Hi, everyone!
I'm trainer Amy Jo with ATHLEANXX for Women, and today we want to talk about how to set
fitness goals, and also how to meet them.
Setting fitness goals is really important because, how do you know what you're after?
How do you know how to track them?
How do you know how to achieve them?
I think having a proper structure to doing that is really important because it also keeps
you motivated.
So, having goals is number one important because it keeps you motivated.
I think encouraging those who are after certain results, if you don’t define those goals
at the beginning, you lose sight.
You lose track of what you wanted in the first place.
Think about it.
There are a lot of different goals out there that are health and fitness related.
So let's talk about a few of those.
First off, the most obvious is aesthetics.
By that I mean what you look like.
So reducing body fat, reducing your weight, and how do we track those?
A few different ways.
Using a measuring tape.
One of the great ways that I encourage individuals to track, or even just to set a fitness goal
is by saying "Okay, use a measuring tape and measure your waist."
Waists are different.
Number one, based off genetics, but I think it's a great way to identify if you're achieving
fat loss, or not.
That's avoiding the scale, avoiding any other way, and you just want to find out if your
waist is coming down; measure right around the belly button.
The belly button never changes areas.
If you're always saying "I'm going to measure at my high waist", well, maybe one week you
measure a little higher up, and then next week an inch lower, and it can mess it up.
You want to compare apples, to apples.
So I always encourage individuals to measure right around the belly button, and then you
can see week to week progress.
Guaranteed, you're not adding a lot of muscle mass around the abdominal region.
So that's a great measuring device, and a great way to determine if you're dropping
body fat.
Also, clothes.
Clothes is another great one.
It's a great goal to set.
I encourage those to set aside a pair of pants and say "Those are my measuring pants.
Those are the ones that I'll come back to every Friday.
I'm not going to cheat myself.
I'm not going to try them on Monday.
I'm not going to try them on Tuesday.
Yes, I'm tempted," but throw them on every Friday.
Throw them on every Saturday and see how you feel.
That's a great way to see progress.
Also, taking pictures as well is a good one.
Progress pictures are pretty popular.
The whole 'selfie' thing, I'm sure.
You throw up your album and you've got a bunch of them, but I think it's important to put
them side by side and really see the different muscle definition that you're developing in
your arm, or your abs, or your leg.
Those things are motivating.
Maybe your abs aren't where you want them to be.
What about your legs?
Look at the things that have come a long way, and be encouraged by the progress there.
So I think that's why progress pictures and a mirror in general is really important, and
a great way to track your aesthetic goal.
Moving on, there are also body fat calipers as well.
I know some scales show body fat as well.
This is a lot more accurate than the scales you're going to stand on.
Especially the home scales.
You have to have someone – it's really difficult to pinch yourself – but these run around
$200, depending upon what skin fold caliper you get.
The most reliable are right around $200.
That's another great way to track progress and see where your body fat is as well.
All these variables are just that; they're variables.
Not one way is dictating results at all.
But if it's aesthetic driven then it's more about how you look.
So focus, the best way, is probably on the mirror and your photos.
Moving onto another fitness goal; how to set these fitness goals.
It's also important to think about your inner being, and focus on 'why do you want these
fitness goals', and what else is going to help you become well-rounded.
So thinking about your nutrition, thinking about your family's nutrition, maybe set goals
in that area that you're not only doing this for yourself, but maybe you're a mom, and
you're trying to motivate your kids to do it as well.
So then set goals for dinners.
How can you improve your dinners at night?
Plan ahead, right?
So maybe create a schedule that has "Monday we're having this.
Tuesday we're having this.
Wednesday we're having this."
That's a great way to set goals for your family, and focus on nutrition, and maybe do it with
workouts as well.
A great way to setup the goals and meet those goals is to write them out.
So a park workout.
We're going on walks.
Every Monday night we're going on walks.
Write them out so you can track them, and then also, you can look back and see what
you've accomplished.
So that's a great way to make sure you're setting sustainable goals, and they're also
very deliberate, and specific.
Moving onto another one.
Self-image.
I think a lot of us women, moms, girlfriends, daughters, wives, sisters; we all recognize
that in one another.
Self-image is a pretty big topic and I think it's also something we can all work on, and
realize that "My gosh!
As many women that are out there, nine out of ten are unhappy with the way they look."
I think as long as it's motivating you in a healthy way, and not overtaking your life,
it's not affecting how you treat people, how people treat you, how you wake up in the morning,
how you see life and conquer your day; then I think it's a good, healthy motivator.
But at the same time, setting self-image goals is important.
Making sure that you're talking positively to yourself every day, and realizing you can
have both.
They don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
That you're really upset with how you look, so now you're treating others in a way that
is just dictated by how you feel day to day.
So set self-image goals as well.
I think that's really important for those where you feel health and fitness are important
to you.
Write them out.
Once again, journaling is a big thing that I think is really effective.
Whether it's over nutrition, a self-image goal, a fitness goal, an aesthetic goal; track
it.
Always track it and journal.
Then you can go back and review on how your progress has gone.
So I encourage you in those ways.
Great ways to set fitness goals, and how to meet them.
Comment below.
Let us know some of your ideas as well.
Give us a thumbs up, and we'll see you next time.
Have a great day.