Last Updated on August 28, 2018 by Jeff
Create a plan of attack that you can maintain for a long duration of time.
It’s not enough to decide you want to get stronger, lose weight, or build muscle. You need to put a plan in place. Doing so helps you answer the question, “Why are you doing what you’re doing to get fit?” Having long-term fitness goals in mind helps you determine the course of action needed for you to achieve the results that you desire. Once you’re really clear about what you want, you’ll be able to finetune your fitness plan to meet your needs and your schedule.
Here is how to stick with your long-term fitness goals:
Know that the only competition you have is yourself.
Setting the bar high and smashing your goals feels amazing. Self-improvement is a lifelong task. Don’t compare someone else’s progress to your own. After all, you’re completely different people with different body chemistry, challenges, schedules, and life goals. Make it a point to regularly track your progress and decide what your next big achievement will be. Then, make it a point to surpass your goal to be the best version of yourself. When you strive for continuous improvement, you can’t help but want to make physical activity a part of your lifestyle. You feel bad when you don’t work out because it’s become a welcome part of your routine and something you actually look forward to doing.
Make things as fun as possible when working out.
Having a fitness routine may feel monotonous at times. That’s why it’s important to change things up regularly. Incorporate new equipment and exercises into your daily workout. Sign up for classes that you’ve never tried before. Go to different gyms and fitness facilities to see which one you like best. By nature, we are creatures of habit. Imagine what your life would be like if you bypassed the norm in favor of adventure. You may discover a side of yourself that you didn’t even know existed because of your willingness to switch up your workout routine. Working out provides you with mental stimulation and conversation, too. It can be satisfying physically, emotionally, socially, and even financially by preventing illness and disease.
Set regular goals and come up with a tracking system to measure your results.
It’s not enough to speak your goals out loud. Sometimes, you’ve got to visualize them. Coming up with a tracking system that helps you measure your progress is easier than you may have thought. You can do it manually or digitally depending on your preference. Some people keep fitness and diet journals while others use fitness apps to record data. Whatever your choice may be, make sure to document your workouts so you can go back and see how far you’ve come since you first started.
When setting goals for yourself, it’s important to model them after the SMART method for goal planning. That way, you’re able to achieve more in less time. After all, goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. That way, the odds are in your favor as you work hard to become your vision of being perfectly fit and healthy.
