Have You Been Making These 3 Common Fat-Loss Mistakes? (Part 2 of 3)

Mistake #2: Lack of Planning and Goal Setting

For years Mary has put your own health on the back-burner, but she has decided that now is the time to make her fitness, health, and well-being a priority. 2018 is going to be a year of change for Mary – she has decided to join a gym and start being more physically active.

Monday morning starts with an early wake up call from her alarm…it’s time to wake up and go to the gym- her wellness journey has officially begun.

She drags herself out of bed, throws on her gym clothes, shoes, and coat and heads out the door. She makes it to the gym at 6am, which is a huge accomplishment she feels.

As Mary looks around the fitness floor, she begins to feel a bit lost, and overwhelmed…

“Should I be weight training? Walking? Interval training? Kettlebells? Dumbbells? Machines? Is the Stair Master a good choice? Or maybe there is a yoga class I can attend…”

Where to begin?

Mary walks aimlessly around the floor for a while, trying to decide her next move, and settles on the lone treadmill – this is a tool she feels confident in using.

She hops on and begins a slow-paced walk. After 20-minutes, she hops off, grabs a drink of water, and scans the floor for her next contest. She decides to do a few crunches and call it a day.

Workout #1 complete…

Workout #2 and #3 look pretty much the same. A bit of walking followed by crunches, and a few other abdominal exercises.

By the end of the first week, Mary is questioning her time at the gym.

“Is it really worth it to be waking up early? Am I doing myself any good? Should I be following a program?…..

…..maybe the gym just isn’t for me.”

By Friday, Mary hits the snooze and decides to pass on the gym. After 4 days of dedication Mary has decided to delay her transformation until, “she feels she has more time.”

So, where did it all go wrong?

Why did Mary’s transformation end so quickly?

You have probably witnessed this with friends, co-workers, or family members OR maybe you have been a victim yourself…

The key reason why Mary didn’t succeed is due to lack of planning!

All along Mary’s goal was to start exercising regularly, but what exactly did that mean? Was she going to exercise every day? What were the workouts going to consist of?

Without a plan, we can be easily overwhelmed or sidetracked – especially with all the daily distractions.

It is essential that we map out strategies to succeed and develop mini-goals to help us stay motivated.

Knowing this, you are probably now wondering how to best develop a plan.

To be successful, there are a few questions we should think through to ensure we are fully prepared to move into the action phase and successfully adopt daily exercise as part of our normal routine:

(1) Why do I want to exercise regularly? What are my goals?
(2) How many days per week do I want to exercise?
(3) What is the best time of day for me to exercise?
(4) What type of exercise do I need? What type of exercise do I enjoy?
(5) Where will I work out? If at a gym, which nearby facility is the best option for me? Which gym best meets my needs and can best help me reach my goals?
(6) Will being a part of a “community” help me build healthy habits? If so, where can I find a supportive community?
(7) How am I going to measure progress?
(8) What other healthy habits should I be establishing to help me meet my goals?
(9) How will I overcome barriers (other commitments, being tired, lack of motivation, etc.)?
(10) How will I reward myself when I meet my goal?

By thinking through these questions and writing out a thorough plan, you will develop a solid strategy that is customized to your specific needs, goals, and lifestyle, making you much more likely to succeed.

Even reading through this list of questions can be overwhelming at first. Which is why we help every new PowerStrength member walks through this process with their accountability coach. We work together to develop the best coaching program that meets their needs, but also helps our clients think through the entire process before Day 1.

Want to learn more? Schedule a Strategy Session with an Accountability Coach and learn more about our 14- Day Trial Membership. Email Jackie@PowerStrengthPro.com.