Creating Fitness Goals

When it comes to beginners in the gym, a mistake one often makes is to start off strong without a plan. They walk in the door, see what machines are open and jump on. I fell into the same trap. As I first began my workout journey, I worked my full body daily and failed to schedule my rest days accordingly. With this mistake, it is far too easy to either over or underestimate yourself. This can make a program hard to stick to or even cause one to injure themselves.

Before forming fitness goals for yourself and therefore a workout plan, it is important to consider what time constraints you have and what equipment you have access to. Realistically, how many days a week are you able to workout? Do you have membership to a full gym? Only a set of free weights at home? Either way, there are plenty of options for your workout program and nutrition plan.

When it comes to forming goals, they should be SMART, an acronym often used in the industry.

Specific. When you think about your goals, what specifically are you looking for? Do you want to be able to squat heavily? Lose 25 pounds? Lose 5% body fat?

Measurable. Obviously you will know if you can squat 150 pounds. Whether it is a good quality squat is a different story entirely. If you want to lose 5% body fat, make sure you have access to a machine that will enable you to check in frequently on your progress such as an InBody machine that can be found at many gyms and fitness stores.

Attainable. One large goal looming in the future can be daunting. This large goal can be broken down into smaller goals to aim for one at a time. This will keep you from growing despaired at how far your goals seem. Focus on the process and the outcome will come before you know it. This could mean completing a certain number of workouts weekly, drinking enough water daily, etc.

Realistic. Considering your schedule, offer yourself a bit more time than you originally planned. Are you willing to put in the work and dedication that it takes to achieve this goal?

Timely. You don’t want your goal to be years in the future or next week. Find a time that is realistic as the above suggests yet not too overeager that it can’t be achieved.

Make sure to document these goals somewhere you can check back in on. You can also revise them as you go or add and delete goals as you understand the process and yourself a bit more. A personal trainer can help you create and revise goals.

Understand all bodies work differently; check your levels with a doctor if anything does not seem to be progressing the way that you (and your trainer) believe it should.