Allison’s Tips to Achieve your Fitness Goals

 

1. Believe in Your Success

You will only achieve what your mind believes you can! Even with past failures, you CAN succeed. Visualize what you want and the positive results that will come from that. Conquer your goals with a strong mind and positive attitude.

 

2. Make SMART goals

SMART: Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Realistic-Timely

Initial Goal:“I want to lose weight”

S: Determine how much weight you want to lose. “I want to lose 20 pounds”.

M: Use at least 2 ways of measuring progress. For example, use the scale, body circumferences, and that pair of jeans you want to fit in. Progress can come in many ways!

A: Setting the bar too high in the beginning can lead to let downs and be discouraging. Your goals should reflect your current (physical) state; you want to be able to cross that finish line!

R: Make reasonable goals based on your background and your starting point. Your goals should challenge you, yet the outcome should be maintainable. If you want to lose a certain number of pounds, ask how did you come up with that number? Have you been that weight before?

T: Set a reasonable end date to achieve your goals. A goal with an open end date will never get done! Losing 1-2 pounds per week is ideal and maintainable.

“I will lose 20 pounds by April 30th”.

 

3. Determine your weaknesses AND strengths 

If we admit our setbacks, we can make solutions to resolve them! Be honest and specific. What has been holding you back from your goals? It can be anything from trigger foods, poor time management, or lack of accountability. Personally, my weakness is sugar-laden dessert. I have willpower against everything else! I admit this and for that reason, I keep them completely out of the house. I bake healthy sugar free goods so I am not depriving myself.

 

My strengths? I am a creature of habit and love to plan; I fit my exercise and clean meals into my day no matter what! Remind yourself of these attributes and use them to fight against your weaker spots.

 

4. Devise a fit plan for YOU

Planning and Preparation is key! Your Fit “Prescription” should be tailored to your needs and goals. Every body is unique! Be realistic; take a good look at your schedule, fitness level, etc and go from there. Your plan should be detailed, personalized, attainable, yet challenging and promote change. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

 

5. Be kind to yourself

You will have days that you are low on energy, motivation, and will power. And guess what? That’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up for when you slip up on your food choices or miss the gym. Acknowledge the setback and how you could avoid that problem next time. Then…move on! Don’t get caught on the slippery slope of negative thinking. Treat yourself with respect and love 🙂

 

6. Get rid of negative influences

Avoid whatever is holding you back from achieving your goals! This could be certain foods, environments, people, relationships, etc. It drains you mentally and physically. Do what is right and healthy for YOU even if it others might not agree or understand.

 

7. Create a positive support environment 

Look for people and things that bring you forward! Seek out a trainer, friend, or family member that will be supportive and help keep you accountable. Create a Vision Board with your written goals, favorite quotes, athletes or fitness icons you admire, progress photos, etc. Keep a journal or even create a blog about your fitness journey!

 

8. Adopt healthy lifestyle habits 

Fitness is a journey; it does not happen overnight and is the sum of daily activities that lead to your overall success. One bad meal will not make you gain weight, just as one workout will not make you fit. It takes patience and baby steps! It can start with drinking more water, taking the stairs whenever possible, eating breakfast every morning; it all adds up!

 

9. Commit to Consistency 

Exercising and eating healthy for one week and expecting to achieve your dream body will not happen. It takes time, diligence, and persistence. Going full force and then burning out shortly after will discourage you and derail your success. Set up a plan that you can stay regular with; planning to work out 6 days a week when you know you can only fit in 3 is a recipe for disaster. Crazy fad diets are not maintainable and needless to say not enjoyable. Remember, this is a LIFESTYLE!

 

10. Track your progress 

This will help keep you motivated and accountable! Take progress photos, monthly measurements, or weekly weigh ins to chart all your hard work. Keeping a food journal is an excellent way to stay conscientious of food choices. Mark off your workouts on a calendar or keep a workout journal with all your exercises. When you are feeling discouraged, you can look back and see how far you have come!

 

11. Avoid monotony and get creative

Keep your body and mind challenged! Avoid doing the same exact workout and exercises every time. Try a new workout routine, a new group class, home DVD, or exercise outdoors. And healthy food is NOT boring! Cook up new recipes, (check out mine that are posted here on my site) go shopping and find new foods, spices, etc. Our bodies are extremely smart and will adapt easily; variety is essential to success!

 

12. Strive for progress, not perfection 

Plain and simple: Nobody is perfect! It is easy to slip into comparing ourselves to others and basing our goals off of others. Admit it, we all have thought once, “I wish I had their body!” Instead of wanting to “be” someone else, focus on becoming the best YOU! Having role models are great and motivational, but remember that everyone is unique with their own qualities. We all have “problem areas” and possibly injuries or setbacks that might not be as obvious. Focus on progress and enhancing your already amazing self 🙂

 

13. Challenge yourself and discover your full potential!

Approach every workout with optimism, strength, and intensity. Give it 100% every time; if it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you! Transformation happens when you step out of your comfort zone and push yourself. No one will do the work for you, but that’s what makes the success even more rewarding! You never know what you are capable of until you TRY. The human body is amazing and resilient. Keep going and don’t stop!!!