Setting and Sticking to Health and Fitness Goals

Everyone is individual so each person will have their own goals that appeal to them or that they want to achieve. When it comes to setting and sticking to them, the advice is pretty similar no matter the goal. 

Setting Goals

• Make sure the goal you are setting is realistic, by doing this it will make your goal feel more achievable. From this, you can then extend your goal. Don't forget, progress takes time.
• You don't have to go it alone. Setting goals with the people around you will not only support you but makes the process more fun.
• Start slow. The last thing you want to do is make yourself ill or injured by going too hard too soon.
• Focus on one goal at a time, breaking them down can make them feel less overwhelming, meaning you are more likely to feel able to tackle them.

Sticking to Goals and Enjoying Them

• Don't be too hard on yourself during the process. Even if you miss a day or two this does not mean you have failed. We are only human, just get back to smashing your goal and be kind to yourself.
• Make sure to keep it interesting. Once we become bored of something our motivation understandably declines. By keeping your goal in mind but looking for ways to keep it exciting we are more likely to stick to it. For example, you may have a goal to walk 10,000 steps a day for the next month. To help achieve this you may set yourself 45 minutes aside each day to walk around your local area before dinner. This is great but could start feeling slightly mundane. Instead, mix it up some days and take that walk on your lunch hour or explore somewhere new on the weekend and drive yourself to a well known scenic walking spot. 
• Be sure to take breaks. This is a vital point that many people forget, by not having rest days you put your body under pressure and more susceptible to injury. This in turn could end up putting your goals on hold. It is also important to use these rest days as a reward for yourself as they will keep you motivated in the long run.