Trouble Reaching Your Goals?

Everyone has one of those days when they feel like they just can’t reach a fitness goal no matter what they do. It may feel like the whole world is against you. Everywhere you turn you encounter a new obstacle to achieving your exercise and diet goals. Sometimes we create the obstacles by setting unrealistic goals or procrastinating. There are some steps you can take to help you overcome real and imagined stumbling blocks to fitness.

A common obstacle to reaching our fitness goals is setting unrealistic goals. It is not uncommon for beginners to set the bar too high. You may expect to lose 50 pounds in one month or get ripped in a week. Goals like this are not only unrealistic, they can be damaging physically and psychologically. Don’t give up if you fail to achieve a washboard stomach and a firm butt after two weeks of exercise. Develop a realistic fitness plan that includes regular exercise and a low-fat, nutrient rich diet. For most people, it takes about 2 months to start to see results. The longer you exercise, the easier it gets and the results will show in a firmer body, fat loss and greater endurance. A personal fitness trainer and nutritionist can help you set goals and design a fitness program to fit your lifestyle.

People may put exercise on the back burner when they are stressed. You may think that it’s okay to put off exercising for a few days while you work on that important presentation for work or finish a report before a the deadline. Putting off exercise because you are under pressure to complete work or other tasks is self-defeating and can lead to more stress. Exercise actually helps to alleviate the stress of every day life and work. When you exercise, your brain produces endorphins that help you feel more relaxed. If you are really under a tight deadline to complete a task, even a few minutes of exercise is better than no exercise at all.

Sometimes events happen that actually do interfere with exercise. The gym may be closed due to a power outage, the pool is closed for cleaning or you are asked to work overtime. You can either forget today’s workout or you can adapt. If you are stuck at work, take a 10 minute break and do some exercise in your office, walk or jog around the building for 10 minutes and do some stretching exercises at your work station. Instead of swimming, maybe you can jog in the park for 30 minutes. If you can’t workout at work, do some exercises before bedtime.

Most importantly, be your own cheerleader. Don’t put yourself down or call yourself a failure. Put the bathroom scale in the closet and stay on a steady course of exercise and healthy eating. In time you will reach your goals, feel healthier and look good, too.