Monday, September 16, 2013
Many people are not consistent and fail in the first three months of an exercise program. But if it becomes a habit and they stick to it, something magical happens after four months. You are finally getting the results you expect and chances are you will continue with the exercise program.
Goal setting is more than important; it serves as your road map to fitness success. If instituted properly, effective goal setting can motivate you to reach new personal horizons. Here are a few tips to not only help you become an effective goal setter, but a successful achiever as well.
Do It For You
Your goals will only mean something to you if they are just that - yours. It's not what your wife or husband want for you, it's what you want for you. Don't get wrapped up in others expectations of how your life or body should be. This will only lead to frustration on your part. Take into careful consideration the changes you want to make in your lifestyle.
Get Real
For your goals to truly encourage you, they must not only be specific to your needs and wants, but they must be realistic as well. Far-fetched goals only discourage good effort and add unneeded pressure. It's not realistic to believe you'll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger after six months on your new strength training program. Nor is it feasible to expect to start a professional football career at the age of 40. The bottom line is goals like these are completely unrealistic.
Setting unreachable goals will assure only one thing - Failure. You won't see the results you think you should be seeing, no matter how dedicated you are. The solution is to set goals that you know can actually be achieved if you put forth the effort.
That's not to say that you should throw all of your dreams out of the window. We are all driven by goals that seem a little beyond our reach. That's what keeps us going. Just start off on the simple side at first. Once a pattern of achievement has been established, test yourself by setting your sights a little higher.
Let's Be Honest
Now this is the hard part. Find a nice, quiet place to sit down and do some serious soul searching. Here's something to ponder - The more you put into your fitness program, the more you will get out of it. Exercising at the minimum (3 days per week or less) is going to give you a minimal training effect. That may be okay for some people, but if you are a professional athlete, it just won't give you the improvement you'll need in order to be a success.
Do I really have the time to exercise everyday, or are 3 days more realistic for my schedule? Am I willing to dramatically change my eating habits for the sake of my health? These questions may be hard to answer at first, but realize that you may have to face them eventually. Many first time exercisers start out so gung-ho that within a few months they encounter complete burnout.
Most of the time these people are trying to live up to self-imposed expectations that are completely unreasonable. The solution is to be honest with yourself right from the start. For example, start off exercising 3 days per week and add an extra day if you find that it fits your schedule. Problem solving before the problem presents itself may help you avoid the inevitable pitfalls that face all exercisers at one time or another.
NOTE: This is part one, click here for part two.
