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How to Get Fitness Results – Step #2
In this post, I’m going to take you through the steps necessary for success and discuss simple nutrition ideas and strategies that relate to each step.
Remember, nutrition is a key component in successfully reaching any goal whether it be weight loss, body fat reduction or athletic performance (some fitness experts suggest that nutrition can account for up to 80% of results…that’s HUGE).
Define your goal
Once you define and prioritize your goals, you can then create a meal plan that correlates with your goal. A nutrition plan for a marathon runner is going to be entirely different than a plan for weight loss, bodybuilding, or sprint distances and recommendations should be tailored to your body and the responses you see and feel after shifting your nutrition.
Troubleshooting tips:
- do not attempt to go without carbs and get lean while training for a marathon (you know who you are)
- do not attempt to lose weight by working out alone
- do not double your workouts and cut your nutrition in half before spring break
Create a step-by-step plan to achieve your goal
Like we’ve talked about in previous posts, effective goal achievement happens when you break your goal down into increments and work one step at a time towards the final result. Studies show that one reason diets fail is the lack of sustainability over time. This means that long-term results occur when you can make permanent changes in your lifestyle.
Tip:
- Use the time frame you’ve set for your goal to make gradual changes in diet as well as fitness.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Nutrition Example
Let’s use the example of wanting to lose 10 lbs in 8 weeks as a goal. Next, we create a map that leads us to that goal. You will need a “MAP” for both exercise and nutrition.
Nutrition “MAP” Steps:
- Determine your current caloric intake.
- Second, create a food log and track what and how much you eat for the first week.
- Cut out pop, juice, and late night snacks.
- Follow these guidelines for 3 weeks and assess your results.
What happened…did you lose weight? Did you gain weight? Did you have the energy necessary to workout as you planned? Once you understand your response to making a few small changes, you can adjust your healthy eating plan and exercise activities to accomplish more. Remember to stop and asses the effect of the changes you’ve made before continuing forward for the entire 8 weeks.
In this post I’ve illustrated the importance of nutrition and how you might create a nutrition “map” to help you reach your fitness related goals. As I said, nutrition is a huge contributor to any fitness goal and should be addressed with the same importance than exercise. In my next post, I would like to discuss a huge roadblock people face on their path to fitness results…psychology and behavior. In my experience, those who reach their fitness goals and sustain them over time are the people who have an understanding of their own behavior and psychology as it relates to both food and exercise and have developed a system that works effectively for them as an individual. If you would like to learn more about creating a nutrition “map” or reaching fitness related goals, email me at jes@jesreynolds.com
Fitness Achievement at Any Age
As a trainer I have the pleasure of watching all types of people achieve their fitness goals. I think sometimes, depending on the challenges that may stand in someones way, they can get discouraged or stop believing that they will make any progress. After a while, people start to think their obstacles are too big and that they are never going to proceed forward towards their goals.
I wanted to share a story that would inspire people to achieve their personal fitness goals regardless of how big or small they may seem. My client Ellie is 65 years old, has had 4 joint replacements, and faces some additional physical challenges as well. But that doesn’t keep her down..no way! When I started with Ellie, she could do about 3 modified push-ups before becoming fatigued. Last week (only 6 weeks after starting with me) Ellie had progressed herself up to 3 sets of 10 modified push-ups with excellent form!
I snapped these photos of Ellie working out today with my phone…isn’t she doing great!!!!
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During her workout I challenged her to complete 10 at once and she did it! Three times!!! We both thought it was quite a personal accomplishment for her and I have to admit I was impressed. But wait, it gets even better! I came back this week and thought to myself (in my evil trainer voice)..”I bet she could do an actual push-up”….so…I waited a minute and then, I convinced her to try it…and she did it! Check out these two fun videos below.
Ellie is one of my home clients who has made tremendous progress by simply having some guidance, instruction, and encouragement. I am tremendously proud of her and her positive attitude about fitness. And she is only getting started!
The truth is, there is no small achievements when it comes to improving your health and fitness. When you set fitness goals, make them about you and what you want for your life and what is important to you. Whether your goal is to do 10 push-ups, running a mile, playing golf, or losing weight…every step you take forward should be celebrated. Allow small milestones to propel you forward to the next goal and keep you motivated to stay persistent. If you need help or have questions email me at jes@jesreynolds.com and I will do my best to point you in the right direction.
How to Get Fitness Results – Step # 1: Define Your Result
When working with clients who are frustrated they haven’t yet achieved their desired fitness results, one of the most common problems I see is that they are attempting to achieve many goals all at the same time. Often these goals are in contradiction to one another, resulting in confusion. If the person remains confused for a long enough period of time, they begin to believe that the goal is unachievable and they give up.
Whether you are a fitness novice or seasoned expert aspiring to achieve new things, clear and specific goals will create your path to results. Knowing how to set clear and specific goals has been characterized in many ways, I recommend using the S.M.A.R.T. goal method (from Wikipedia):
S = Specific
M= Measurable/meaningful
A= Attainable
R = Relevant/realistic
T = Time-bound
Defining your goals will help you to get fitness results, but it’s not the end all, be all answer. You must not only define your goals, but then evaluate them. Ask yourself, is the time frame I have for this goal realistic? Do my goals conflict with one another? Do I need assistance, help, or guidance to achieve this goal? Do I have the knowledge necessary to achieve this goal? The answer to each of these questions is an important clue in revealing your journey towards results.
After you have determined your personal goals, I suggest you prioritize them. What is the most important goal you have? Do other goals support you in achieving the most important goal? Do you have one large goal and a variety of small goals that will help you get there?
Once you’ve defined your goal and prioritized, create a realistic plan that takes you forward step by step until you’ve achieved your objective. Realize that your plan may have to include health and fitness education, either through books or the services of a personal trainer. If you’ve set an athletic goal, you might employ the services of a sports specific coach or a nutritionist.
Using this method to set health, fitness, and athletic goals will allow you to measure your success or failure to achieve them. If you missed achieving your goal, refuse to give up. Instead you can reconfigure your plan and identify strategies that did and didn’t work for you, set a new time frame, and continue forward.
Jes Reynolds holds a B.S. in Kinesiology, is a personal trainer, online fitness teacher, and