10 tips for achieving fitness goals

Erik Ledin, LBC

The numbers show that approximately 88% of people who decide to lose weight and get in shape ultimately give up on their goal. Why is that? And what can you do to be in the top 12% who make their fitness dreams a reality?

It turns out that the psychology behind setting and accomplishing fitness goals is pretty simple. Follow the following tips to stay on track and get the body you want ASAP.

1. Make Exercise Part of Your Routine.Exercise should be a regular part of your day, not something sporadic. Just as you set aside time for meals, sleep, kids and work, set aside time for exercise. Pencil it in on your calendar, program it into your smartphone and stick to it just like you would any other important appointment. For best results, you may find that exercising at the same time and on the same days each week

2. Give Yourself Permission to Spend Time on “You.”This “me” time will not only boost your health on both physical and emotional levels, but it will provide an excellent example for your children on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you’re not feeling fit and healthy, you won’t be able to take care of the rest of your obligations, or your family, so let go of any feelings of guilt you have about taking time to workout.

3. Set Realistic GoalsYour fitness program should fit in with your lifestyle. This means you may head to the gym three days a week, then spend weekends out riding bikes with your family, ice skating, working in your garden, dancing, or playing sports with friends. Remember that physical fitness is not just about how many minutes you log on the treadmill, it’s a lifestyle that you can tailor to your unique needs and interests.

4. Hire a Personal TrainerThe beauty of having a personal trainer is not only their expertise in which exercises you need to get the best results … it’s the motivation factor, too. When you set appointments with a trainer, you suddenly have someone to hold you accountable, making it much less likely that you’ll skip out on your workout at the last minute.

5. Keep Your Eyes on the PrizeFor those times when motivation is lacking, remember why you’ve committed to your exercise program in the first place: your health. New research shows that exercise can help you prevent about two-dozen health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, depression, high blood pressure and dementia. It can even slow down your rate of aging.2 Plus, exercise will tone your muscles and reduce your body fat, helping you to look great on the outside, and boosting self-esteem in the process.

6. Make it Convenient To make exercise as convenient as possible, pick a gym that is very close to your home or place of work. If you’re a morning exerciser, pack your gym bag the night before so you can grab it and go in the morning. If you exercise after work, bring your bag with you to the office so you can stop at the gym on your way home. Another great idea if you have the space and budget is to purchase a few key pieces of exercise equipment for your own home, such as an elliptical machine, treadmill, or weight set.

7. Fit in Workouts Even on Your “Off” DaysLife is busy, so even with the best intentions your workouts may sometimes get sidetracked by travel, work or kids. Learn to roll with the punches and on the days when you don’t have time for a regular workout, squeeze in some exercises on the sly.

8. Keep it FunYou’ll be much more likely to workout if you enjoy it, so incorporate a wide range of activities that appeal to your interests. Try kickboxing or dance aerobics one day, weight training, Pilates, swimming or yoga the next. This will not only keep you from getting bored, it will ensure that you’re working all of your muscle groups and getting both cardio as well as strength-training benefits.

9. Reward YourselfWhen you’ve stuck with your exercise plan for a week, a month or more, stop to give yourself a great big pat on the back … or treat yourself to a special treat, like a massage or a new piece of clothing to show off your new fit physique. This will keep exercise in a positive perspective and help you to keep striving to reach your next exercise milestone.

10. Support Your Exercise Habits With a Healthy Lifestyle As you become more physically active, support your newfound healthy habit by broadening into other positive habits as well. Eating right, getting plenty of sleep and keeping your stress levels to a minimum go hand-in-hand with exercise, and when combined are one of the best “prescriptions” for health and happiness out there.