Level-up your exercising by setting a goal and making a plan!

It’s mid January and maybe you have started a new fitness routine this year or are getting back into one after a break for the holidays.  The fact is, is that if you are exercising, you are doing something good for your mind and body. But ask yourself this: are you working towards a measurable goal or are you exercising because you know it’s good for you?

When people start a fitness routine they are learning how to perform movement and they are trying to establish a consistent and sustainable routine.  The body is also adapting to exercise and how long that takes depends on the individual. Once this adaptation phase occurs and a consistent routine is established there is an opportunity to develop a more specific, individually-tailored plan to work on getting stronger, faster, or develop more endurance.

Most people however choose to stay where they are comfortable and continue to do the same routine.  They are exercising a couple of times a week with no real purpose or goal other than to maintain their fitness and feel like they are doing something.

What if instead, you step outside your comfort zone, set a goal, make a plan, and follow through with it?  It can be as simple as being able to do 10 pushups in a row, running a 5 km, or consistently going to yoga on a weekly basis.  Not only will having this goal provide more meaning to your training, it will spice it up!

So how do you do this?  Well first you need to choose a goal that actually means something to you, not anyone else.  Do you want to be stronger? More flexible? Improve your performance in your sport?  Once you have decided on what you want to do it is important to narrow it down, attach a timeline to it and make a sustainable plan.  This part is critical and requires some thought so take the time to map it out for yourself. Here is an example below:

Goal: Margaret wants to be able to do 10 pushups in a row.

Why? She wants to be stronger in her upper body since it has always been weaker than her lower body.

How? Margaret with have to incorporate pushups and upper body strength training into her exercise routine on a consistent basis.

When? She would like to achieve this goal in 3 months.

Plan: Margaret has been working out consistently for over a year so she will be doing quality pushups every second day until fatigue (2-4 sets with 2-3 minute rest). She will also do an upper body focused workout twice per week (Monday and Thursday mornings) that includes the muscles used for pushups. She will keep track of her pushups and workouts on her phone so she can see the progress and be accountable.

Although Margaret’s goal is simple, her plan is detailed. Make sure that you are as specific with your goals and plan and anticipate any barriers that may come up. For example, Margaret realizes that getting up early on Mondays is a daunting task because she typically does not sleep well Sunday evenings and she has to commute on Mondays so she changed one of her upper body workouts to Tuesday mornings instead.

Good luck and remember, if you need help with goal setting and making a plan, we are here for you!