Understanding Your Intentions
“Your goals are your goals and you don’t have to be ashamed of them” – Rachel Dillon
Your fitness goals should be personal to you and no one else because they reflect your unique aspirations, values, and capabilities. Tailoring your goals to align with your individual needs ensures a sense of ownership over your fitness journey. Additionally, personal goals allow you to focus on self-improvement and growth without comparison to others, fostering a positive mindset and sustainable progress tailored to your specific circumstances and preferences.
In this blog, we break down the process of goal setting and delve into the importance of understanding the intentions behind your goals.
Setting Your Goals
Setting your personal fitness goals is essential for designing a routine that aligns with your aspirations and abilities. Begin by reflecting on what you want to achieve - is your goal to achieve weight loss, muscle gain, or improve your performance, strength, or overall health? Then consider factors such as your current fitness level, lifestyle, and any limitations or preferences you have.
One of our favourite techniques when setting goals is creating SMART goals. SMART goals allow us to set objectives that are clearly defined and attainable within a certain time frame.
SMART Goals:
➡️ Specific - What is the goal? Why do I want to accomplish this goal?
➡️ Measurable - How will I know when I have accomplished the goal?
➡️ Achievable - Is the goal attainable? What do I need to do to attain it?
➡️ Relevant - Is the goal relevant to my life? How is it relevant to my life?
➡️ Time-bound - What is my deadline to accomplish this goal?
Answering these questions when writing out your goals will help you create goals that are specific to you and will dictate a clear outline of the path you will need to take to achieve these goals.
Once you've established your goals, creating a plan or accountability calendar is the perfect way to help you stay on track. Take the time to reflect on your goals throughout your journey and make adjustments as needed, to keep you motivated and on track towards achieving your desired outcomes.
Understanding Your “Why”
Whether you’re setting fitness, career, or personal goals, it’s important to take your goal-setting process one step further and delve into the ‘why’. To succeed in your journey, you need to have a reason for wanting to achieve your goals. So ask yourself, why do I want to achieve this goal?
Take your fitness journey for example, understanding your ‘why’ becomes the foundation of your motivation and commitment to fitness. Your ‘why’ encompasses the deeper reasons behind your desire to exercise, such as improving health, boosting confidence, managing stress, or enhancing overall well-being. Understanding your ‘why’ enables you to align your exercise routine with your values and priorities, ensuring that your efforts contribute to a fulfilling and sustainable lifestyle.
Whilst it’s easier to focus on what’s right in front of us, take this as a reminder to also look at the bigger picture. Your health and fitness journey will have many ups and downs, but it’s important to know that that’s okay. Success is not linear, and as life throws curveballs, it’s important to understand that it’s also okay to adapt and make changes to your goals.
As Coach Rachel Dillon shares: "I love myself and where I was in my journey in both of these photos. However, I have evolved and I am so proud of how far I have come both physically and mentally."
After all, health and fitness is a lifelong journey and we are continuously evolving.
Do What Works Best For You
Your goals are your goals. No one person is the same and no person's fitness journey will be the same.
In a world dominated by social media, various opinions are being shared on what is right and wrong, and we find ourselves easily influenced to compare our fitness journey with others. As a result, we go down the pathway of wanting to do exactly what another person is doing to achieve their physique or performance-based results. However, it’s important to understand what works for one person, won’t necessarily mean the same outcome for you. Instead, it’s important to find what works best for you and what you enjoy the most that allows you to adhere to a consistent routine.
If you’re just starting your fitness journey, you may want to consider trialing different training styles to find a movement that feels good for your body and that you enjoy. Go to different gym classes, experiment with various exercises and training routines, and see what works for YOU! It doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else. If it feels right for you, then that is all that matters.
In conclusion, understanding your intentions when setting your health and fitness goals is crucial to creating a positive relationship with training and nutrition. It ensures that your efforts align with what truly matters to you, making your journey towards better health more fulfilling and sustainable, keeping you motivated, and navigating challenges throughout your journey more effectively. Ultimately, it's about finding balance and joy in your fitness journey, making it a meaningful part of your life. So, let your intentions guide you as you strive for a healthier, happier you.
If you are ready to start your health and fitness journey, we’re here to help!
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