As Sun Tzu said in The Art of War, “Every battle is won before the war is fought.” Essentially, this means you have to set yourself up for success before you begin—or else there is a high possibility that you won’t succeed.
When it comes to fitness, this means committing to exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle – and establishing a framework to support that commitment. This means ensuring you have the support you need and the commitment mindset you need to make your goals your reality.
Here are a few tried-and-true tips to help you commit to your workouts:
1. Get Excited
Many people think of exercise as a chore, which can lead to a mindset of resistance or “I just don’t feel like it,” which is the first step on a slippery slope towards failure. Instead, we challenge you to ‘plan to love it’ – not to hate it. Find activities that get you excited. Exercise with a friend. Stay focused on your goals. And think about how you’ll feel afterward.
During exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals that help reduce pain and help you feel good. In other words, even though you might not feel like it, you’ll feel that much better post-workout. This is similar to that “runner’s high” that everyone talks about.
2. Schedule Assessment Days
In addition to scheduling your workouts, schedule ‘assessment days’. Regular measurement – which can be actual measurements, scale measurements, or challenge-style measurements (how many push-ups can you do, etc.) – will help you notice the small victories and stay motivated.
3. Reward Yourself
Rewards can be hugely motivating for some people. Anything that’s not food can work – from an experience, such as a day off, a trip, or a date at a special restaurant, to a new pair of shoes, golf club or piece of workout equipment – whatever motivates you.
You can attach it to a measurement goal or a frequency goal – like showing up for your workouts for an entire month, a certain number of workouts completed or a new milestone reached.
4. Review Your Goals
All of your goals should be SMART goals. This means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-oriented. Also, they will likely need to be adjusted as you continue on your journey. Don’t be scared to progress or fine-tune them!
You can also add a bit more kick to your step by reviewing your goals often and reminding yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Make that Commitment today!
Nielsen Fitness is a Personal Training firm.
They bring the workout to you via in-home and virtual personal training. Their team is open to working with you, to get you on track toward your goals. Contact them today and get guaranteed results with their specialized process.
