Let's be completely honest here. New Year's resolutions don't work. If they did, the 2,000 people I will see at the gym today would be there all year round and not just three weeks. Today may be January 1st, but in reality it's just another Wednesday. The only difference is you don't have to work.
I know that sounded negative, but what I am really getting at here is that it's time to stop with the resolutions and it's time to come up with a solid game plan for long-term success. You might be motivated today because you feel like the New Year is a fresh start, but unless you change your mindset, you will find your motivation wavering in pretty short order.
As this is a fitness blog, I'm not going to give you a step by step plan to fix your finances or your personal relationships, but I've got a good idea of proper goal setting as it pertains to getting on track to better health. So forget the mindless "I want to lose 20 pounds this year" resolutions and come up with a REAL game plan.
WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN AND READ THEM EVERY DAY
You must train your subconscious mind to achieve real success. The conscious mind is responsible for thought and reasoning, and it's what makes you reach for the pizza and ice cream after a stressful day. The subconscious mind is responsible for your habits. What your subconscious mind believes, your body achieves. If you have goals, write them down and read them with conviction several times a day. The subconscious is trainable, and will be a huge factor in your overall success. But what do you write down?
SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE GOALS, NOT GENERAL ONES
"I want to lose weight" is not a specific goal. "I want to get down to size 6" or "I want to run a 5K" are specific goals. When you generalize your goals, it's harder to envision them in your mind. When you turn "I want to get stronger" into "I want to squat 225," you can actually picture a bar with two 45 pound plates on each side with you underneath it. Whatever your goals are, make them precise and put them down on paper.
BIG GOALS, REALISTIC DEADLINES
If you have 100 pounds to lose, it's going to take you a year or more to safely achieve it. However, if that's what you truly want, WRITE IT DOWN then give yourself a timetable. Write down your timetable something like this:
DON'T DO THIS ALONE
Everyone has someone who will support them, whether it's friends, family, or a support group you're a part of. Make your goals known, hold yourself accountable to them, and have SOMEONE ELSE hold you accountable to them if possible. Hitting milestones is much easier with someone in your corner. If you don't know where to start or what to do, feel free to fill out an application for a FREE consultation with me. I will help you set up a plan and give you the step-by-step actions you need to see it through, as well as give you a few more crucial pieces to the puzzle that weren't mentioned in this article. Happy New Year's Day, everyone. Go work out, not because it's a new year, but because it gets you one step closer to your long-term goals!
I know that sounded negative, but what I am really getting at here is that it's time to stop with the resolutions and it's time to come up with a solid game plan for long-term success. You might be motivated today because you feel like the New Year is a fresh start, but unless you change your mindset, you will find your motivation wavering in pretty short order.
As this is a fitness blog, I'm not going to give you a step by step plan to fix your finances or your personal relationships, but I've got a good idea of proper goal setting as it pertains to getting on track to better health. So forget the mindless "I want to lose 20 pounds this year" resolutions and come up with a REAL game plan.
WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN AND READ THEM EVERY DAY
You must train your subconscious mind to achieve real success. The conscious mind is responsible for thought and reasoning, and it's what makes you reach for the pizza and ice cream after a stressful day. The subconscious mind is responsible for your habits. What your subconscious mind believes, your body achieves. If you have goals, write them down and read them with conviction several times a day. The subconscious is trainable, and will be a huge factor in your overall success. But what do you write down?
SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE GOALS, NOT GENERAL ONES
"I want to lose weight" is not a specific goal. "I want to get down to size 6" or "I want to run a 5K" are specific goals. When you generalize your goals, it's harder to envision them in your mind. When you turn "I want to get stronger" into "I want to squat 225," you can actually picture a bar with two 45 pound plates on each side with you underneath it. Whatever your goals are, make them precise and put them down on paper.
BIG GOALS, REALISTIC DEADLINES
If you have 100 pounds to lose, it's going to take you a year or more to safely achieve it. However, if that's what you truly want, WRITE IT DOWN then give yourself a timetable. Write down your timetable something like this:
- The long term "you": This is the final product you strive for, whether it's one year away or ten. What would you ultimately and permanently like to become?
- One year goal: One year from now, what would you like to achieve? It could be your final solution or it could be a stepping stone.
- Three month goal: I have most of my clients on 12 week programs for a reason. It often takes a solid 12 weeks (3 months) to see highly measurable results that both you and the people around you will notice. This may be the most important goal you set for yourself because it's long enough to achieve results, but short enough to see the finish line.
- Weekly goal: What do you want to achieve THIS WEEK? One pound of fat loss? Five pounds added to your shoulder press? Write it down, and do whatever it takes to make it happen.
- Daily goals: What will you do every single day to have a positive impact on your weekly, three month, one year, and overall goals? Whatever it is you think will get you there, write it down, no matter how minimal you think it is. Many small actions can turn into much bigger results.
DON'T DO THIS ALONE
Everyone has someone who will support them, whether it's friends, family, or a support group you're a part of. Make your goals known, hold yourself accountable to them, and have SOMEONE ELSE hold you accountable to them if possible. Hitting milestones is much easier with someone in your corner. If you don't know where to start or what to do, feel free to fill out an application for a FREE consultation with me. I will help you set up a plan and give you the step-by-step actions you need to see it through, as well as give you a few more crucial pieces to the puzzle that weren't mentioned in this article. Happy New Year's Day, everyone. Go work out, not because it's a new year, but because it gets you one step closer to your long-term goals!
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