Some thoughts and discussions from me.
5 Tips for Reaching Your Fitness and Weight Loss Goals
Hi all! 
Today’s post is all about goals. This post might be most appropriate on, say, January 1st, but let’s talk about it now! My new-client base ramps up every fall, as it is right now, and I’ve been having lots of “goal talks” with them.
Before I even begin to start writing a training program for clients, I have a lengthy discussion with them about their goals: What are they? Why are they? Why are they now? Why weren’t they 1 year ago? How will they reach them? How do they know they’re committed this time? And so on…
By the end of the discussion, we’re both a little mentally exhausted, but more often than not, the client is much more committed, and truly knows the reasons why they’ve decided to improve their health at this moment, and how.
So let’s say you have a goal in mind for fitness or weight loss, and say you know why it’s your goal. Now let’s talk about the how. How do you set yourself up for success when setting goals?
1. Set Realistic Goals.
Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard this one plenty of times before. But that’s because it’s true. It’s not easy to lose a pound of fat a week, let alone 2-3 pounds (if fat loss is that goal.) If you set a small goal – say, not going out to eat at all for one week – and you accomplish that goal, you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, it’s that much easier to keep on going.
2. Set Goals for your Goals.
This is a big one during my initial client assessment, and it sometimes brings out the waterworks. You have to know why you’re setting these goals in the first place, and then how you’re going to achieve them. How are you going to set yourself up for success?
Don’t just say I’m going to go to the gym every morning before work. Say: I’m going to go to the gym every morning before work by setting my alarm 60 minutes earlier, and getting to bed by 9:00pm every night.
3. Start working with an esteemed trainer.
Go to the people who know more than you. Go to someone who is very educated, who has produced tangible results for other clients of theirs. Make sure you have a plan from someone you respect, so you know what you’re doing will produce results. It doesn’t even have to be a personal trainer at a gym or studio. Research some great trainers who have written solid fitness books with training programs and advice. Some of my favorites are Alwyn Cosgrove, Greg Cook, Mike Robertson, Bret Contreras, and more.
4. Eliminate the frustrations
Including diet and/or exercise. Take away what makes you fail! Take whatever you’re good at, and run with it. Are you awesome at getting your butt to the gym at 5:30am and getting your workout in? Start there. Not so good at snacking too much? Be aware of it, but don’t put your entire focus on it. You don’t need to do everything all at once. Start with consistency in one area, and then once you master that, move on to the next. Setting goals is about a lifestyle – not about adding or subtracting.
5. Schedule a break.
If you’re busting your ass for 2 months with diet and exercise, it can be very mentally and emotionally alleviating to know that in not too long, you can have a break – a few days or a week – to take it easy on yourself. Go out with friends and enjoy a beer, burger, and fries. Have dessert. Take it easy in the gym. Enjoy it, and then move on, and start back up. Chances are, by the end of that week, you’ll be ready to get back at it again…knowing that you’ll have another break soon 
Do you have any current fitness goals? What are they?
Love these tips especially the realistic goals for your goals! So key and yet so often overlooked!
Danielle recently posted…Whipped Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
Great tips! I love number 2 in particular – you need to have an action plan to accomplish goals!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…Goal Talk: October.
Great tips!!
I’m totally a goal driven person, so this is great! I couldn’t agree more with each of your tips.
One of my fitness goals right now is to continue to increase my strength!
These are some great tips! I tend to get really overwhelmed with trying to everything at once, it’s a good idea to take it one step at a time. I forget that a lot of the time.
What I’d really love right now is to figure out what I’m doing wrong in my training so I won’t always be injured. And figure out what I need to switch up to get past this plateau I’m at right now (having lost 56 of the 110 lb I’d like to lose overall).
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Swift Kick In The Pants
Great tips!! (of course!) You have to make sure it’s something you enjoy and look forward to doing (because of the way it makes you feel, because of the health benefits, because of the results, etc, etc) otherwise you’ll just want to quit! It’s good to look back and re-evaluate your goals from time to time – thanks for the reminder 🙂
-Sammy @ peaceandloveandicecream.blogspot.com
Sammy @ Peace Love and Ice Cream recently posted…Hi. My Name is Sammy and I…{LOVE Halloween!!!}
These are great tips, and I especially love that you advocate giving yourself a break. Burn out is so common, and it often leads to complete abandonment of the healthy lifestyle they’re aiming for.
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted…TV Junky
Having a goal helps you inspired and energized to meet your target.
Number 2 is fabulous! These are all such great tips! I like breaking things down like this to make the whole process of achieving fitness goals a little less scary!
Kait @ ChickadeeSays recently posted…Five Foundational Yoga Poses
Hi Paige,
Thank you very much for sharing this great post and for sharing these great tips! I will definitely follow these tips to be fit and healthy.
-George
George Godin recently posted…Great routine for amazing abs
Pretty great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog
and wished to say that I have really loved surfing around your weblog posts.
After all I will be subscribing in your rss feed
and I am hoping you write once more soon!
testerone levels recently posted…testerone levels