How to Stay on Top of Fitness Goals
Maintaining fitness goals can be a challenge that many of us are all too familiar with. One week we are crushing our workouts and the next we’re debating if we can get away with skipping that day’s session. Dr. Josh Sandell of Orthology, a world-class solution for rapid recovery from physical injuries and chronic pain, is here today to explain how to be strategic in staying on top of your fitness goals.
How to Stay on Top of Fitness Goals
Be specific. Don’t rely on a plan to simply head to the gym for an hour a couple times a week. You’re likely to lose interest and waste time figuring out what to do and how to do it. Choose a specific workout each day like kettlebell training, treadmill sprints or a Zumba class to keep your workouts fresh and specific. Do your research on the exercises you plan to do ahead of time or ask a fitness floor staff member for help so you don’t waste time and energy. Add classes or workout plans to your schedule and mark it on your calendar. This will help you turn your vague goals into more specific and achievable tasks.
Start out small. Don’t expect to be marathon ready in a few weeks of working out. Break down your goals into a series of smaller fitness goals like increasing run time by two minutes each day to build up to larger goals. The thought of attempting larger goals in general can be daunting and often make us want to give up. The satisfaction of achieving small, more attainable goals will help keep you motivated and set to succeed in long-term goals.
Track your progress. Tracking any changes you see can be extremely rewarding when feeling like no progress has been made. Take notes and progress pictures and track your measurements like body weight and changes in strength. Reassess and record progress on a regular basis, even if your strength goals aren’t where you thought they would be, you can look at your notes and see that you’ve increased weight on strength-training exercises since you started.
Allow for imperfection. Don’t abandon your goals when life gets in the way. It’s common to slip up and take a few days off here and there as life gets in the way. What is important is getting back to exercise as soon as you can to maintain your progress and keep on track of goals. This means if you are running tight on time, squeeze in a quick 20-minute high-intensity training session. As long as you continue to make an effort and execute your workouts, the results will follow.
Include friends and family. Working out with a partner can increase motivation, allow for friendly competition and make your workouts more fun. Ask a friend or family member to accompany you on a jog or hike, and if you have kids, get outside and play a game of basketball or soccer to get in some cardio. Taking part in healthy activities with loved ones is a great way to get others involved in a healthy lifestyle while keeping you engaged and motivated.
If working out was simple, physical activity would not be a global health crisis. There will be many ups and downs on the road to achieving your fitness goals. It is important to remember that fitness will help you improve the quality of your life and make way for a better, happier you.
Thanks to Dr. Sandell for the tips! Do you go to the gym with a plan? Apps on my phone are my best workout friend. —Erin