{"id":2763,"date":"2016-11-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-15T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trifocusfitnessacademy.co.za\/how-to-stick-to-exercise-goals\/"},"modified":"2022-10-19T16:10:24","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T14:10:24","slug":"how-to-stick-to-exercise-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trifocusfitnessacademy.co.za\/personal-fitness-training-blog\/how-to-stick-to-exercise-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons why you haven\u2019t been able to stick to your exercise goals"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all go to bed on New Year\u2019s Eve (or New Year\u2019s morning…) vowing to lose weight, exercise\u00a0and get fit \u2013 with or without a personal trainer. To exercise regularly, to eat more healthily. To quit smoking or to break up with sugar <\/a>.\u00a0 Unfortunately, only a few of us actually follow through with these goals, beyond, say, the first month or two. Why do we fail to achieve our goals? Why do we lack motivation to go to gym?<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0We set unrealistic or overly difficult goals<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019re not saying you shouldn\u2019t aim high but setting goals that are very far out of reach means that achieving them is very difficult. “The University of New Hampshire explains that goal setters can use the SMART acronym to develop goals. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable and relevant. They should also have a specific time frame for completion,” says Leigh Ann Morgan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0We try to fly solo<\/strong><\/p>\n

Researchers have found that one of the single most important factors in the success of any long-term plan is your support network. So if your plan is to be able to run a 5km race, don\u2019t take up the training alone – get a friend to join you\u00a0 or enlist the help of a personal trainer. Their support, motivation and encouragement will make you far more likely to make it to race day \u2013 and beyond!<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0The path toward the goal isn\u2019t clear enough<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your resolution is to lose 5kgs by the time your best friend\u2019s wedding rolls around but you don\u2019t create a plan to lose the weight. So what happens? You eat salad for a week and go to every spinning class your gym offers, and then fall off the bike (so to speak) and the \u201cplan\u201d goes out the window. Any major goal needs a clear plan in place, outlining exactly what you\u2019ll do, how, when and where to get there.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0We don\u2019t make the time<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the modern condition: being sooo busy… Shopping for healthy foods (and cooking them!) is time consuming. Likewise, getting fit means making it to the gym five (or six) days a week. The existing demands on your time aren\u2019t going to disappear just because you\u2019ve resolved to lose weight and get fit. You still have to fit in work, sleep, bathing the kids, socialising, traffic time, and so on.<\/p>\n

Start by understanding how much free time you ACTUALLY have to dedicate to your exercise goals. Then make sure you aren\u2019t trying to do too much in that time (because if you are, it won\u2019t be long before you get frustrated and quit).<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0We get bummed out and give up when we hit a speedbump<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sticking to your fitness goals and committing to an exercise plan\u00a0isn\u2019t always easy. Life sometimes gets in the way and we fall off the wagon. This is when we get despondent and we give up. Even if we do try to get back on track, we find it very difficult to stay focused.<\/p>\n

First, cut yourself some slack. Second, make sure you set a few milestones on the path to your goals; at each milestone, there\u2019s a great opportunity to congratulate yourself (hello, new shoes!) for your achievements thus far.\u00a0 Take another good look at the goal \u2013 remember why you want to achieve it, and why it means so much to you. Stay positive!<\/p>\n

If you think you have what it takes to be an amazing personal trainer \u2013 the kind that gets clients to their fitness goals effortlessly \u2013 then check out the Comprehensive Personal Training Certification <\/a>from Trifocus Fitness Academy today. Follow this link <\/a>to find out more.<\/p>\n