Fitness Goals

The first question that needs to be asked when talking about your goals is, are they really your goals? Or has someone else told you to lose weight or get fit?

If you have set goals to what you think someone else wants you to achieve I can tell you right now you will never achieve them because you just won't be committed. So the first conversation you will have is what do you want?

A goal really can be anything at all from just needing to lose weight, realisation your lifestyle is out of control and you need to regain some control, you want to take part in a charity event or race of 1 mile up to iron man, or it could be a special occasion your wedding or a close family member wedding. It really doesn't matter the only time a goal is silly is not because of what it is but because your not doing it for you, don't go and climb Everest cause your partner wants you to.

Once we are happy you are committed to your goals for you we can begin to break them down into an action plan. Here is how it works.

SMARTER

Specifc:
Put a fine point on exactly what you want to achieve, for example if you wanted to lose a stone in weight yes that's specific but do you really mean you want to lose a stone? What if you gained half a stone in lean muscle tissue and lost half a stone in body fat? On the scales not a single pound lost but you look amazingly toned and can wear the fitted outfit you always wanted to feel good in? Would that be expectable?

Measurable:
If your main goal is 6 months away you need to be able to break down and measure your progression and ensure you are on track. For example if you have six months to take six minutes off your half marathon time it makes sense your looking at 1 minute a month and this can be tested at regular intervals, then if you start to fall behind because life gets in the way training can be adjusted early to keep you on track.

Action:
Ok so your goals are for you they are specific and measurable and your feeling good, but how are you going to achieve them, this is where the trainer really starts to come into their own, you need an action plan. Or a per iodised program? Basically the trainer will start to break down the time and your goals and plot what should be achieved by when and then write a program including lifestyle and nutrition changes for you to make as well as giving you your weekly exercise regime. At the end of this section you should be clear in your head what the path to your goal looks like and what you need to do to get there.

Realistic:
Your goals need to be realistic for two reasons, firstly wanting to lose a stone in a week is very unhealthy and dangerous and very short term, by starving yourself and doing lots of exercise you will lose a lot of weight very quickly but it will be mostly water and muscle mass and effect your metabolism and cause longer term problem making it harder to lose weight in the future. Secondly if your goal is unrealistic you have instantly set yourself up to fail and that in itself is very de motivating and could prevent you continuing with exercise into the future as you had a failed first experience. Your trainer will be able to give you sound advice and what is realistic and safe. But be sure you both agree at the end of it that it meets both people's requirements, if the realistic time frame for your goals feels to long it will de motivate you and you should therefore focus on something closer.

Timed:
Having an end time on your goal is very important to keep you focused the time line your trainer gives you with your goal end date and interim goals should be displayed in a prominent area to keep it visual and on your mind. It is difficult to change lifestyle, diet and include necessary exercise or even change your existing exercise habits, so you will need re focusing sessions with your trainer to help you overcome the problems you will face on your journey. Don't shy away from what you want because it seems like too much of a mountain to climb. Everest is conquered by taking small steps and only focusing on the next step. Start today and achieve all you can be for tomorrow's better life.

GOOD LUCK