Tips for Making and Keeping Fitness Goals

Many people, with great intentions, decide to improve their fitness but somewhere along the way don't follow through or reach their goals. Most of us have busy schedules and it can be difficult to begin or maintain a fitness regimen. Follow these steps to develop a plan that works for you and follow through for long-term results.

Start by setting a long-term fitness goal. Where would you like to be in regards to fitness three months from today? Would you like to be running regularly? If so what distance? Are you working on speed, distance, or simply getting out the door a few times a week? Start your fitness plan by taking some time thinking about what you would like your fitness regimen to look like in three months. Three months is long enough to see results, while not being too distant in the future. When setting goals, it's helpful to begin by becoming clear about what you'd like the long-term result to look like.

Plan the steps that you will take to reach your long-term goal. If your long-range goal is far from what you are currently doing, you may need to identify some steps along the way. Using the running example, if you wish to run in a 5K in three months, you may want to look into or devise your own running plan. Plot out the number of times per week that you will devote and set realistic steps to get there.

Focus on one week at a time. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed when we focus on the goal, and it can be helpful to keep your focus on the present week. Think about what your schedule will look like, how much time you will dedicate to your fitness goal and any obstacles you may face that might get in the way. Then think through how you will overcome these obstacles. Plan strategies based on your strengths, asking yourself which personal characteristics or strategies have helped you to achieve your goals in the past and find ways to apply those same tactics to your fitness planning.

Schedule your fitness time. Often we look at fitness as something that will happen when we have time after other obligations have been met. Given the busy schedules that most of us have, it is not surprising that this approach is rarely successful. To reach fitness goals, it is important to put fitness activities on you primary schedule and honor time for fitness as you would any other appointment. Use your current schedule planner, whether it is Outlook, your pda or a printed schedule.

Find support. It is helpful to announce your intentions and expectations and to ask for support from your friends, family and co-workers. If you know of someone who you enjoy exercising with who has similar fitness goals, you may wish to plan your fitness routines together. Joining a club or taking a class with set times can add a social aspect to your fitness routine that will help to pass the time while making fitness more enjoyable.

Hire a professional. Working with a wellness coach or personal trainer can provide you with expertise and an accountability partner that may help you with both the information to develop a program based on your wants and needs and help you through the times when you struggle.

Follow these simple steps to build a solid foundation for a lasting, consistent fitness plan.