![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6197681_1237436.jpg\")
\nBe specific<\/h2>\n
Give yourself a better chance of reaching your fitness goals by making them measurable. \u201cWhen you set broad statement goals like \u2018I want to be more fit\u2019 or \u2018I want to run more,\u2019 it\u2019s easy to not really invest time or effort into them because what does \u2018more\u2019 mean?\u201d says Jenna Langhans<\/a>, a certified personal trainer for Daily Burn<\/a> who specializes in cardio dance and kettlebells. Instead, she suggests setting smaller, specific goals such as working out for 20 minutes three times a week or setting a personal record for running a mile.<\/p>\n It\u2019s natural to get excited in the beginning and want to go big when setting goals, but there\u2019s also something to be said for pacing yourself. \u201cWhen we try to go from 0-60 right off the bat, we tend to get discouraged and often quit. Smaller, tangible goals within our bigger goal can help us take those steps and stay on track without getting discouraged,\u201d says Langhans. If you do have big fitness goals you want to achieve, she suggests working backward and making smaller goals to work your way up. For example, if your goal is to do 10 push-ups in a row, do one good push-up every day until you are able to add more.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve set some specific goals, don\u2019t think twice about it, and get started as soon as you can. \u201cProcrastination often leads to cancellation. Just go! Getting started is often the hardest part,\u201d says Kenta Seki<\/a>, a fitness entrepreneur and FitOn App<\/a> trainer.<\/p>\n You already plan for a variety of other things such as events<\/a>, appointments, work<\/a> meetings, family video chats, deadlines, etc. Treat your workouts<\/a> the same way. Both Seki and Caroline Pearce<\/a>, another FitOn App Trainer and former international heptathlete and bobsledder, advise scheduling your workout days and times ahead of time and putting them in a calendar. That way, it will be harder to miss a workout or put it off until later.<\/p>\n But also be realistic with yourself. \u201cKnow your schedule and plan ahead with when you can fit it in. By planning ahead, you’ll avoid agreeing to other time demands that take you away from your ‘you time’\/exercise time,\u201d adds Pearce. And even if your day doesn\u2019t go as you expected, something is better than nothing. \u201cA 10-minute workout is better than skipping out on your workouts<\/a> because you perceive you don\u2019t have enough time,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n It\u2019s harder to slack off when you have someone else who is also working toward their goals. \u201cFind a friend or partner that you are going to set goals with so that when one of you feels unmotivated, the other can help encourage and vice versa, says Langhans.\u201d Even if you can\u2019t work out together, you can always join a live virtual class<\/a> with them.<\/p>\n Plan and schedule your workouts\/meals, and make health a regular part of your daily routine, and you\u2019ll likely make forward progress. \u201cAt the end of the day, consistency is key!\u201d says Langhans. \u201cIf you are consistently putting in work to reach your goal, your goals will naturally evolve as you keep crushing your previous ones. Things that were once really challenging will probably start to feel easier, and you will develop new strength gains to meet or milage times to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n Doing the same workout over and over gets boring and uninspiring. \u201cCommit to a mixture of different workouts from Hiit to yoga<\/a> to pilates to fight style fitness,\u201d suggests Pearce. \u201cNot only will you avoid boredom but you’ll avoid the plateau in results that comes with repeating the same workouts. You’ll also discover which style your body responds to best.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy, especially with social media, to get sucked into other people\u2019s fitness goals. Remember that everybody and every body<\/em> is different. \u201cDon\u2019t compare yourself to other people\u2019s journeys,\u201d says Langhans. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what kind of investments or sacrifices they made to get there, so just focus on your own improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n All good things take time, so try to temper your expectations of instant progress. \u201cI know it can be very, very frustrating when we put effort into something and don\u2019t see results or changes immediately,\u201d says Langhans. \u201cThis is the number one reason why we give up and go back to old habits. But if it were easy, everyone would do it, right? Building new habits takes time and dedication.\u201d Pearce also suggests tracking your progress. By recording your workouts<\/a> each week, you can not only see progress but also get a sense of achievement to motivate you for the next week.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no point in half-assing anything; if you\u2019re going to set fitness goals for yourself, then invest in it, says Langhans. That could include finding a coach you trust, buying home equipment for your workouts, or simplifying just putting in the time. Other things to factor in are rest and recovery time, which are important to prevent injury, and hydration and nutrition. \u201cWhat you put in your body is just as important (if not more) than the movement you give it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n We all have good days and bad days, times where we feel motivated and times where we just cannot be bothered. \u201cTreat yourselves like you would treat a friend you love and care about,\u201d says Langhans. \u201cBe firm, but don\u2019t punish yourself if you skip a day or eat something bad. We\u2019re all human. Just try to stay on track.\u201d<\/p>\n Did these tips help you? Tell us your achievable fitness goals in the comments–and shop Activewear<\/a> to stay motivated (and stylish!)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Start small<\/h2>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5704556_1211151.jpg\")
\nDon\u2019t lag or delay<\/h2>\n
Schedule your workouts in a calendar<\/h2>\n
Get an accountability partner<\/h2>\n
![\"woman](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9653.jpg\")
\nBe consistent<\/h2>\n
Mix it up<\/h2>\n
Focus on yourself<\/h2>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/brandi_adair4.jpg\")
Try to remind yourself that results do not happen overnight<\/h2>\n
Invest in your health<\/h2>\n
Be gentle with yourself<\/h2>\n