Simple Fitness Goals - How Setting Goals Can Keep You in Shape

For most people, starting an exercise program is the easy part, it's the staying on it part that gives us the most trouble. If that describes you, then perhaps you should set up some fitness goals. You may be asking yourself why I want to do that. Simple. Setting goals is what successful people do for everything in life.

It's really not surprising that the vast majority of people have difficulty keeping on an exercise program, or weight loss program, etc. They don't plan to fail, they simply fail to plan. By setting fitness goals you are building yourself a roadmap so to speak. It keeps you on track and even holds you accountable to yourself.

Making fitness goals for yourself isn't hard to do. It only requires you to take a little bit of your time and jot down some ideas and goals of where you would like to see yourself a month from now, 3 months from now, and so on. Write it down. Challenge yourself, but be realistic.

An easy way to do this is to break it down to a weekly basis. Say that your goal is to lose 20 pounds in the next 3 months. That's a great goal by the way. Looking at losing 20 pounds can seem like a daunting task, unless you break it down. Losing 20 pounds over 3 months is approximately 1.5 pounds a week. Now losing 1-2 pounds in a week seems more realistic, more doable. It makes things simple and more challenging than just looking at this huge number.

After you have taken the time to write out your goals, no matter what they are, it's time to figure out how you're going to achieve them. What exercises or exercise programs are you going to begin? What type of schedule can you set up for yourself?

For some people, walking every day is what will help them reach their health and fitness goals. For others it may be biking, aerobics, swimming or tennis. The sky is the limit on ideas for exercising and losing weight.

When setting your fitness and exercise schedule, stick to it. Don't miss your times and days or your doomed to failure. If you're determined to lose weight and get in better shape, then you'll need to be serious. Schedule your exercise workouts when you know you can do them. Be consistent with the days and times.

Keep a log of your goals and current effort. Track your results and make adjustments if necessary. Then, give yourself a reward when you meet a current goal. It may be something as simple as shopping for a new outfit, to doing something with your family. The important thing is to give yourself a reward for doing a good job. It makes things fun.

What's stopping you from losing those extra pounds you've wanted to take off? What's preventing you from getting in better shape this year? No matter what it is, write out some fitness goals and begin taking the first steps of accomplishing what you've been wanting.