All too often, people believe that the expense of paying for a new gym membership will be enough motivation to work out on a regular basis and help create a fit and healthy result. Unfortunately, while this may initially work to get them into the gym, the lack of creating a well thought out plan will ultimately end in not reaching the goals they were originally seeking.
If there is anything my 20 years as a personal trainer has taught me, it’s that people who have the most success in accomplishing their fitness goals are the ones who take the time to create a plan that clearly defines what they would like to achieve, explains what they are going to do to achieve it, and provides a way to keep track of their progress until they achieve it. This plan is the crucial difference in the success or failure of reaching their goals – and it’s the crucial difference in reaching yours.
So, how do you go about creating this plan? It’s easy. Follow these six steps – the same six steps I use with each of my own clients – and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your personal fitness goals.
Step 1: Buy a journal
It doesn’t have to be something fancy – even something as simple as a plain three ring binder will work, as long as you’ll be able to use it to document your plan and keep track of your success.
In your journal, you will assess yourself and determine your goals, create a contract with yourself to keep on track, define your long-term and short-term goals, and keep track of your progress on a daily basis.
Step 2: Assess yourself
In your journal, create a list of areas you would like to analyze on your way to creating your personal fitness plan. Rate these areas 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (1=good, 5=poor). This will be your starting point of enlightenment in your journey for better health.
Some areas I usually like to assess are:
_____ Morning Energy _____ Stress Management
_____ Evening Energy _____ Time Management
_____ Posture _____ Cardiovascular Fitness
_____ Strength _____ Flexibility
_____ Weight Management _____ Eating Habits
_____ Balanced Lifestyle _____ Social Life
_____ Personal Lifestyle _____ Habit Changing
From your answers, you can determine what areas need to be worked on the most and create your goals for the future.
Step 3: Create a contract
After determining what areas you would like to improve upon, create a contract with yourself to improve those areas. This contract makes you accountable for the goals you have set.
Put this contract in a place where you will see it on a regular basis – on your closet door, on your bathroom mirror, in your daily planner. Looking at your contract often will remind you of what you are trying to achieve.
The following is an example of a simple contract that you may want to use:
I, ____________________________________, agree to accomplish (the goal) before ________________ (date), and formally contract myself to achieve this goal. This goal is challenging but reachable, and I accept the challenge.
Fill this out for each goal you choose to work on.
Step 4: Determine long-term goals
Your long-term goals are the things you would like to accomplish in 1 to 5 years. These are the end result – your target goals. Include with your long-term goals what you will do to help attain those goals.
For example, if you are 50 pounds overweight, your goal may be to lose 50 pounds in 1 year. Another example may be to run a marathon in 3 years. You may even have less specific goals in mind such as to just become more disciplined with your workouts and keep motivated to stay fit.
Whatever your long-term goals are, make sure you list them even if they seem unattainable to you right now. Knowing what you are working to accomplish will help you to stay focused on your way to meeting that goal.
Step 5: Determine short-term goals
Your short-term goals are the pieces of the puzzle that will support reaching your long-term goals. These should be very specific and realistic goals that will incrementally take you to achieving your final long-term goals.
For example, if your long-term goal is to lose 50 pounds, your short-term goal may be to lose 10 pounds by the end of the month. If your long-term goal is to run a marathon, your short-term goal may be to run 5 miles by the end of the month.
Short-term goals should generally be reassessed every 8 to 12 weeks, and make changes and adjustments as necessary to help accomplish the long-term goals.
Step 6: Create an action plan
An action plan is an evaluation of your short-terms goals, the barriers you will face in achieving those goals, and what you will do get past the barrier and achieve your goal.
Creating an action plan will help you to visualize what it’s going to take to accomplish your short-term goals, which will in turn help you to achieve your final long-term goals.
Here is an example of how you might want to set up you short term goals, barriers and actions:
Short-Term Goal: Lose 3% body fat and 15 pounds in three months
Goal Barrier Action
Train with weight 3 days a week Motivation Schedule it
Cardio training 3 days a week Motivation Schedule it
Plan out meals each week Time and preparation Pick one day to shop each week and put it onto the calendar
Start a new meal plan Feeling deprived can cause binges Talk with someone to understand emotional eating
Using a calendar is a great way to set reminders for your workouts and shopping days. Anything that will remind you and support you in your new habits will help to create a sense of accomplishment until it is part of your new lifestyle.
Step 7: Reward yourself
I know this was a six-step plan… but every successful achievement deserves a reward! When you reach your goal, be sure to treat yourself to a reward for taking the steps necessary to create the changes needed to accomplish your goals. Celebrate!
Carolyn Phillips, founder and CEO of Fit Behavior (http://www.fitbehavior.com)
