Setting Summer Fitness Goals
Now that the warm weather is here, you likely want to spend more time outside. This time of year can also inspire people to work out more. That’s good! However, if you’re planning on setting some fitness goals due to summer approaching, it’s important that you set healthy, realistic and achievable goals. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up to fail or putting yourself in a dangerous health situation.
Here are a few tips for setting summer fitness goals that are achievable, beneficial and will make you feel good about yourself.
Be Specific
Making goals like “I want to lose weight before the wedding I’m going to this summer” or “I want to look good in a swim suit” aren’t helpful. The reason why is because these goals aren’t specific. Rather than say “I want to lose weight,” come up with a realistic amount that you wish to lose and set a target date to accomplish this goal.
Be Realistic
When setting goals, it’s very important that you choose realistic targets. For example, if you’re hoping to lose weight, most health professionals agree that losing 1-2 pounds per week is possible and healthy for most people. Therefore, when it comes to setting goals, you probably don’t want to set a goal of losing 50 pounds in the next month. That’s simply a goal that you can’t reach in a healthy manner.
Not only can setting unrealistic goals harm your health, but these goals can also hurt your motivation. Setting a goal that you simply can’t achieve will leave you demoralized and upset and make you more likely to quit your workout plans entirely.
Leave some Wiggle Room
This summer, you might set a goal to avoid eating sweets or chips or various other unhealthy foods. This is an honourable goal, but it’s important to recognize that you need to have a bit of flexibility. Otherwise, you’ll either find yourself feeling deprived and miserable when you have to say no to cake at a birthday party (for example) or you’ll end up beating yourself up when you “slip up” and have a piece.
While eating a healthy diet is important, it’s also important to remember that no one expects you to be perfect 100% of the time.
Share your Goals
Once you’ve set your fitness and health goals, share them with someone. This will not only help you determine if the goal is realistic, but it will also motivate you. You’re more likely to keep going if you’ve told your friends about your goals.
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