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Everybody wants to reap the physical and mental benefits exercising can bring. However, if you set fitness goals beyond your capabilities, you are likely to throw in the towel mid-way. By setting short-term fitness goals, you will be more consistent with exercising each day. Here's how:
1. Establish a Specific, Overall Goal
Before breaking into small, achievable actions, you have to be specific with your overall fitness goal. Instead of saying, “I want to slim down”, you can be more specific by taking visuals and other measurable aspects into consideration, like “I want to have an hourglass figure”. You can then picture it clearly how you want the end result to be.
Having a specific overall goal is more likely to be achieved since you know what you want. Now moving on to how to get to that end goal.
2. Break the Overall Goal Into Small, Actionable Parts
By setting an overall goal, it will be easier to plan your short-term fitness goals (small actionable steps). Some may argue that we need motivation first to begin our ultimate workout journey. However, that is not the case.
For example, if you have completed a small target of 5 squats today, you will definitely have the motivation to do 5 squats tomorrow. That’s your workout motivation right there: doing the exercise first, and the motivation will follow after.
To make these fitness challenges more exciting and personal, create milestones. Looking back at each fitness milestone will help you to see how much you’ve progressed!
3. Any Goals That Seem Unachievable Should Be Changed
After a while, you may realize that your workouts have begun to plateau. In other words, you no longer feel that satisfying body burn from the exercises you’ve been doing since Day 1. If that’s the case, replace them with new fitness challenges! Why not include cardio exercises like jumping jacks in your existing squat routine? How you set your small fitness goals is entirely up to you, and you can always change and do what’s best to meet your end goal.
4. Reward Yourself
Remember those fitness milestones we talked about earlier? For each milestone, give yourself a reward! You may be wondering, “What could they be?” Here are some ideas:
● Put in a specific amount of cash into your “favorite food” jar. Yes, it can be a dessert. Eating clean all the time can be tiring and may even decrease your workout motivation.
● Set aside time to unwind after your workout session. It can be catching up on a show or take a nap. Rest and relaxation greatly help with the process of your muscles’ recovery and in fact, the building of new muscle mass.
● Write down or audibly record your accomplishments. List out the exercises you have completed and how each routine makes you feel physically, mentally and emotionally.
If you want to reward yourself further, download our free AIA Vitality mobile application, and you will be looking forward to every workout session! The app motivates you to continue making healthy choices through rewards. Start your fitness journey with little wins through the AIA Vitality app today!
