When you set health and fitness goals, you want to stay focused, so you can remain motivated enough to achieve them. Below are 11 guidelines to help you reach the goals you have set.
Short-term goals of no more than 8 weeks are easier to reach than long-term goals. As I've previously mentioned, the goals should follow the S.M.A.R.T. acronym.
Set specific small goals that you can accomplish in a short period. Deciding to do 10 sit-ups, 25 pushups, or yoga for 15 minutes may not seem like much, but any activity you can begin and be consistent with can encourage you to get moving. Be sure to write your goals down on your calendar or place notes around the house to remind yourself. You don’t have to be perfect at doing these activities each day but having the visual reminder can help you to be better at staying active during the colder months.
If you have a daily calendar that you record dates, appointments, and important family dates. Your health should be very important, and exercising is one thing you can do to improve your health. Decide when you want to exercise and mark that time as busy on your calendar. Make a date with yourself for your health. When you see the time blocked off, it will help you to stay focused on your exercise goals, so you will achieve them.
Tear down any mental walls you have built up which will keep you from exercising. You don’t have to be hard on yourself
Focus on the positive things that you CAN do rather than focusing on the things that you can’t. Even though you may want to remain in bed with the covers pulled up tightly, you know you will feel better after you’ve gotten up and gotten moving. Remaining positive increases your motivation and helps to keep you on track to success.
Add a new activity or different exercise each week to keep you from getting bored. Once you become bored, you are less likely to want to continue doing it. If you challenge yourself to try something new each week while you exercise – adding a new exercise, changing the route you travel while running, head out to the gym at a different time, ask a friend to join you, or wear new exercise clothes. Whatever you can do to make your routine a little different each week will encourage you to keep exercising.
If there is a fun run or another event that you can train for, it could be just the ticket to keep you motivated during the cooler months. A new activity can be a challenge, but it can also be what is needed to keep you motivated until the warmer weather returns.
Ask a friend to hold you accountable for exercising. Or ask them to join you and you can hold each other accountable. A friend is more likely to tell you that you’re slacking off if you feel like giving up, especially if they’re exercising with you. Having accountability, as well as an exercise partner, can be just the motivation you need to keep exercising. Competition with your friend can also help to motivate you.
Find a routine you can do at home, and actually enjoy doing it. You can find workout videos online that don’t cost any money, so you can follow along. If you do the work out for a couple of days and decide it’s not for you, you haven’t lost any money. You can simply search to find another workout video. With all of the available videos and apps, you can surely find a workout that you can do at home, no matter what time of the day or night you are able to exercise.
If you’re serious about getting active during the cooler months, you may want to put your money toward your goals. Once you have a financial investment in your health and wellness, you are more likely to remain focused, so you don’t waste your money.
