Creating Fitness Goals That Are Reasonable And Attainable
The biggest problem most people have with weight loss and fitness goals are expectations. They feel as though they became overweight and out-of-shape overnight, so they have an expectation that exercise will make them fit in the same perceived time frame. This is simply not the case. If you sign up with fitness centers in order to have someplace to go to work out daily, start with reasonable and attainable fitness goals. Here is how to create those reasonable and attainable goals.
Meet with a Fitness Trainer
You might be inclined to refuse help from a trainer based solely on expense; most people have that same concern. However, paying for a single session with a trainer can really make a huge difference in your expectations for fitness and exercise. The trainer can show you the right way to use all of the equipment that you are interested in using. Then the trainer can show you the most effective ways to exercise. All of that can be accomplished within the first training session. You can always pay for a single training session to see how things go, then either "go it on your own" or pay for more sessions if you like the support and help you are receiving.
Meet with a Nutritionist or Dietician
Nutritionists and dietitians can show you new ways of looking at food. They can give you tools and tips on what to eat, how and when to eat, and portion control, which is one of the biggest problems people have when it comes to food. Once you learn these things, you can begin to make small, steady changes in diet and exercise. Keeping up these changes will eventually turn them into habits. Once you have some good eating and exercise habits, you can look at long-term and short-term fitness goals.
Long-term and Short-term Fitness Goals
A good example of a long-term fitness goal is that you will lose sixty pounds in a year through the establishment of good diet and exercise habits. This is reasonable and attainable because you are only asking yourself to lose five pounds a month. In fact, you can even make that your short-term goal: lose five pounds a month. That is just over one pound a week, if you think about it. That is completely reasonable and quite attainable. As you complete goals, reward yourself with some non-food item. This helps you celebrate a fitter you without derailing your efforts.