5 Tips To Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals

With the warm summer weather steadily getting closer, it is almost that time of year when many of us begin to think about trimming our bellies and getting a nice tan. Without the encroaching summer weather, however, getting fit is a goal most of us carry throughout the year. The only problem is that, for many of us, getting in shape is no fun. We have to watch what we eat and force ourselves to exercise in order to lose weight and tone our muscles. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to make getting fit a worry-free and even enjoyable experience.

1. Set realistic goals.

“It is great to have goals to work towards, but having goals that are unrealistic to reach do nothing to help you achieve anything. Your goals can be short or long-term, but they must also be attainable if you are to reach them in the desired amount of time. Setting goals that simply cannot be achieved, or having unrealistic expectations about it will only hurt your motivation and cause you to give up. For example, you should not expect to wakeup with a 6-pack after only a week of dieting and jogging a couple of miles every other day,” said Brooks Hitchcock, spokesperson for  Fitness Goals .

2. Be specific with your goals.

You should plan out your goals so that you can achieve it via smaller, more manageable steps. Say that you want to lose a specific amount of weight by this time next year. Break the overall goal down by using a series of questions: How much weight do you want to lose in the total amount of time? How much weight should you lose each month? What results should I see on a weekly basis? If you can break your plan of attack into smaller details, it will make obtaining actual results and achieving your goal on time more realistic.

3. Ask yourself, “Why?”

Why do you want to lose weight? Other than the cliché response of getting healthy and looking your best, you must decide to do this for you and for no one else. Simply acknowledging that being overweight may be bad for your health is not enough to motivate you to actually lose weight. It requires an emotional and personal investment.

4. Make an action plan.

Being specific with your goals allows you to break them downinto an achievable action plan. Instead of simply exercising aimlessly orthinking about getting in shape, you plan can to have reached specific weightgoals by certain dates. You should write out your plan and post it in placesyou frequently walk by, like your desk or the refrigerator, in order to remindyourself in times of struggle.

5. Ask a friend for help.

Have one of your friends or coworkers act as your personal conscience while you work towards your fitness goals. This should be someone that you trust and that you see on a regular basis who can encourage and remind you to stick to your workout regiment and make healthy eating choices.

Getting in shape and living a healthier lifestyle is not easy, but it can be done. It is probably the best thing that you can do for your body. Do not wait. Make a plan, find a partner and start working your way towards a healthier and more fit you, today.