Every year hundreds of thousands of individuals make a resolution, a new goal set for that year. According to “Statistic Brain Research Institute”, the most common resolution was to lose weight in 2015. This is commonly known as a fitness “new year, new me!” Resolution. Unfortunately we can’t kid ourselves every year for the rest of our lives. By now you might have even given up on resolutions because we’ve let ourselves down so much in the past.
Well, if you’ve given up or if you’ve set yourself new fitness goals to accomplish this year and you really want to make that change, it’s important to set yourself up for success.
Some of the common mistakes people make is starting off to fast. Of course we all want instant results and unfortunately there really is no “magic pill”. It’s smart to take things one step at a time, while you learn the process of losing weight and keeping it off indefinitely.
Your body has an auto-adjusting metabolism, that adapts according to your food intake and level of exercise. So when you’re losing weight and just eating lettuce every day, at some point your metabolism will catch on and you’ll be in “survival mode”. This means you’ll be storing and holding on to “energy”(fat) as much as possible because your nutritional intake is below what is required for your body to even function affectively. Once your metabolism matches your intake, you’ll plateau. This means you’ll have to drop calories even more, resulting in having such low energy levels you’ll feel hungry, irritable and sluggish all day long.
Instead start off slower and ease your way into things nutritionally while implementing exercise. Work on increasing intensity and variation and you will continue to show progressive results. You’ll lose weight at a sustainable rate and will have earned the will power to keep it off over time.
The next step is to set your goals. Don’t just say ” I want to lose weight” that’s very broad and not very specific. When setting goals be S.M.A.R.T about it.
S-Specific: Be Specific with what you want. “I want to lose 10% body fat”.
M- Measurable: Make your goals measurable. “10% body fat”. Is specific and to the point.
A- Achievable: Is choosing a goal that can be reached. Being able to walk 3.1 miles or run your first 10k is absolutely achievable. Wanting to run 500 miles without stop may be a bit far fetched.
R-Realistic: If you say you want to lose 10% body fat, that is attainable. As dropping 30% body fat may be possible for some, doing it 10% at a time makes each goal much more realistic to reach given the time specified for that goal.
T-Time Bound: This is how long you expect yourself to take before achieving your goal. Your deadline will be set as a reminder that every day passing is an opportunity to work towards your goals. “I want to lose 10% body fat in 3 months” gives you ample amount of time to make changed in your lifestyle when it comes to nutrition and exercise.
Now that we’re on our way with SMART goals, let’s keep in mind there is a bigger picture beyond those 3 months. Remember not to quit too soon as more common than you may think, people will want to give up just days or a couple weeks trying to attain new fitness goals. If you go to a fitness facility in January and count how many members are there at a particular time, then re-check at the end of March, you’ll see a significant decline in active members of that facility. This is because somewhere along the line of hard work and dedication, individuals forgot what they truly wanted and did not understand what it might take to get there. Lacking patients and proper direction can be detrimental to a persons ability to reach their fitness goals. Remember to focus on the process, not just looking for the end results.
After you’ve set yourself up and feel dedicated to holding yourself accountable now it’s time to reach out to others. Tell friends or family members of your aspirations, as in some cases you can use them as motivation to prove them wrong if they doubt you. However if they truly support you, they will help you maintain your goals and keep you honest with yourself. Besides once you inform your friends and family, you may be less inclined to flake out!
After reading this article here’s your challenge, stop reflect and write out your own S.M.A.R.T goals. Maybe even a vision for yourself. Don’t stop shy of thinking about them, write them down so you are reminded every morning and every night.
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