Clients who visit us in Irvine, CA, often have big goals. Some that aren’t achievable in less than a few years. For these people who work to help them break down those goals and set monthly goals. That doesn’t negate that “big goal.” It just provides the steps to help them achieve those goals. Why would you want to do that? There’s a number of reasons. One of the biggest reason is motivation.
How can short term goals help you lose weight faster?
The truth is, it doesn’t. What it does do is help you stay motivated to achieve the goals that you initially set. You see a long term goal of getting fit and running a marathon or losing 120 pounds doesn’t happen quickly. It can get pretty discouraging to wait that long to enjoy your accomplishments and everyone needs an atta’ boy to help them stay on the road to fitness. It also helps keep the goal believable and achievable.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have BIG goals.
There’s nothing better than facing a big challenge and also nothing more intimidating. That’s why breaking down the goal to smaller mini goals can be so helpful. In fact, you can set monthly goals and quarterly goals with the ultimate goal your final destination. Your ultimate goal should be truly yours, not something someone else said you should do. However, if the doctor said you have to lose weight, make the goal about losing weight to see your child graduate, prevent the cost and pain of illness or simply to feel better. In that case, it’s not the doctor’s recommendation you’re following but the avoidance of the consequences of not following it.
Short term goals need to be specific, measurable and with a deadline.
Just like long term goals, you need a specific goal. Whether it’s being able to run a certain distance or lose a certain amount of weight, you have to choose something you can measure. If you don’t, you’ll never know when you’ve reached it. Find several ways to measure your goal. Weight loss may include lost inches, too. Blood pressure and health stats can be measures of your goals.
- Don’t try to do everything at once. If you have several goals, start making changes on one goal until it becomes a habit and then add another.
- When you break down your goal to monthly goals, go easy on yourself. Don’t try to lose 15 pounds a month, even though it may be possible. Work on losing two pounds a week is more reasonable
- Get the help of a personal trainer if you’re not sure how to set fitness goals and break them down to monthly goals. They’re used to helping people and can provide aid in knowing what’s possible.
- Our trainers work with each client to not only create meaningful long and short term goals, but also assess those goals and create a program for clients.