Achieving your goals

How can you make sure you achieve your goals in 2015?

Know what your goals are

What do YOU want? When do you WANT it? Why do you want it? How can you do it? Who can help you? Write it down.

Be realistic about commitment

You know yourself better than anyone but we also lie to ourselves, not meaning to, but to stroke our egos and make us feel better. A 6am bootcamp will definitely help you get fit and lose weight, but is it realistic to say that you will make it there on time? If it’s not, why make this goal? Whether you want to lose 6 stone, finish a marathon or compete in a fun run dressed as a chicken for easter, make sure that you can commit to completing this goal, even if it takes all year to reach it.

Be flexible

Remember that fitness and healthy living are a part of life, they can co-exist harmoniously with the other areas of your life if you are flexible in your approach. If you have to spend 1 hour at the gym every single day and feel like you have failed if you don’t manage this, you are boxing yourself in and missing the point.

Some days you just can’t make it to the gym, work gets in the way, friends and family need your attention, maybe you have kids and they need looking after, this list goes on. In these situations, don’t throw in the towel, choose to make the best decision available to you at the time.

Can’t make it to the gym? Go for a walk

Can’t make it out of the house? Sprint on the spot for 30 seconds, do 10 burpees, 10 push ups and repeat.

No healthy food available? Choose the healthiest of the bad choices and know that while having a packet of salted nuts is not the best option for a meal, a big bar of chocolate was worse.

If you are always looking to make the best choices, even when the ones available to you are not your usual ‘healthy’ choices, you are making progress. You are thinking about what will benefit you more and changing your behaviour.

Take responsibility

This is us lying to ourselves again but I cannot stress enough how important this is. By being flexible in our approach to our goals it is easier to take responsibility for the times when we don’t quite reach the target we are hoping for but it’s also easy to blame other people for example;

“If I hadn’t been kept late at work I’d have made it to the gym, it’s my bosses fault.” Yes, it is your bosses fault that you were kept late. Now go home, put the dinner on and while you’re waiting do your sprint/burpee/push up routine. No-one can stop you doing that.

“I don’t have money to buy expensive healthy foods, it’s impossible to eat well on a budget.” You don’t have to be buying expensive organic food to be healthy. Just cutting out the junk and processed foods is a massive leap in the right direction. Money is an obstacle in life, no doubt about it, but it is not impossible. Budget for healthy food, cut out all the processed junk and you’ll find you can be healthy on a budget just fine.

Get some help

Getting information and knowledge from someone in a similar situation is invaluable. If you are new to the gym, get a gym induction and learn the equipment. If you are new to running join a running club and talk to more experienced people. Whatever your resolution may be, there will be someone out there who can give you advice, encouragement and maybe even a plan to follow. Can I help you with your goals?

Be Consistent

Consistency is the cornerstone of success. We can commit to achieving our goals but on those days when we’re feeling less than amazing, or when bed is a more comfortable place to be than the gym it can be easy to give in and accept a rest day. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as you wake up the next day and get right back on it. A day off when you need it is fine, but to stay on track you must be consistent.

Be Accountable

Accountability is essential when looking for lifestyle change and achieving weight loss. People are more likely to succeed when they have to ‘report back’ to someone. If you enter a race with your friend you are accountable to each other to train regularly and be fit enough to finish the race. This type of support means you can motivate each other and keep each other going through the days when you just can’t be bothered!

Remember these techniques and apply them to your task. Break down your goals into manageable chunks and before you know it you are well on your way to success. Take the pressure off by asking for help, look after yourself, be consistent and allow yourself to fail. Recover well from bad days and continue with your plan.

Be amazing for 2015. You deserve it.