Set FITFAM goals for the year

Sadly, the holiday season has come and gone and you’re probably feeling a bit plumper, maybe your clothes feel a little tighter? At this point, you probably feel like it is time to kickstart your “fitfam” journey for the year by doing away with unhealthy habits and adopting the healthy ones.

The gym and a healthier diet plan may currently seem to be your potential new best friends but while looking forward to achieving your healthy lifestyle goals this year, setting extremely high expectations will only set you up for disappointment and failure. Here are some great steps to consider in setting achievable goals.

set goal, make plan, work, stick to it, reach goal – a success concept presented with colorful sticky notes

Setting goals

Individual progress in fitness actually starts from setting goals. Setting goals can either boost or kill the motivation to embark on a fitness journey. When setting goals for yourself, it is important to note that your goals could either have a positive or negative impact on you mentally and physically. Here are a few tips to help you set realistic and achievable goals.

• Be specific about your goals:

• Goals should be attainable yet challenging:

• Goals should have a time frame:

• Plan ahead:

Be kind to yourself

It is understandable that you want to change and become a healthier version of yourself, which in itself is amazing but don’t beat yourself up if you fall off track at any point. All you need to do is get up, shake off the dust and keep it going. Consistency is what matters. Celebrate your successes and applaud yourself for every milestone achieved. However, ensure not to be complacent because of the milestone achieved –  instead let it motivate you to move further. You can achieve this better by setting aside cheat days where you give yourself a deserved to satisfy your temporary cravings.

Stay in your lane, do not compare

Comparing yourself to others only sets you up for failure. You can never be the same as someone else and it is important you understand that and ensure your focus is on you.

In summary, when setting your goals always apply the SMART principle.

S: Specific (Answer the five “W” questions: Who, What, Where, Why, and Which.

M: Measurable (Ask yourself if your set goal can be measured and what the benchmark is in order to know if you have achieved the set goal).

A: Attainable (Ask yourself if it is possible to achieve the goal you’ve set for yourself).

R: Relevant (Ask yourself how relevant the goal is to you and of what impact it will be to you).

T: Time-bound (Make sure you give your goal a deadline).

Finally, remember that this is a lifestyle and not a short-term fad diet. New habits take time to cultivate, so remind yourself why you started and where you are headed to. The ball is in your court and you will only get out what you put in so do not give up on your journey as anything worth having is worth sticking to. Keep it up and you will be amazed at your results and how far you can go. 

I wish you all the best on your fitfam journey!