Setting Achievable Fitness Goals In 2021

Now that the holidays are pretty much over, can the New Year, and some resolutions, be far behind?

As a rule, New Year’s resolutions are notoriously prone to failure. Every year, so many of us set goals for ourselves with great intention, only to find them unfulfilled when the end of December rolls around. Or even within a couple of days!

For whatever reason, the fiery motivation and enthusiasm felt in January begins to wane and we fall off the wagon. We think we have to be perfect, and one little slip means we give up completely and throw in the towel, instead of trying to build on what we actually have managed to accomplish.

Many resolutions have something to do with fitness, health and physical improvement in general. This is abundantly evident by the wave of new people flooding the gym each January and the endless television commercials pushing the latest piece of fitness equipment promising that with their product, your body transformation will be a piece of cake (no pun intended).

The problem with many New Year’s resolutions, especially pertaining to fitness, is that people set goals that are either not specific enough, not sustainable or based on unrealistic expectations.

In this article, we are going to breakdown some of the more common fallacies regarding fitness goals that will hopefully set you on the right path to sticking to your fitness resolution this year!

Baby Steps Are Okay

So, you are all geared up to charge headfirst into a year full of quality workouts, clean eating and endless workout selfies on social media. You have purchased a shiny new pair of trainers, armed yourself with flashy gym outfits and maybe even acquired some sleek new headphones.

There is nothing wrong with any of these things but let’s hit pause for a second and talk about your plan for structuring your new workout and diet routine. Often times, the enormous amount of motivation felt when starting a fitness routine leads to attempting drastic changes to an individual’s lifestyle.

People try things like being determined to go the gym seven days per week or immediately cut out every bite of junk food from their diet. The problem with this mentality is that it is not sustainable.

Any kind of change is hard; therefore, it is important that you ease into the process. Start small with your plan and go from there. For instance, make it a point to workout 2-3 times per week, only give in to that bowl of ice cream on the weekends, etc.

Fitness Requires Playing The Long Game

The media makes it seem like physical transformations should be an expedited process and that noticeable results can be an overnight process. This notion is far from the truth. Buying into these ideas will only leave you discouraged and burnt out in a short amount of time. It is crucial that you understand that transforming your body can certainly be an enjoyable, fulfilling process, but it takes a lot of time and effort!

The people that you see on magazine covers and infomercials didn’t get their physique by knocking out a few sets on whatever product they are pushing “15 minutes per day, twice a week.”

Having a sound understanding of the investment required to achieve your fitness goals is a must if you plan on sticking with your resolution and avoiding the disappointment of not seeing the results you are looking for overnight.

Enjoyment Promotes Consistency

The biggest determining factor of your success in any goal you set for yourself, especially regarding fitness, is consistency. Without it, the workout routine you choose, and diet plan you follow don’t mean a thing.

That being said, your fitness journey needs to be one that you enjoy. Human nature is inherently prone to avoiding unpleasant experiences and seeking enjoyment whenever possible.

Going to the gym/working out and eating healthy can’t be a miserable endeavor, or you will not be consistent. Having fun while being disciplined and working hard can undoubtedly happen simultaneously!