8 Keys to Staying Locked-in on Your Fitness Goals

I have a special treat for you all! This guest post that was written by ListsForAll.com's Kyle Ohman who lives in sunny Tampa, Florida. Along with writing, Kyle enjoys fitness, sports, the beach, and learning new things. Same, right?

The start of a journey is always important. It takes just one step to get started, and that is a pivotal moment. What is also critical is the ability to stay locked-in over the weeks, months, and years that it takes to accomplish something. This is especially true when it comes to fitness and living a healthier lifestyle. It is usually easy to get started while you are excited, but then, after a little while, we tend to drop off and lose some of our commitment. Without the proper preparations, this can happen to anyone.

That is why it is so important to set goals, set up a game plan, embrace the challenge, etc. The more you can prepare for your fitness journey, the better the chances are of you succeeding. Because, after all, we are not talking about a quick-fix, but, instead, a life change for the better.

Set Personalized and Achievable Goals

In the moment, it is easy to come up with goals like, workout for two hours a day, go to the gym six times a week, etc. And, while it is important to challenge yourself, you want to make sure you are setting achievable goals. Before jumping into your workout plans, take a minute, and come up with personalized goals that will work for your unique lifestyle. Don't worry about what someone else is doing, but, instead, figure out what you want to accomplish. The more individualized you can make your goals, the better the likelihood is of you achieving them. 

When setting goals, you also need to create both short- and long-term goals. Figure out what you ultimately want to accomplish, but also give yourself goals to meet along the way (aka milestones or mini goals). This will allow you to stay motivated and moving forward. 

Come Up With a Game Plan

If you want to be successful in achieving your goals, you need to come up with a personalized game plan that works for you. This is going to be dependent on your schedule, your fitness goals, type of workout you want to do, finances, etc. 

If you are unsure of where to start with some of this, don't worry. There are plenty of online fitness websites and resources that will have everything you need to get started. Take some time and do a little research. Find a great workout, look up healthy food alternatives, and do some research on whatever you are looking to accomplish. Doing all of this will allow you to be able to come up with a winning game plan. 

Write Your Goals Down and Set Reminders

It is crucial that you take the time to write out your goals and game plan. Don't try to keep it all in your head, because you will forget. Either write it down on old-fashioned paper or put it in your Notes app. This will not only help you remember, but it will also help to hold you accountable. 

The next step is making sure that you see these goals regularly. The more they are in front of you, the less likely you will be to forget them. If you wrote your goals on a piece of paper, place that paper somewhere that you will see it every day. If they are on your phone, set reminders for yourself each day or make them your lock screen. The more your goals come into your mind, the more you are going to be motivated to work towards accomplishing them. 

Find a Workout Partner

Finding a good workout partner to join you on your fitness journey is going to drastically improve your chances of staying locked-in on your fitness goals. If you have someone there to hold you accountable on the days that you don't feel like going and to encourage you to push through the end of your workout, it makes all the difference. Also, if you are with someone that you enjoy being around, your workouts will be much more enjoyable. 

If you are unable to find a workout partner, do your best to find an accountability partner. Find someone who you trust, show them your goals/game plan, and then give them permission to call you out if you are slacking. This mixture of encouragement and accountability will help you to continue moving forward. 

Face the Challenge Head-On

As humans, we love comfort. We naturally seek to make ourselves as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately, though, nothing gets accomplished when we stay in our comfort zone. So, instead of looking to stay comfortable, face your fitness challenges head-on. You may fail a time or two, and that is okay. Get back up and keep moving forward. 

It all starts with your mindset, though. If you see your fitness challenge as something to be anxious and worried about, guess what? You are going to be anxious and worried. However, if you see your fitness challenge as something to test yourself with and something that is going to be rewarding to accomplish, you are going to be filled with motivation and courage. So, embrace this new challenge, and attack it with the mindset that you can achieve anything, and nothing will be able to stop you. 

Keep Things Fun

Get yourself some new workout clothes, try out a new fitness class, play a sport for cardio, find something new and fun to try out. There are so many great ways to stay fit and enjoy being active. 

I am a basketball trainer in Tampa, FL, and I primarily work with current players, but I also work with clients who enjoy basketball and want to use it as a way to stay fit. They aren't training to be professional athletes, but they enjoy the game and like using it as a tool to keep in shape. 

Find the things that you enjoy doing, get passionate about them, and then use them to help you stay focused on your fitness goals. This goes back to finding a fitness game plan that is personalized and works for you. 

Mix Up Your Workouts

When it comes to working out, it is crucial that you mix up your workouts for a couple of different reasons. The first being, it is boring to do the same thing over and over. Your mind and body want new challenges and new workouts to stay motivated and interested. If you do the same thing every day, your mind and body are going to check out. 

The second reason is that your body is designed to conserve energy and be as efficient as possible when performing a task. So, if you do the same workout over and over, your body is naturally going to put out the minimum effort required to complete the job. However, if you are always switching up your workouts, your body will be forced to adapt and won't be able to get complacent. 

So, when you are working out, try setting up a circuit workout, maybe do some TRX exercises, work on controlling the speed of your lifts - do something to mix it up. This also goes back to researching your fitness. The more you can learn about fitness, the more you are going to be able to mix it up and continue to challenge yourself.  

Don't Wait ‘Til Tomorrow 

The last key for helping you stay locked in on your fitness goals may be one of the most important, and that is, don't wait to get started. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." If you allow yourself to keep saying, "I am going to start..." instead of just starting, you run the risk of never starting. Don't wait to get started. Begin figuring out your goals/game plan, do your research, and then get after it. Today is the day to begin! It all starts with you taking the first step and then being able to follow through and accomplish your fitness goals. 

Hopefully, these eight keys will help you stay locked in on your fitness goals, and you will be able to accomplish everything you set out to do!