The journey will not be easy, but don't let that turn your mind around and stop you from chasing your goals!
DO NOT DROPOUT!
You want to lose weight, that's great! It will take some work to get the job done and reach that goal. You will need to focus on a structured fitness program and modify your nutrition habits. You can't out-train shitty nourishment!
Do you want to gain strength? That's a perfect goal as well! As mentioned above, it will take some hard work and definitely get you out of your comfort zone.
As your resolution starts to move forward, I will provide a few recommendations to keep you on a progressive path! Just remember, DO NOT DROPOUT! No excuses and no f$#@ing quitting! This is your year!
NEVER SAY NEVER!
The recommendations I will provide are focused on making you think about your current goals and developing them a bit further. Also, simple motivational techniques will keep you fueled day in and day out.
So need you to ask yourself, how do I get started? First, you need to start developing a SMART Goal. Well... what is the heck is a "SMART Goal"? Don't worry, I will explain!
A SMART Goal is a guide in structuring and planning a goal to meet specific objectives. So this is where I mentioned "making you think about your current goals". Take a few minutes right now and think about, have you thoughtfully structured and planned your journey to achieve your goal? No? Well... keep reading!
Here is the acronym for SMART:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Achievable
R = Relevant
T = Time Frame
Let's discuss "Specific" first. You need to be exact when developing a goal. What are you trying to improve? Oh... its strength you want to gain, but what area do you want to get strong? Do you want a better body? But... let's get a bit more detailed and specific. Those sayings can be very vague and don't really provide a lot of meaning.
Ah... so now it's time to discuss "Measurable"! If you love data and metrics, you totally understand measurable. You need to quantify your progressions! How will you know your goal is coming to life? By simply measuring the progress over time. Now if you're trying to lose weight, don't keep measuring your weight EVERY DAY. Your body weight will always fluctuate by means of water weight. Schedule some "Weigh-In Dates" on your calendar. Maybe it's every 2-week instead of every day. Just keep your mind focused on the "present" and the habits you develop will turn into a lifestyle.
Achievable! Okay, so you need to think about an actual achievable goal. You currently weigh 200 pounds but you want to lose 150 pounds! Wait, WHAT? Let's start over! That's not realistic and is NOT achievable! Take some time, reach out to some professionals and ask their opinion if your fitness and wellness goal is achievable. Do you want to increase your BB RDL 1-Repetition Maximum by 10 to 20 pounds? Yep, now that is achievable! If you were thinking 2,000 pounds, that is definitely not realistic. The world record is a little over 1,100 pounds! Check out the video below!
Now it's time to discuss it your goal is "Relevant"! I will also use the word "realistic" when discussing this portion of the article. When discussing if your goal is relevant or realistic to your specific and measurable goal in mind, let's discuss programming. You're looking to decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass, and potentially reduce some body weight. Okay, I get it. After reviewing your program... you do some "cardio" two days/week and do some strength training which consists of bicep curls, push-ups, squats, and few sit-ups. In my point of view, that won't get you far. In other terms, IT'S NOT REALISTIC with that type of training program. Think about a variety of primary movement patterns when designing your training program. Targeting total body within the program!
It's all about "Time-Frame"! Now... when do you want your goal to be achieved? But... remember, you need to be relevant and realistic when noting your time. Think about the longevity of a lifestyle! Don't just reach your goal and stop! You need to maintain the goal and even develop a new goal. Let's go back to my example earlier, 10 to 20 pounds on a BB RDL 1-Repetition Maximum. If an optimal training program is developed, this can be achieved by 3 to 6 months. A variety of factors can alter the time of this goal. I will use another example, you want to decrease your body fat by 100 pounds which currently sits at 125 pounds after a body composition within 6 months. Let's take a step back, it has been documented that losing about 1-pound/week of body fat is healthy. That leaves you roughly around 2 years to lose 125 pounds of body fat. It took you a while you accumulate the fat onto your body, it's going to take some time to lose it!
I will finish up this article by quickly discussing motivation. It's simple, motivation is needed to make your goal a success. You will need external and internal motivation to key in and keep moving forward. When the times get tough, these will be critical!
Find a supportive group of individuals that will hone in on your SMART Goal. You may even share the same goal! This can either be family members, friends, coaches, or individuals through social media. Make sure they understand your goal and will support you along your journey! No need for someone that doesn't understand and won't support you. Keep the negativity away!
Lastly, internal motivation. As the individual that is focused on accomplishing a goal, you need to hold the willpower to keep pushing yourself. Think about... why are you doing this? Why is it important to you? Does it hold value? Find the IT-Factor on what will keep you fueled during your journey. Remember, fitness and wellness are lifestyles.
I will say this again, DO NOT DROPOUT and NEVER SAY NEVER! It's your goal but be smart when developing it!
