Setting Fitness Goals

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I find that a lot of people do not progress as well in their fitness routines because they are not quite sure of their goals. Goal setting is important, whether your goals are cosmetic (I want to look great in a swimsuit), functional (I would like to pick up my granddaughter without hurting my back), or rehabilitative (I would like my back to stop hurting). I found a great article about this process at Rafi Bar-Lev's Passionate Fitness blog.

There are a few general concepts about fitness that you have to really have a handle on before you can really get into great shape. By getting into great shape, I mean getting strong, fast, lean and muscular. First let me tell you the first steps you have to take in order to start reaching your goals:

1) Believe you can do it. If you don't tell yourself that you WILL accomplish your goals, and you will get into great shape, then you won't. The first obstacle you have to conquer to reach your goals is yourself.

2) Know the steps to reach your goals. When I was a teenager, I used to do pull ups all the time to get a great chest. I could never understand that despite being able to do more and more, nothing was happening. That was until one day someone pointed out that my upper back was much more ripped than the rest of my body. That was my first lesson in learning that where you feel an exercise is also the muscle that's getting worked. This article will essentially elaborate on this concept.

Define Your Goals

One of the problems a lot of people run into when they want to get into shape, is that they don't define what they mean by getting into shape. Some bodybuilders might train 6 hours a day, but runners will tell you that they are in terrible shape, and vice versa. Before you even begin your journey, define exactly what your goals are. For instance:

1) Do you want to put on more muscle?

2) Do you want to lose weight?

3) Do you want to be able to run further?

4) Do you want to lower your cholestrol?

5) Do you want to get healthier overall?

Defining what you want is critical. Marathon running will not help you gain muscle (you might even lose muscle), and becoming a professional bodybuilder most likely won't lower your cholestrol. If you don't know what you're going for, then how could you possibly reach it?

Take an Account of the Tools You Have at Your Disposal

Once you've figured out what you want to accomplish, take an account of what you have at your disposal to accomplish it. That means taking a critical look at what you need and what you can afford. You might want to put on muscle, but can't currently afford to eat 5,000 calories a day and have a long term gym membership. That doesn't mean you can't work around it by finding heavy stuff to lift and buying food in mass, but understand your limitations and make sure your goals are reasonable to start. Success leads to more success, and the last thing you want is to set yourself up for failure.

Know The Steps to Take to Reach Your Goals

How many times have you seen people at the gym walk around aimlessly while tackling various machines, only to complain that they're not seeing results? In order to reach your goals, you have to know the steps to reach them. To gain muscle, you have to eat plenty of protein while lifting heavy weight for less repetitions. To be healthy overall, the most important thing is to eat a balanced, nutritious diet and make sure to do plenty of walking. To lose weight, the most important thing is to count your calories and cut down on them. Physical fitness is a science, and the better you know what needs to be done, the faster you'll reach your goals.

The Most Important Thing - There's No Shortcut

There's no shortcut for getting into great shape. It takes consistency, work, dedication, and a positive attitude. The bad news is that this means you actually need to work out and eat right to get into great shape...the good news is that anything that actually requires effort means it's worthwhile. Things that require effort are usually the only things that are worthwhile in this world.

Besides, I already know that if there's anyone who can make it happen, it's you. The only thing that's left is to find that out for yourself.