Working in a gym, it’s always amusing to those of us who have been in the fitness industry long enough to take note of the increase in gym traffic right after the New Year. Classes are packed, you have to wait your turn for a treadmill, and the showers in the locker room are all full. But give it a month or two and things are back to normal. So, uhhhhh, what just happened? Did you set real fitness goals or just short-term New Year’s Resolutions?
Those that quit were clearly toying with the idea of a weakly thought out “New Year’s Resolution,” some sort of wishy –washy, poorly crafted idea of wanting something quickly and wanting it NOW. Take it from me, the Queen of Impatience, whatever your fitness goal may be, it probably isn’t going to get obtained in 3 weeks.
If you truly RESOLVE to make a change, spend some time figuring out what you want. I’ve seen people spend more time picking out an outfit for a holiday party and doing Sudoku puzzles than planning on how to lead a healthier lifestyle.
So how do YOU get from a New Year’s Resolution to a set of REAL goals? Goals, when properly thought out, produce action. The stronger they are, the more they create energy, focus, motivation, and drive.
Why is it that some people attribute lapses and breakdowns to poor willpower, lack of discipline, and continually “falling off the wagon?” Lots of people tell me they admire my “discipline” but it’s not some sort of genetic trait I carry-it’s that I’ve created a set of goals special to me, and I’m going to achieve it. You can too:
1) BE REALISTIC, and live in the moment. The next time you feel your “willpower” dwindling or your energy waning, focus on your daily goals, like getting in an extra 20 minutes of physical activity a day, and not on the huge amount of work that may be ahead of you for 2011, like losing 45 lbs. If you take the baby steps, NOW and TODAY, you will ultimately reach your goal.
2) BE SPECIFIC. As a personal trainer, I’ve heard the amorphous “I want to get toned” or “I want a flat tummy” from most of my clients. Define your goal, and set a timeline to make it happen. If you want to lose 45 lbs in 2011, make it a goal to lose 1 lb/week.
WRITE IT DOWN, break it down, and set a date. Your goals should be short term AND long term. WRITE IT DOWN and write it down NOW. Whether it’s a sentence, a list, or a picture of your favorite athlete, keep it somewhere prominent to remind you of what you’re working towards tomorrow and forever.
3) MAKE IT EMPOWERING. One of my favorite lines from a coach was, “how bad do you want it, and why?” I for instance, really want to deadlift 2 times my body weight in 2011 and I want it BAD. There, I said it. For no other reason that no one other exercise makes ME feel quite as strong or empowered. Find your deadlift.
4) DREAM BIG. While we’re on the subject of my dreams of deadlifting a car, I’ve often been told I can’t possibly lift heavy because of the way I’m “built.” My look doesn’t exactly scream powerlifter, but my brain does. Whatever it is you really, really want, let that image keep burning in your head and don’t let go of it. YOU control what’s in your head, and you have 100% control over it. Your job, family, bills, reality, traffic, kids, etc , might not always be in your control, so take ownership and control of the things you can.
5) BE REALISTIC TOO. Yes, dream big and set big long term goals, but don’t make something so inconceivable that you’ll talk yourself out of getting there. A client once said he wanted ripped abs AND he wanted to gain a significant amount of lean body mass. I asked him which of the two was more important to him, and to devote all his attention on whatever his NUMBER ONE goal was. Dieting down to the point where he could see his six-pack isn’t a bad goal, but would require a fairly different set of behavior modifications than a lean bulking program.
6) REWARD YOURSELF. What’s the fun of reaching your goal without giving yourself credit for your work? Treat yourself. You’ll also see a funny thing happens after you’ve met your goal and partied your heart out. You’ll realize that you somehow created a whole new set of behaviors, perhaps an entirely different lifestyle you’ve adapted to, and even better…another whole new set of goals to meet, achieve, and surpass.
So there you have 6 tips, ways to make sure that you’re setting real fitness goals and not just ineffective short-term New Year’s Resolutions. Set your goals and then go MAKE THEM HAPPEN!!!
Leave a Reply