Goals.
Goals. We all have them but we dont always accomplish them. Step one, surround yourself with positive energy. Ok, you have the positive energy but that alone is obviously not enough.
Let’s take sledding. Your positive energy is the hill covered in smooth, beautiful, fluffy snow. (Think of negative energy as a hill but it is bumpy, has grass showing, has flat spots, and ice.) so, your hill is ready for you to capitalize on. Your goals are at the bottom of that hill. Your sled, that is what you do do accomplish your goals. You are in charge of the sled. The better designed your sled is the faster and more efficient you will get down that hill, to your goals.
I am sure most of you are familiar with SMART goals. SMART goals are: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. These words make sense to us and seem simple enough but you truly need them all to be successful. Now you can find gobs of information and research online about how to set these goals and examples so that is not what I am going to do here. What I want to do is to get you thinking much smaller about your goals. The SMART goals concept still applies but I want you to really break down your goals. Truly, instead of thinking big here I want you to think small. Let me explain.
Let’s use a common healthy eating goal. “I am going to eat more vegetables.” Cool, now how the hell are you going to do that? It usually starts strong. You meal prep the first 2 weeks in January. You have implemented vegetables in all of those meals. You are killing it. Then, life. You start to get busy, your work calls go long, you don’t sleep well so hit the snooze a couple times, there goes your lunch prep. This happens to all us. This is why more than 80% of new Year’s diets (I prefer eating habits versus the word diets) fail the first few months into the new year. This is why you have to start small.
Ok, you want to eat more vegetables. You don’t start with adding vegetables to every meal, that will not be sustainable, especially if don’t really eat vegetables. Your goal is instead, “I am going to eat 3 baby carrots every day.” Now, this may sound ridiculous but this is what you do until you are doing it without thinking about it. Until it becomes a habit. This may take 2 weeks, this may take 6 weeks. You do not add anything else until you are eating 3 baby carrots a day without thinking. Once that happens, you build on it. You say I am going to eat something green every day. Now this is your focus because the carrot thing is already happening. This is hoe you build. The more you do this the easier it gets and in time you are not only eating more vegetables but you are eating healthy, without even thinking. I really believe this is how you have to tackle your goals. Know what your end game is and then build to it. You don’t build a house all at one time, you have to put in the foundation, the frame, and build up.
As a trainer the most common fitness goal I see is “I want to lose 20 lbs” Great. There is the end game now how do we get there? It is important to be honest with yourself about how much you work out now and how well you eat. If you already work out 3x a week but aren’t see the results you want it is about adding another day or 2 and looking at the kind of training you are doing. Now, if you don’t work out at all or only do low intensity work outs like walking or leisurely biking, it is going to take smaller steps and not be familiar with or have forgotten what really being uncomfortable in a workout feels like. Note that losing 20 lbs is a complex goal so adding multiple little goals will be necessary. You need healthy eating as well as working out. Remember, if you are not uncomfortable, change will not happen.
I can not stress enough that you can not add anything to your routine until the step you are working on is a habit! That means you are doing it without thinking. That is is now a lifestyle. It takes lots of small steps to get to that big goal. If you are struggling to make something a habit, you have to make it smaller until you can. You have to know what you can handle and be real with yourself.
Last key thing on achieving your goals. You can’t do it alone. I’ve seen it as a trainer and I’ve seen it as a coach. You need support and accountability It takes a lot of courage to include people in your goals because when you do they become real. When you keep them to yourselves it is very easy to give up on them. There is no one holding us accountable. No matter how strong you are or how much you want something, you need support. If your goal is working out more you need to find a workout partner, and when you do this I really recommend someone that already works out on a regular basis. We learn from each other, we mimic each others energy. Don’t get me wrong there is something very powerful about connecting with people after the same goals as you but if you want that kick in the butt, if you are really serious, you need someone who is where you want to be. That doesn’t mean they themselves don’e have goals to bet better it just means you respect where they are. In normal times I recommend having regal work out days with a friend or with a trainer. Scheduling regular group fitness sessions. But things aren’t normal right now so one thing I have found that is very motivating is to connect with your friends and family on your activity apps. Challenge someone to a 7 day move challenge on your apple watch. It is amazing how this motivates. If they are doing I have to.
Make you health a priority and think small. We are here for you!
