The importance of setting workout goals

Setting workout goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.  In order to track your progress, you really need to know where you want to go. Enter fitness goals.

Create Challenging But Achievable Workout Goals

The first step is to set a challenge, but achievable goal. You need to know what you want to achieve, but make sure it is not unrealistic.  By setting unachievable goals, you are simply setting yourself up for failure.

Don’t try to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, as this is not realistic, and it’s not safe, either.

Instead, come up with a goal that really makes sense for you and is something that you can actually incorporate into your day to day life. For example, start with saying you will work out three times a week, for thirty minutes at a time.

To do this, mark it in your calendar (research shows that when you actually make time in your schedule for exercise, you tend to carry through with your plan, and stick to it!).  Carve out that thirty minutes to an hour that you need to get to the gym, workout, and get back home.

Once you have completed that task, begin to add more minutes and/or more days. You might then say you will work out four days a week, for forty-five minutes or an hour.

Setting realistic goals, rather than unrealistic ones, will keep you on track, and keep you wanting more.

Keep Track of Your Progress

One way to keep yourself motivated, and working towards your fitness goals, is by tracking your progress.  A journal is one way to go.  Write down your workouts, how hard they were (or easy), keep track of foods that you ate, the number of reps you were able to do, at what weight, and so on.

These notes will allow you to see the progress you are making from one week to the next. As you make strides, you will feel more motivated to keep working out!

Reward Yourself For a Job Well Done

And finally, fitness goals allow you to reward yourself!  If your workout goal was to make it through an hour spinning class, and you did it, maybe buy yourself a new pair of shorts to workout in, or a new pair of Nikes!

Each time you make progress, you need to acknowledge that and reward yourself (not with candy, though, or a donut), but maybe with a massage or something at the mall you’ve had your eye on. It doesn’t have to be fitness related, but oftentimes, a new pair of running shoes will make you want to hit the gym, or go for a run, which is your end goal, right?