How to set fitness goals?

Fitness is the most important part of our health. Sadly, most of us find it difficult to stay fit and active. Poor choices, bad eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, busy schedules are some of the reasons that drag people away from paying attention to their overall fitness and health. But what exactly does "fitness" mean? It doesn't mean that you're all muscular, lift heavy weights or run a race, all of these things are the byproducts of fitness. For a normal person, fitness means living life to the fullest while keeping one's physical, mental and emotional health in the best condition. The most challenging part of the fitness journey is setting fitness goals. That's the reason why we have compiled this article. Here, we will not only answer how to set fitness goals but will also tell you how to achieve those easily!

Why Is Fitness Important?

As we have discussed above, fitness not only means being able to run a marathon or lift heavy weights, but it also means maintaining your overall health including physical, mental and emotional. Doctors and fitness experts are increasingly aware that all of these aspects play a very important role in your health and well-being. For example: if someone is stressed or depressed, it will have a very negative impact on their health. On the other hand, a fit person stays happy, stress-free and is also immune to a variety of health issues including heart problems, kidney issues, respiratory problems, etc.

Below are the reasons showing why fitness is important :

1. Enhanced Heart Health

Being fit helps in keeping blood pressure in check. It is very important to know that your heart is a muscle and if it isn't exercised well, it will never stay healthy. When you are fit, you are less likely to deal with heart problems. A simple exercise like walking is enough to keep your heart healthy and happy.

2. Keeps Joint Problems At Bay

Lack of exercise and fitness may not result in joint problems at a young age, but it will surely trouble you after your 40s. Problems like arthritis and weak joints are very common in mid-aged people. Regular exercising keeping your joints, muscles and bones stronger and lubricated.

3. Eliminates Lethargy and Depression

Being fit is a result of some physical activity which not only makes you physically fit but also improves your mental and emotional health. It helps in staying positive and reduces depression and lethargy. When you indulge in physical activity, your mind is less occupied by negative thoughts. For instance, when you go for a walk or in a gym, you meet energetic people and this interaction helps you feel good about yourself and others.

How to Set Fitness Goals?

Coming to the most important part, setting fitness goals is an effective way to achieve your desired fitness level. It acts as a guide that keeps you motivated and focused on your fitness journey.

Let's start with the definition of goal setting!

So, goal setting is the most powerful way to help yourself achieve your goals and aims. Goals are all about identifying the things you want in your life, areas where you need to improve and designing a blueprint to achieve them.

Below are some tips that will help you to set and achieve fitness goals :

1. Start Today

No. You don't need to wait until the 1st of January or any upcoming Monday or any special occasion to start your fitness journey. Start today or else you'll never be able to make up your mind about it. Grab your favorite pen and notebook, and set your goals today... No 1st of any month, No Monday, start now!

2. Define Your Goals In Detail

Don't just write "I want to become slim" or "I want to lose excess belly fat". Understand that, fitness doesn't end up at gaining massive muscle mass or shredding an unrealistic number of pounds. It is a sustainable change in your health and body that should remain for a lifetime. So, set realistic goals and defined them in detail.

3. Make Sure Your Goals Are Achievable

While it's true that the goals should be a bit intense and challenging, it doesn't mean they should be too hard to achieve. It is perhaps the biggest mistakes people make while setting their goals. For example: setting a goal of performing 50 push-ups every day from the very beginning is nothing but an unrealistic goal, especially when you never performed push-ups before. A good idea is to start from 8 to 10 push-ups daily and then increase them gradually as you get stronger and familiar.

When you set your goals this way, nothing can stop you from achieving them. So, make your plan by increasing the tasks gradually from week to week.

4. Make Sure Your Goals Are Relevant

If you really want to get success in your fitness journey, then make sure your goals are realistic and relevant. The best practice is to set realistic aims keeping in mind your health, lifestyle, available time and current fitness level.

Moreover, when you set a particular goal, ask yourself what you want to achieve with this goal and how it can help in your improvement.

For example, if you aim at performing 40 push-ups on your toes, ask yourself how it can help you. Are you doing this to feel stronger or trying to become more fit and active. Goals should be meaningful, they should keep you committed in your fitness journey.

Irrelevant goals on the other hand can never help you achieve your desired fitness level. The reason is, they are not well-thought and don't fit into your lifestyle. You might follow them for a couple of days, but not after that!

For example, you might aim to go cycling every morning but if it doesn't fit your current lifestyle due to work or other special commitments, you'll never be able to follow it.

Thus, make sure your goals are relevant to your current lifestyle.

5. Set Time-Specific Goals

When you set your goals, make sure to include a time frame, meaning add a start time as well as a finish time of deadline. This allows you to work on your plan more effectively by breaking the tasks into daily actions.

Here is an example: I want to be able to perform 40 push-ups on my toes by "X" date (insert any deadline).

When you set a realistic time frame, your goals become easy to follow and sustain. They keep you motivated and work towards the deadlines.

6. Be Passionate

Set your fitness goals passionately. They shouldn't look like a huge task that is impossible to perform. Instead, you should enjoy working towards your goals. A good idea is to prepare yourself mentally and physically for starting your fitness journey. Buy the best fitness leggings or shorts, grab the best yoga mat, purchase your favorite cycle, etc. to immerse yourself in your plan and work towards it with full zeal and zest.

7. Address The Hurdles

Let's face it, we have to encounter several hurdles no matter what goals we are setting. But the best way to deal with them is to identify and address them in your goal plan itself. So, think of a few reasons for excuses for not working out, they can be: busy schedule, lack of energy, too lazy, sick and so on.

Once identified, address these issues and mention the ways you can overcome them. For example: you can compensate for a skipped workout with additional physical activity like swimming or cycling the next day.

8. Learn To Make Sacrifices

Write down the importance of your goals and the things you're ready to give up for achieving those. For example: you can give up on smoking, drinking, eating outside, etc.

9. Display Your Goals Publicly

When you make your goals public, you'll be bound to accomplish them. Not just that, it will help you inspire and motivate others and find out who supports you in this journey. So, feel free to share your fitness transformation, your daily workouts regime on your Instagram, Snapchat and any other platform of your choice.

10. Don't Give Up

Most people fail to achieve their fitness goals because they give up midway. Unrealistic and irrelevant goals are the main reasons why people fail. So, when you set achievable and practical goals, you will stay motivated and will never give up easily.

Conclusion

Setting the right fitness goals is the first step towards achieving your desired fitness level. If you take your time and set exercise goals using the above-mentioned tips, you will definitely succeed in your fitness journey and in fact all other aspects of your life. If we have missed any point, feel free to mention it in the comment section below!