5 Things You Can Do To Meet Your Fitness Goals This Year

Posted by Dr. Scott Wilson | 07-Dec-2016

Achieving fitness goals is a big step towards your long-term health, but life presents many obstacles that make it difficult for you to maintain your exercise program.

The following are 5 things you can do to meet your fitness goals this year. Implementing these steps ensures that you continue to make progress in improving your health and wellbeing.

Assess your current level of conditioning
In order to get the best results from your exercise program, you need to make sure that you begin at the right place for your level of conditioning.

Doing exercises that are beyond your ability can increase the risk of injury or lead to overtraining. Also, the wrong exercises or an inadequate intensity level can keep you from seeing any results at all and lead to discouragement and a lack of motivation.

If you have pre-existing health issues, consult with your health professional to determine what program is right for you.
Create your fitness plan
Having a plan in place is essential to your success. This should begin with setting goals that are specific and achievable.

Determine the frequency of your exercise program. Scheduling the days that you’ll work out will help keep you on track. Also, consider what types of exercises are appropriate for your goal. Will you focus on improving your cardiovascular health through aerobic exercise? Will your routine consist of resistance training?

Whatever you do, have it written down as part of your plan so you know what you’ll be doing in advance.
Create a support team
Surrounding yourself with people who will help you stay accountable. This is a critical part of achieving your fitness goals.

Find an exercise partner to encourage motivation. It’s helpful if you both share similar goals, but this doesn’t have to be the case – as long as you both commit to a regular exercise program, you’ll be more likely to achieve your desired results.
Set the right goals
Achieving your goals can only come after you’ve learned how to set them. Goals should be specific and measurable.

For example, “losing weight” isn’t specific enough to motivate you and allow you to determine when you’ve achieved that goal.

Instead, make your goal to lose 15 pounds by the end of the year.
Do What Feels Good
Don’t commit to an exercise program that doesn’t motivate you and make you feel good when you’ve completed it.

Find out what appeals to you, and make sure it’s aligned with the goals you’ve set for yourself. It’s a good idea to combine different types of exercises in order to keep you interested and prevent monotony or boredom.

These are 5 things you can do to meet your fitness goals this year. These simple tips can provide you with the motivation and support you need to follow through on your exercise program and achieve lasting results.