Let’s face it. We’re all pretty busy these days, and it seems like life can always find a way to disrupt the best-laid fitness goals if we’re not careful. See how to stay on track to achieve your fitness goals.
To stay on track to achieve goals, it can be a difficult task with everything that comes our way, but here are six simple strategies that can make it that much easier. The things that derail us come at us fast and hard, it seems.
Anything from travel, sickness, holidays, social events, lack of motivation, family emergencies, boredom, frustrating plateaus, and seemingly devastating injuries all have the potential to knock us off track if we let them.
Tips to Stay On Track to Achieve Goals
Some things on the list should be taken very seriously, so we cannot advocate ignoring these incidents. It helps to stay on track to achieve goals.
But there are steps you can take to get back in the swing of things once the important stuff gets taken care of. These inconveniences only become excuses if you allow them to:
1. Remember Your “Why?”
In the pursuit of health and fitness, anchoring oneself to the fundamental question of "why" becomes a crucial motivator.
Reflect on your goals, understand the depth of your aspirations, and reaffirm the driving force behind them. The potency of your "why" is pivotal; it's the catalyst that propels you through challenges.
Health issues or a desire to actively engage with loved ones may be the driving forces behind this. This inner flame needs to burn brightly through difficulty.
Strategically place your goals and the compelling "why" in visible areas—on the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator door—to serve as constant reminders.
Consider posting a question on your front door, urging self-reflection on daily progress. This routine practice fosters a mindset dedicated to consistently advancing towards your health and fitness objectives.
Ultimately, acknowledging and fortifying your "why" is a foundational step in sustaining a long-term commitment to your well-being.
2. Get be Social
Harnessing social support is a potent strategy for accountability in your fitness journey.
Joining a gym and participating in group workouts not only adds structure but also ensures a collective push towards consistency—group members become a built-in accountability system.
When it comes to nutrition, partnering with a friend or spouse creates a shared commitment to healthier choices. A diet buddy serves as a deterrent against impulsive indulgence.
Consider enrolling in a transformation challenge, where the prospect of achieving goals is coupled with a monetary incentive, providing an extra motivational boost.
If local options are limited, the Internet offers a plethora of resources. Online coaching communities, challenges, and Facebook groups provide virtual support, with regular check-ins fostering accountability.
Embracing support from these online communities may feel unfamiliar initially, but the shared journey and like-minded individuals can be powerful catalysts for sustained motivation and success.
3. Mix It up
If motivation is waning, workouts feel monotonous, or the dreaded plateau has set in, a change in your exercise routine can prove rejuvenating. So stay on track to achieve your goals.
If you're accustomed to weightlifting, explore alternatives like running, hiking, or engaging in a game of basketball—introducing activities beyond your norm sparks both physical and mental stimulation.
Personally, reintegrating running into my weekly routine after a hiatus was a refreshing challenge. It's essential to break free from routine without abandoning your plan entirely.
Infuse diversity into your lifting routine by incorporating varied finishers at the workout's conclusion. These additions provide a welcomed touch of chaos while preserving the benefits of a well-structured, periodized plan.
Embracing change, even in small doses, revitalizes your fitness journey. Explore my Friday Funisher series for a collection of finishers to add that extra spark to your workouts.
4. A Little is Better than Nothing
The "I don't have time" misconception about ignoring exercise and a balanced diet is debunked with simple, doable steps.
While a full 360-minute workout might be challenging, a set of 10 pushups is a feasible start, surpassing the sedentary alternative of soda and binge-watching.
Wellness doesn't demand exhausting gym sessions; incorporate movement into your day. Use commercial breaks for pushups, burpees, or kettlebell swings.
Opt for a distant parking spot to increase your daily steps. Break the office monotony with brief walks every half hour.
Personally, my home office houses a kettlebell, pull-up bar, and mobility tools. Every 15 minutes, I integrate short exercises and pay a "pull-up fee" when passing the bar.
Dispelling the time myth, these small, consistent efforts accumulate, fostering a healthier lifestyle without disrupting daily routines.
5. Forget About and Let Go
So you skipped a workout (or a week). Eat a meal from your diet (or three). Forget about it. Move on. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s not worth the negativity that you’d surround yourself with.
That can only spiral you deeper and cause less-than-desirable behavior. It happens to all of us, and one indiscretion will not impact long-term results and goals if you slip back into good routines and habits.
It comes back to goals. What are you striving for, and what can you do today to bring yourself closer to those goals?
It doesn’t matter if you spent the last day or decade gorging on wings and beer; you can’t go back and change that.
You can only change the decisions you make in the present and in the future. Figure out what steps you can start taking today to improve your health and well-being.
6. Take Time to Reflect
Now, this may seem at odds with #5, but hear me out. Being healthy and fit is not a destination, but too often we treat it like one. You don’t just one day arrive and say, “Okay, I made it,” and stop what you’re doing.
It’s a lifelong process that requires work day in and day out. Sometimes you see the fruits of that labor quickly; other times it takes a lot longer to see any progress, and that perceived lack of progress can be frustrating.
It's so frustrating that some people simply give up and claim it’s “too hard.” So maybe you haven’t reached your goals yet, but instead of letting that frustration take over, it can be beneficial to reflect on where you started.
Realize that you’ve put in a lot of hard work and that you’ve made great strides in your overall health and fitness.
Conclusion
You may not be at your “end” goal, but you’re a heck of a lot closer to it than you were just days, weeks, or months ago.
Remember why you started this and who you were when you began the journey. It’s likely not a place you want to return to.
Use the past to strengthen your resolve and commitment to improving your life. Hopefully, these tips will be helpful if you're struggling to stay on track to achieve something or have fallen off the wagon.
Of course, every one of them must be employed from time to time to stay focused and move forward. Yet it is still difficult.
Do you have ways to stay on track to achieve your fitness goals? If so, then please comment below. You may also like: How Does Setting Smart Goals Contribute to Motivation?
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