Who hasn’t had a moment of self awareness that catapults you into overdrive. Whether it be pants that are too tight, the number on the scale or an inability to keep up with your kids when they play (to name a few examples), there are many reasons to embark on or update a fitness goal. But simply wanting to make change is only just the starting point. Setting fitness goals is key to making changes to better your life in whatever way desire. But there are a few things to consider when making these fitness goals…

Here are 7 Ways to Ensure You Reach Your Fitness Goals

1. DO IT NOW

If you find yourself thinking about changes you would like to make to an existing fitness regimen or it you are just thinking it is time to add fitness to your To Do list, one of the most important things for setting goals is to DO IT NOW! If you postpone it or wait until when you think the time is right then you will always find a reason to avoid it. Your workout should be catered to your goals, not the other way around!

2. Define Your End Fitness Goal and Keep it Going

Making goals specific is key to achieving them. There is so much more than “losing weight” or “toning up” – how much weight do you want to lose? What body parts do you want to tone? Then you have to consider what will happen when you achieve those goals. Fitness and healthy living is constantly evolving which means there are always new opportunities and new goals to be made. Celebrate each success as it happens and move on to the next challenge.  Read more about how to set “SMART” goals Here.

3. Acknowledge Challenges You Will Face

We all face hurdles that will challenge our ability to reach our goals but being prepared is half the battle. As you write out your goals, also take the time to write out what might stand in your way and how you plan to work around this. For example, consider common excuses you make for skipping the gym – acknowledging these ahead of time will make it harder for you to give in to these reasons. As well, consider your weaknesses and how you will work around them. If they have stood in the way of achieving your goals in the past, make a plan for how they will not hinder your success this time.

5. Acknowledge What You Will Sacrifice and How

In a perfect world, we could enjoy all of our guilty pleasures without worrying about it impacts our health. But we all know that sacrifices will have to be made to achieve fitness goals. Whether it is removing that glass of wine with dinner or hitting the gym instead of the bar, I assure you the taste of success is much sweeter than either of those! But that being said, sacrifices does not mean elimination. Perhaps you only have wine with dinner twice a week as opposed to every night, or you meet up with friends an hour later so that you can hit the gym before hand. Consistency and commitment will allow you to make sacrifices but still enjoy life!

6. Go Public With Your Fitness Goals

Sharing your fitness goals forces your accountability to them. There is the benefit of positive reinforcement but there is also the commitment that comes from hating to admit to giving in. So tell your partner, your best friend, your dog, your kids or even your post man, just make sure to tell someone! Even more than support in achieving your goals, you may find a partner to hit the gym!

7. Commit Daily

Incorporating your goals into your daily routine will help to make them a habit and with every small step you make in the right direction you will have a little more momentum to achieving these fitness goals. Excuses can easily create a domino effect that can quickly derail even the best of intentions so the sooner you can commit to positive changes that support your goals the sooner that you will have one more healthy habit in your arsenal!