Why is it Important to Set Training Goals?

Why is it Important to Set Training Goals?

At some point in our lives, we’ve all set ourselves a physical goal - whether it’s to lose 10 pounds in the new year, get stronger, or decrease our body fat percentage.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, but the truth is, there are better goals you could set in order to improve your physical fitness while still achieving the aesthetics you crave so much.

Setting both long and short term goals throughout your fitness journey is so important. You’ll have a constant reminder of exactly what you’re working towards, and you’ll have something to push you through those long gym sessions.

All this being said, your goals shouldn’t necessarily revolve around numbers. Instead, they should be based around changing your health and wellbeing in small ways.

Set Long Term Goals

We acknowledge that fitness is largely based around aesthetics, but your own health and wellbeing should be at the front of your mind when hitting the gym.

Consider setting goals to feel better when looking in the mirror, rather than losing 20 pounds. You could also aim to be stronger, feel happier, eat better, or even be able to keep up with your kids in the park.

Goals that avoid the aesthetic element of things will keep you feeling motivated without adding the pressure of reaching a number on the scales.

Set Short Term Goals

Short term goals are more like mini-milestones that will push you through on your way to hitting your long term goals.

These don’t have to be anything major - they’re considered more to be a motivational way to keep track of the goals that will naturally take more time.

For example, if you do decide to set a fat loss target, then this would be classed as a long term goal. In the meantime, your short term goals would possibly be to hit 10,0000 steps every day, go to the gym at least twice a week, and eat vegetables with every meal.

Setting achievable goals is vital to ensure you don’t lose hope of losing that fat. Plus, focusing on other non-weight related goals will stop you from becoming obsessive about how you look, and you may just lose the fat without even realizing it.

Don’t be Vague

The problem with many goals is that they simply don’t specify enough to feel workable.

People often talk about wanting to ‘lose weight’, but what does that even mean? Are you wanting to lose fat or muscle? If you lose 1lb, you’ve effectively reached your goal. Then what?

The same goes for anyone who wants to ‘get abs’ or ‘put on mass’.

Set your Goals Better

In order to make any sort of progress, you need to choose goals that are personal to you.

Fitness literally surrounds your own body and mindset, which is why we suggest having a specially tailored workout program rather than using a cookie-cutter online plan.

Once you start following goals that actually mean something to you and slide right into your lifestyle, then you’ll be more likely to reach them and go above and beyond.