You! Hey you! So I hear you’ve decided you want to be ‘fit’. Welcome, my friend, to the beginning of your fitness journey. My name’s Josh, and I will be your guide, here to aide you in this epic endeavor we call fitness. But listen carefully young fitness warrior! The path to fitness lays strewn with obstacles, challenges and triumphs alike; but with guidance, I will help you circumnavigate your path with ease so that you may conquer the mighty mountain of fitness and stand tall atop the peak!
Now that we’re excited, let’s take a step back. In fact, let’s take a few steps back, and outline a step by step plan!
Step 1: Setting Goals
According to the Health Care Guys, Fitness begins with a well laid plan; we have to know where we’re going and why. The need for a plan leads us to setting goals. Without goals, our success is neither measurable nor meaningful. We’re going to create what are called SMART goals:
– S: Specific. Select a goal related to what you want to achieve and specific to yourself.
– M: Measurable. Select a goal which you can CLEARLY measure your success.
– A: Attainable. Select a goal which you are actually able to achieve. A caveat here; you are able to achieve more than you believe a lot of the time, just make sure your mindset is set for success.
– R: Realistic/Result-Oriented: Select a goal which is realistic and/or outlines an end result.
– T: Time-Oriented: Put a time limit on your goal. Without a time limit, there is no sense of urgency created to actually finish your goal.
Example of a SMART goal: I want to increase my weight from 140 lbs to 150 lbs by adding lean muscle mass and maintaining a low body fat percentage by this time next year.
This goal hits all five aspects of a SMART Goal. By adding personal weight and goal, the goal is specific. By using numerical values, the goal is made measurable. By choosing a goal which isn’t over ambitious within the designated time frame, it is both attainable, result oriented and realistic. By selecting the period of a year, the goal is time oriented.
Step 2: Developing a Program
Now that we have goals set, let’s move onto the program. Our number one purpose here is to create a program that maintains relevance to the goals set forth and to remain injury free. For beginners, doing some research and finding a program that suits your needs works best. For the more advanced… Programs begin to become more difficult. Throughout the coming articles, I’ll do my best to provide proper information on how to achieve your goals through programming. More often than not, it’s best to reference and even hire a professional to develop a program for you; again, to make sure the program remains relevant and you remain injury free.
Step 3: Monitoring Diet
Diet. A word shrouded in taboo. No one wants to be ‘on a diet’. The word itself brings fear because people believe they will be restricted from eating the things they enjoy, forever. To keep this section short for now, that should never fully happen. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and diet truly means nothing more than the food that you eat. To take a step in the right direction, download MyFitnessPal on your phone or go to www.myfitnesspal.com and create a free account online, then start tracking your food; it’s that simple.
Step 4: Read this blog.
Over the course of time, I will be posting fitness articles to help you better understand health and fitness. Every week I will update and post a new article to keep you up to date with how to best achieve your results. If you have a specific question or would like an article posted about a topic in depth, let me know!
Step 5: Let the journey begin.
Get in the gym, get outside, get in a class, get a trainer, GET SOMEWHERE! All the planning, all the research and all the wishing in the world won’t get you anywhere. Put on those running shoes and get to work! This is where most people fail. Instead of following the pack, take initiative. Your fitness, your health, your life, is all in YOUR hands! I’ll see you at the top or from the top, the decision is yours, fitness warrior. See you at the end.
Stay tuned for weekly articles! Any questions, concerns, or article requests, please e-mail: Joshua.starner@gmail.com (or leave a comment on this post).
