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How To Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Achieve
How To Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Achieve
Reaching our fitness goals is hard work.
There’s so much that goes into following an effective, sustainable program that brings results. Fitness is more than the time you spend on your workout; fitness is an example of a lifestyle choice that requires dedication day in and day out.
It can be a long journey, but reaching your fitness goals one after the other is a deeply rewarding experience. When you achieve your fitness goals, you see quite clearly all that you're capable of—what’s more inspiring than that?
It’s essential that you set realistic goals that you can actually achieve. For many of us, the failures we face in pursuit of aggressive fitness goals can leave us demoralized; we may throw up our hands and give up if we aren’t making the headway we hoped for.
If you want to set realistic goals for yourself, asking yourself these questions may help you achieve them.
Where Are You in Your Fitness Journey?
First things first, give yourself the time to reflect on where you’re at in your fitness journey. After all, you won’t be able to figure out where you’re going if you don’t know where you are in the first place.
Are you just beginning your fitness journey?
If that’s the case, it’s important to set goals based on your experience level. Fitness can be hard work, but it can also be dangerous when done incorrectly. You don’t want to risk injury by setting goals that are beyond your current abilities — and when you’re just beginning with training sessions, there’s a lot you still have to learn about fitness.
If you’re just starting out, be sure to set goals that are reasonable and within grasp for a beginner. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure, or worse, injury.
Are you well along your way on your fitness journey?
Then you have the opportunity to look back on the progress you’ve made so far. By seeing how far you’ve come, you’ll better understand what’s within your range. Take this time to know what you’re capable of, and then use this knowledge to make informed decisions on the next goals you set for yourself.
Where Do You Want To Be?
What drives the goals you set for yourself is your vision of where you want to be — where you want your fitness goals to take you.
What do you want to get out of your fitness?
Do you want to improve your wellness, make advances in your strength training, or change your body weight? Do you want to build your confidence by getting a better grasp of your fitness levels? Do you want to see all your potential in action with your workout?
You can have a very specific goal such as wanting to complete a certain movement, put more energy into a fitness class, run long distance races, playing with your lids or grandkids, or go hiking with your friends, for example.
Picture what you want out of your fitness goals and where you want them to take you. With an objective in your mind, it will be easier to set goals for both the short term and the long term. If you approach your fitness with an aimless approach or undefined goals, you may be more likely to give up.
Think about where you want to be in six months or a year, or imagine where you hope a reinvigorated fitness lifestyle will take you in the long run.
How Are You Going to Get There?
Once you know where you are and where you want to go on your fitness journey, think about how you’re going to get there.
This line of thinking will pave your way toward your desired destination with smaller goals that propel you forward within a reasonable time frame. Think of your goals as stepping stones you can follow that keep you fit.
If the stepping stones on your path to peak fitness are too far apart, you’re likely to stumble and fall.
Take small steps. Build up your confidence with defined, measurable goals. Do 15 push-ups five days a week for one week. Then bump that up to 20 push-ups five days a week. Then 25, and so on.
Having clear metrics to chart your progress goes a long way towards building your confidence and keeps your motivation up. Haphazardly setting fitness goals sets you up to fail because you can’t fall back on the evidence of your progress.
Plot out your fitness regime so that your path forward is as simple as following the goals you set for yourself.
What Exercises Should I Do?
How you approach your fitness goals is just as unique as your goals themselves.
Once you’ve set your goals and established your metrics of progress, learning more about the exercises you can do will give you more effective options to get there.
There’s a whole world of exercise options out there that can help you accomplish your goals. Some may be more effective in addressing your specific goals than others. Knowing what exercises best suit your needs will equip you with the insight to make good on your fitness goals.
For a basic understanding of exercise, there are two types that you really need to know.
Aerobics
Aerobic means “with oxygen.” Aerobic exercises are ones that primarily rely on your breathing to supply oxygen to the muscles you use when doing them. These types of exercises are effective for cardiovascular conditioning; you may be more familiar with them as cardio exercises.
Examples of aerobics include:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Swimming
And more high-intensity exercises like:
- Running
- Sprinting
Aerobics are great exercises for people who want to:
- Lower their blood pressure
- Improve their cholesterol levels
- Promote weight loss
- Decrease the risk of developing heart disease.
Anaerobics
Anaerobics refer to exercises that don’t require oxygen to fuel the body. Your muscles are loaded with energy sources that help you achieve these types of exercises. As such, anaerobic exercises often target muscle groups directly.
Examples of anaerobic exercise include:
- Weight lifting
- Squats
- Pull-ups
- Push-ups
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Anaerobics are a great way to burn body fat and build muscle. When it comes to weight training it’s important to operate at a level you’re comfortable with. Lifting weights incorrectly can increase your risk of injury, so it’s important that you know what you’re doing.
Do I Need Help?
Whether we’re just starting out with our workout routines, or whether we’re trying to take our fitness to the next level, we can often find ourselves in the dark about the best way to take action on the goals we’ve set.
Fitness is a very personal discipline, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it on your own.
If you feel like you need a hand, it might be worth looking into getting a personal trainer or a fitness instructor to help you manage your goals. Asking for help when you need it is a sign of strength. It shows that you have the self-awareness and wherewithal to know that you need an extra push towards your fitness goals.
A personal trainer doesn’t just help you to define your goals; they also help you stay committed and accountable to them.
We can make a clear, straightforward workout plan, but if we don’t actually put in the work, then we won’t see results. Personal trainers are there for you every step of the way, giving you the confidence boost you need to get every last bit out of your new workout.
Am I Giving Myself Every Advantage I Can?
There are no shortcuts on your fitness journey. However, you can take action to ensure that you’re giving your body every advantage possible to ensure that you’re working out at your best.
Fitness is more than just physical activity; it’s the whole lifestyle surrounding it. Healthy eating is just as important to your fitness goals as the exercise that propels you forward. You need to supply yourself with the right nutrients to ensure that your body is getting what it needs to make good on your workout.
Supplements can enrich your diet with the nutrients you need to put in peak levels of exercise.
By putting more consideration into your fitness outside of gym hours with supplemental blends like the ones offered at Gainful, you’re giving yourself the best possible shot at making your fitness goals attainable.
Gainful Is Your Personalized Fitness Companion
Achieving your fitness goals is hard work. But hard work pays off.
At Gainful, we know the joy and pride you feel when you knock down your fitness goals one after the other. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing you with everything you need to succeed, whatever your fitness goals may be.
Fitness is a personal journey, so your supplements should reflect the specifics of your fitness goals.
Our supplement blends are personalized to your exact needs. Whether you need the protein boost of our Personalized Protein blend options or better endurance with our Personalized Hydration supplements, you get tailored supplements that help you achieve all your fitness goals with Gainful.
Take our quiz now to personalize your blends.
Sources:
Aerobic Exercise | Cleveland Clinic
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