Tuesday, December 6, 2011

You CAN Reach Your Goals- 7 Tips for Reaching Your Goals

 
This post is really for those of you starting out with getting fit or losing weight, but really so many of us can relate to having to reset life in order to be on the road to being the best version of ourselves!  Mine happened after I had my daughter.  I needed to reset the train and get back on track to becoming the best version of me.....and part of that was weight loss and fitness.  Fitfluential has challenged their Ambassadors to write a post to help out anyone who may be starting this journey for the first time.....what tips we could give to them.  Well these are things I do daily and they have helped me reach so many goals along my journey!

1.  Call in the troops....Reach out to all those friends and family that are active or eat healthy.  Ask for help and explain to them your goals.  They know you and love you and would love to help.  This may be intimidating for you...sometimes it's easier for a complete stranger to know what you weigh than your best friend but put yourself out there....there is no shame in wanting to get healthy!  Everyone starts somewhere!  Make a date to meet them at the gym or for a walk.  I know I make sure I get there if someone is expecting me!  Get your family involved.  Rally the troops so they can help you!
2.  Hey Guess What.....Tell those around you what your doing.....it's harder to fall back on old habits when you know people are watching!  Whenever I have a new goal or while I was working off that baby weight, I told those around me what it was.  That kept me from grabbing that handful of chips in the lunchroom or indulging when I shouldn't. Telling my family kept me on track too.....at the times when I would normally cheat.
3.  Find what you love.....These days I could run until my legs fall off but it wasn't always that way.  After running the Boston Marathon, I went back to spinning and kick boxing.  I loved them!  Find something you like to do and have a blast.  You're less likely to stick with it if each second is a form of torture!
4.  Step by Step.....Rome wasn't built in a day.  Give yourself the grace to go step by step.  Change one thing at a time instead of radically changing your entire life all at once!  Focus on diet....then get moving...step by step.  Keep pushing yourself bit by bit.
5.  Put it on the calendar.....We schedule everything in our lives...why not exercise?  Once a colleague of mine asked me what I did to stay in shape and so I told her.  She went on to explain that that wouldn't work for her because she was far too busy.  My response was that I schedule exercise just like I schedule an appointment.  It gets put on the calendar and time is set aside for it.  Schedule your exercise in and work your day around it.  
6.  Have a strategy....Life happens.  Kids get sick. It's raining. It's snowing. Traffic...you name it.  It's like a commercial on TV for Tufts where the couple has daily excuses of how life got in the way of them going to the gym.  My remedy....plan ahead.  Before I go to bed at night I have my lunch packed for the next day, clothes laid out for work and for the gym.  I only need to roll out of bed and into my clothes.  If you go to the gym after work, pack a snack in your bag of clothes.  
7.  BELIEVE and you will ACHIEVE!.....Whatever your goal is may seem so large or hard to reach.  BELIEVE in yourself.  Visualize the end.....Imagine how great you're going to feel.....how much energy you will have....Believe in yourself!  YOU WILL GET THERE!!!!

It's almost the New Year.....Resolution time....Make this year the one where you become the best version of yourself!!!

11 comments:

  1. LOVE your 7 tips! i really dont know which one to focus on because they are all so important to me as well but especially the last one. well also realizing that it takes patience but then realizing that believing in yourself can get you a long way. :)

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  2. I totally needed to read this today. Making the Cut is going to be the death of me!!!

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  3. Great, great advice. I think starting is the hardest part and this advice is great for anyone starting on the road to fitness. Great job Ms. Fitfluential Ambassador!! :)

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  4. The appointment idea is a great idea. I write my workouts on the calendar as well. I also try to meet my friends to run. If I do that then I won't let anyone down.

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  5. Well thought out list here! You make a great ambassador :)

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  6. great tips! I thought the strategy is prob the most important.

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  7. I totally agree with all of these! I think my biggest way of keep up with my goals is evaluating them and see if they are doable or need adjusting! Its okay to do that and I think so many think it is not!

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  8. Love your post! I have to start thinking about a resolution!!

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  9. Found your blog through Jen Small. Love it! And this is such a great list! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. love it! will keep these in mind as I gear up for my next big race...:)

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