Getting, and staying, in shape is perhaps the most sought after goal by women around the world. After all, you’re surrounded by images of thin, toned, gorgeous models plastered all over the Internet, printed on magazine pages, and in your favorite television shows, so it’s no wonder you want a body like theirs. But how are you to get it?
If your first instinct is to just give up on your goal all together and accept yourself at a higher than normal weight or larger than desired body, you can put that option out of your mind because I’m not going to let you do that. Instead, I am going to share with you seven completely doable ways of turning your fitness goals into a reality.
Are you ready to reach them once and for all? Great. Here’s how to make that happen:
#1 “See” Your Success
Do you ever wonder how top Olympians are able to gain the body and skills necessary to earn a gold, silver, or bronze medal? What makes them the best at their sport of choice, allowing them to reign supreme over all of the other competitors? It is a process called visualization and it works amazingly well.
Just find a nice, quiet place to sit and visualize yourself reaching your fitness goals. Walk through ordinarily difficult circumstances and envision yourself succeeding. For instance, if your weakness is birthday cake, imagine yourself politely saying no when a piece is offered to you or picture yourself taking a piece and just eating half.
This essentially trains your brain as to how to respond to these types of situations without physically having to go through the motions. Be as detailed in your visualizations as you can though because the more real you can make them seem, the more your mind will be trained to know what to do when confronted with these normally troublesome scenarios.
#2 Set Small Steps
A lot of fitness goals fall by the wayside because they require a complete overhaul of your life. You set out to change every aspect of your behavior, so you wind up throwing yourself into a sort of shock that makes you want to go back to the comfort of the way you’ve always lived. This keeps your fitness goals at arm’s length as you have bitten off more than you can chew.
Instead of trying to leap your way to health and wellness, take baby steps instead. Focus on changing one small thing at a time and let it become habit before you move on to something else. For example, aim to eat one more serving of veggies every day this week or take a five minute walk every night to get in some exercise.
It may seem like you’re going so slow that you’ll never see progress, but fitness isn’t a race. Besides, dashing and quitting isn’t going to get you there, so try the slow and steady approach for once and you’ll be more likely to see true results.
#3 Get Competitive
Some people are naturally competitive so, if this is you, you can use it to your advantage when it comes to achieving a fit and trim body. Keep your eyes open for any races or programs that allow you to compete against others and “go for the win.” Great options to consider are marathons and Ultimate Warrior events because you’ll be facing off against hundreds of other competitors, which will keep you motivated to train and inevitably make it easier to hit your fitness goals.
Even if you’re not really into competing with others, you can always compete against yourself. Aim to beat your best time running a mile or work to lift heavier weights than you’ve ever lifted before. Strive to be the best you yet and let your inner competitor keep you going.
#4 Grab a Girlfriend
Sometimes it is easy to talk yourself out of working out or you are able to convince yourself that one deep-fried indiscretion isn’t going to derail you. However, if you’re on the journey with a friend, you’ll be less likely to even offer these types of excuses. And if you do, they surely aren’t going to be accepted with such compliance and understanding.
Going through the fitness journey with a pal will hold you more accountable for your actions, making it easier to make better choices because you know you’ll have to fess up if you don’t. Furthermore, it also keeps you from giving up on yourself because a close friend won’t let that happen. They will be your cheerleader and encourage you to hit your goals.
#5 Log Your Process
This is a recommendation that you’ve probably already heard will help when it comes to achieving fitness, but very few women actually do it. However, many studies continue to find that logging your progress increases the likelihood that your goals will be met, so you need to consider it as necessary to the process as eating healthily and working out.
Don’t make it an option; make it a priority. You may just be surprised at what you find when you start logging things. Patterns you’ve never seen before are suddenly brought to your attention, giving you greater insight into a few of the “hidden hurdles” you have to contend with when reaching your goals.
#6 Celebrate Your Successes – All Of Them
Make yourself wait until you’ve hit your final goal to celebrate your accomplishments and it’s no wonder you don’t reach your goals. There is nothing to keep you motivated along the way, leaving you with an “all work and no play” mentality that burns you out and makes you quit on yourself.
However, if you celebrate all of your successes along your journey, you’re going to keep having things to look forward to. Set up celebrations for every little change you are able to make by creating rewards that you look forward to, such as buying that new book you’ve been wanting to read or seeing that movie with the actor you love the most.
Your successes will motivate you to want more and more of them, making it easier than ever to do what it takes to reach your final destination.
#7 Get Help When You Need It
If you’ve tried everything and you still can’t seem to achieve the fitness goals that you’ve set, it is time to call for backup. Get professional help in whatever area is plaguing you most so that you can cross your hurdles and achieve your fitness goals once and for all.
Is it a workout issue that is preventing you from seeing yourself get fit and trim? Call on a personal trainer and ask them to devise a fitness program for you. Does your diet need an overhaul? Make an appointment with a nutritionist and see what changes you should make to get the results you want.
If you are an emotional eater, would you benefit from some counseling or therapy? Put yourself first for once and find someone you trust to talk to. What do you have to lose other than some extra weight and a whole lot of emotional baggage, too?
Reaching the fitness goals that you set for yourself is not an easy task, but it is doable. Try these seven things; success is right around the corner!
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