No matter if you’re wanting to lose weight, increase your cardiovascular fitness or gain muscle, tailoring your workouts to fit your goals will benefit you in the long run. There’s no point in starting a workout programme that either doesn’t fit with your end goal, or isn’t tailored to the exercise that you enjoy.

It’s easy to see why not everyone sticks out their new year health kick or newfound fitness plan, especially when unrealistic goals are set right at the start. To avoid giving up on your goals and workout routine, here are some of the top things you can do.

What are some of the common goals?

Among some of the most common goals that people look towards includes the likes of fat loss and toning, which essentially is building up your strength and increasing muscle mass. Often however, people set unrealistic targets and put an immense amount of pressure on themselves.

There’s nothing worse than rushing fat loss and increasing muscle mass, as jumping into strength training with little to no experience can cause muscle strains and tears. These types of injuries can put you out of action for weeks on end, pushing achieving your goals even further away.

It’s important to remember that losing a stone in two weeks is incredibly unrealistic. A healthy and more sustainable weight loss goal is no more than around 2lbs a week, depending on your starting weight. Any more than this can cause you to achieve your goal in an unhealthy way and is likely to mean that you’ll put the weight back on easily.

Remember, we can’t target weight loss

For many people, their goals are often to spot reduce fat or weight in certain areas, which unfortunately we cannot do. Weight loss happens all over the body and you’ll likely notice it in certain areas quicker than others, which can often dishearten people.

If you are wanting to reduce inches from a specific area, for example your tummy region, you may need the support of a gastric band to help you. Remember, this solution isn’t for everyone, and any surgery should be thought about carefully and done for the right reasons.

Abs are made in the kitchen

You may have heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen” and nothing has ever been truer. No matter how much exercise you’re doing, you’re likely to hit a plateau if your diet and nutrition isn’t on point.

By eliminating foods that are high in sugar and consuming more fibre-rich food, you’re more likely to achieve your fat loss goals, and keep the weight off in the long run. Don’t forget, it’s important to understand that there are different sources of sugars and not all are bad. For example, fruit is high in natural sugars – head to the NHS website for more information about getting in your five-a-day.

Don’t forget to keep your body mobile

As much as strength training is a great way to achieve a multitude of fitness goals, it’s important to keep your body mobile too. To release muscle tension and stress, incorporate a stretching routine and maybe even yoga into your weekly workout plan at least once. Keeping your flexibility and mobility levels high will only help you to achieve your health and fitness goals!

Set smart strength training goals

So you don’t cause damage to yourself and jump into strength training too quickly, set smart and achievable goals. Start off small, for example lifting smaller weights to get your form correct and holding a plank for 20 seconds, before upping your weights and holding exercises for longer once you’re more confident and have perfected each move.

Remember, performing an exercise incorrectly can cause injuries which in turn, can knock you off your training plan for a lengthy period of time.

Get yourself a guide to follow

One of the best things you can do for yourself to keep you motivated, is to have a workout plan in place. Whether you reach out to a local PT or download a guide from a trainer on the internet, following a plan can keep you on track and help you to have a structured session every time.

Don’t forget, any goals you set need to be achieved over a sensible period of time. Your progress will come and you’ll be grateful for getting there slower rather than at speed. Take progress pictures in the mirror and try to avoid the scales if you can.

What are your tips for creating realistic workout goals?

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