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amorefitness

PERSONAL TRAINING

HOW TO SET GOALS AND CREATE HEALTHY HABITS THAT WILL SUPPORT YOUR LONG-TERM SUCCESS

Start small. Set a goal. Make a plan. Get to work. Stick to it. Reach that goal!


by Kim Baram

Setting fitness goals

Every new year we start off by setting new goals telling ourselves, "This year I'm going to... lose weight, eat healthier, exercise every day, start a new activity, quit smoking or drink less alcohol."

 

But hang on a minute, weren't these the same goals you had last year and the year before that? So what happened?

For the first few weeks into the new year, some people do start working towards those goals, but then for some reason or another, they might have had a bad day and other things just got in the way. They lost their focus and those things ended up taking over and getting in the way of what they had set out to achieve in the first place.

Sometimes we put too much emphasis on the destination and not the journey. When you see other people achieving the same goals as you, but they are getting there faster, you compare yourself to them. This just adds pressure and puts more self-doubt in your own mind about why it's not happening for you quickly enough and you slowly start to give up.

Time passes and all of a sudden you find that you are no better off than you were 6 months ago. At this point, you ask yourself, "Where did I go wrong?".

So it’s really no surprise that when people try to do a massive overhaul of their lifestyle all too quickly, the changes simply don’t stick. And many of us aren’t known for being patient. And most people who come to us want to be in shape, like, yesterday.

Remember, everybody's journey is different and the only person you need to compare yourself to is yourself.

 

Do you remember ever saying to yourself something like, "I'm going to cut out all soft drinks, chocolates, cake, chips, go on a diet and only eat fruit and veggies and exercise every single day!"

 

This is what happens... You start off the week with exercising each morning and then something happens, you injure yourself, you don't feel like it, or you have a late night and skip exercising that morning because you need a few more zzzzs with the intention of making it up tomorrow. Then you get to work and someone brings in the homemade cupcakes and then there's this morning or afternoon tea party with no healthy options and all your good intentions start to go out the window.

 

If you're someone who struggles with all of these things, then you're setting yourself up to fail.

If it took years of unhealthy living and you've gained excess weight, then you're not going to fix all this in a few short weeks or months. It takes time to reverse any amount of damage and there is no magic diet, pill or quick fix – but don't get discouraged.

 

We have a habit of trying to do too much too soon, going hard core to make all these changes happen too quickly and then getting overwhelmed by it all. It is much easier to create new habits than it is to break old ones.

 

The first step to creating positive habit change is identifying and understanding how and why your habits are the way they are in the first place and once you understand how this habit was formed, you can start identifying new habits that you’d like to replace with your old ones.

 

Start small

 

The smaller and simpler your goals are, the more likely you are to keep them. It’s easier to keep track of your progress if your goals are very specific and you need to measure your progress in some way.

Pick a small goal and give yourself a realistic timeframe for achieving it. For example, instead of saying, "I want to exercise more," you could set a goal like, "I will exercise for 30 minutes, three times a week, for the next month."

Remove emotions from the equation and just get up each day and do it. Don't even think about it! Just like showering and brushing your teeth, you just do it! Pretty soon, it becomes second nature and you automatically start doing it.

 

Set a goal

Select one habit at a time, one month at a time. The key to forming long-lasting habits is to apply only one habit at a time, one month at a time, so that you’ll be able to focus all your energy on creating that one habit.

 

Just think of replacing one unhealthy habit with one new healthy habit and then after one month, when this feels like it has become part of your daily routine, you can then replace another unhealthy habit.

 

Example: If you replace 3 soft drinks each day down to just 1 soft drink and drinking more water throughout each day and do this for one month, then this helps to create a new habit. Then when you're ready, you can replace that 1 soft drink from each day down to once a week until you feel that you don't need it anymore.

 

And if you want to start exercising, don't try to go for an hour every day, just aim for 15 minutes every day and do that consistently for one month (but don't forget your rest days). That doesn't sound too hard now, does it?

 

Also, give yourself a realistic timeframe to achieve this. Then, once you have accomplished one goal, celebrate this! Meaningful goals that are achievable also increases your motivation and will build momentum and will make you want to create and achieve more goals.

Make a plan

 

Break down your goal into actionable steps. Determine what actions you need to take to achieve your goal and create a plan outlining how you will incorporate these actions into your daily or weekly routine. For instance, if your goal is to eat healthier, your plan might include meal prepping, grocery shopping for nutritious foods and cooking at home more often.

Get to work

 

Start implementing your plan. Take consistent, focused action towards your goal, even if progress feels slow at first. Remember that every small step forward is a step closer to your desired outcome.

 

Stick to it

 

Stay committed to your plan, even when faced with obstacles or setbacks. It's normal to encounter challenges along the way, but staying consistent and resilient will help you overcome them. Find strategies to stay motivated, such as tracking your progress, rewarding yourself for milestones achieved, or seeking support from friends or family.

 

Reach that goal

 

Celebrate your achievements as you make progress towards your goal. Once you reach your initial goal, take time to acknowledge your accomplishment and reflect on what you've learned throughout the process.

 

Set new goals and maintain healthy habits

 

After reaching your initial goal, consider setting new goals or building upon existing habits to continue your personal growth journey. Reflect on what worked well and what you can improve upon for future goals.

Remember, setting and achieving goals is a dynamic process that requires patience, self-awareness and perseverance. By following these steps and staying committed to your goals, you can create positive change and cultivate healthy habits that support your overall well-being.

Stay positive. Keep trying. Don't give up and if the goal doesn't work, change it. Your goals should be there to shape your life in a way that makes you happy, not enslave you to it. Because it's not about the destination, it’s about the journey you live along the way. Start now.

Work with us

 

Achieving your fitness goals starts with taking the first steps towards a healthier lifestyle. At Amore Fitness, we make it easy for you to get started, no matter your fitness level. Start your fitness journey with Amore Fitness. Contact us today.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

The Beginners Guide to Eating Healthy. Kim Baram, Personal Trainer at Amore Fitness Brisbane
The Essentials of a Healthy Diet. Kim Baram, Personal Trainer at Amore Fitness Brisbane
How a 'Food and Exercise Diary' Can Help You Reach Your Goals. Kim Baram, Personal Trainer at Amore Fitness Brisbane

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PERSONAL TRAINING

amorefitness

Amore Fitness, led by renowned Personal Trainer Kim Baram, offers a professional mobile personal training service in Brisbane, Queensland. We specialise in delivering personalised health and fitness solutions tailored to individual needs, offering expert guidance and dedicated support to enhance our clients health and wellbeing.

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