2017 is here! A new year with new endeavors can easily be overwhelming. If fitness is one of those endeavors, it’s important to set yourself up for success. Remember the perfect time to start is now. Use these tips to get a firm hold of your new year fitness goals.
GET A DEFINED GOAL & PLAN
Set time sensitive performance related goals. I’ve mentioned this before. A goal is not a vague blanket ambition. A goal has a defined start and end point and a way to get from A to Z. Your new year fitness goals should be the same. Set your goal now, don’t wait.
An example of a good goal is “I want to lose 2 pounds a week for four weeks.” At the end of that month, when the 8 pounds is lost, then reassess and make a new goal.
A study done at Harvard Business School back in 1979 established 13% of students in the MBA Business School program had defined goals. Of that 13% who were followed up on two years later were found to be earning on average twice as much as the 84% without defined goals. It should be noted that 3% of the 13% with defined goals who wrote the goal and a plan were earning ten times that of the other 97%.
You will be much more successful jumping in to your new year fitness goals if you have a clear and concise plan of attack.
GET WITH A PROGRAM
In going with the theme of planning, your success rate will sour if you simply utilize a workout plan. Unless you are versed in fitness or have a trainer you likely will go to the gym and hit a few reps on this machine, bang out a few more reps on this bench, then go for a treadmill run. While any effort is better than no effort, a detailed workout plan will get you there faster and with better results. A good workout plan will train different parts of the body over 3-6 days a week.
The average workout plan encompasses 10-12 weeks which can be a realistic time for a whole-body transformation.
You have a couple options
- Hire a trainer. A trainer will access and guide you to your goal with a custom designed plan. A good trainer will also work with you on nutrition. Trainers usually charge by the hour and it can get expensive. Also, don’t assume because a guy is built like a bodybuilder or Olympic athlete that he is a good trainer. A fitness trainer is made from knowledge, not sweat.
- Use free resources like the internet and magazines. Sites like bodybuilding.com offer hundreds of FREE workout plans designed by the world’s top fitness experts. You can get plans customized to your goal, skill level, and gender. Or pick up a magazine like Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Men’s Fitness, or Fitness RX. These magazines will also have detailed workouts and meal plans.
- Use our own personal fitness plan, the Body Burn 28 Day Quick Start – to get a full routine, eating plan, and useful tips and tricks to use for the rest of your life! These were crafted by 15 year veteran, Adria Ali, who has poured her knowledge into the text.
Quick Fitness Tip: While they feature fitness content, avoid lifestyle magazines when looking for a fitness plan. Stick with publications like those listed above that are based in fitness. If there are ads for perfume and trendy fashion articles or celebrity gossip, move on. Fitness should not be a fad that goes along with current lifestyle trends.
GET AN IDOL
Now I’m the first person to say you should not aspire to be someone else, BE YOU. It is fine to be inspired, but if you aspire to be what someone else is you’ll always be chasing their shadow. Furthermore, each person is different. Alternatively, an idol is someone who inspires you to do good, not to be them. An idol can be someone you know, a fit celebrity or athlete, or a random model in a magazine. It’s easy to let to toss your goals to the side when things get crazy. There’s also the temptation of your friends. They may invite you out for some greasy wings and beer to watch the game. This is where your idol comes in and is a reminder to get out of bed, forgo the wings, and tell your friends you’ll take a rain check.
It may sound silly but an act as simple as looking at that photo can be enough to make you reconsider in a moment of weakness and help you capitalize your new year fitness goals.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 2
You may be fully motivated to jump start your goals for your new year fitness plan. Let’s be real though, the new year and New Years are two different things. On the 31st you’ll likely be up well into the morning then celebrating with your family the rest of the day. Chances are you won’t be going to bed early and waking up with the sun to hit the gym on January 1, 2017. So, enjoy the day and come January 2, 2017 get at it.
Happy New Year!!!
Tim
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