big and reach for the stars, with fitness it is often better to start with small goals. This may sound like odd advice and counter intuitive, but when it comes to fitness, it is often best to start small says Rachel from Fitness Mad.

How many times have you or somebody you know approached a new exercise regime full of good intentions but with a huge goal such as to exercise six days a week or lose two stone in two months, only to fall off the wagon after a few weeks or in some cases days?  Even when people have willpower and great intentions without a plan even they can fail.

Wanting to lose a large amount of weight, incorporate some strength training into your workout or to cut some time off your 10k run can seem like a big overwhelming goal, which is why people tend to be more successful if they break things down into smaller goals.

Instead of saying I want to lose a stone and a half in the next two months, break it down and say “I want to lose two pounds a week”, this seems far more achievable.  Instead of aiming to go from a predominantly cardio based workout to doing strength training every day, initially set yourself a goal of doing 15 minutes with the dumbbells at the end of each workout.  Breaking down your goals in this fashion will make them seem far less daunting and in return you are more likely to succeed.

One of the most important things about setting effective and realistic fitness goals is rewarding yourself when you reach goals, even the small one.  This could be anything from treating yourself to a magazine or book when you lose two pounds, or promise you’ll treat yourself to something you’ve had your eye on, once you’ve tackled those dumbbells at the end of every workout for a fortnight.  It’s really important to reward yourself for every success as this will keep you motivated.

Finally don’t become disheartened if things don’t go exactly to plan, and you have to tweak your goals from time to time. Life happens, and there will be times when you can’t get to work out or you eat that bar of chocolate. The key to goal setting is to be realistic.

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