Part 2- How to Maintain Your 2022 Fitness Goals.
By Ryan Siss
Part 2: Common Mistakes in Goal-setting, and How to Fix It
In part 1 of our How to Maintain Your Fitness Goals series, personal trainer Christine Sheridan discussed how small, realistic goals can go a long way in your exercise and eating habits.
In the second installment of the series, we’re going to close out how you can have longevity to their fitness and health goals by hearing from trainer Sandra Corcione. Sandra is a local trainer (by way of San Francisco) that has a passion for trail running and helping others achieve their fitness goals and live a healthy lifestyle.
While the beginning of each year offers a fresh new start, by the time February rolls around many of these great intentions fall by the wayside. But why is that? Over the years, Sandra has noticed that clients tend to have an “all-or-nothing” approach to New Year’s resolutions, ultimately setting themselves up for failure.
Here are a few things Sandra has noticed about what people do wrong when setting goals:
Always using January as the starting point. When we think of January as the time to set goals, we’re basically telling ourselves, “I am going to do xyz every day for the entire year.” However, that seems very daunting, and when we inevitably miss a day or two, because life happens, we feel like a failure and we instantly give up and try again next year.
The all-or-nothing mentality. This is one of the biggest killers of new year’s resolutions. If you set a goal to work out five days a week, but your lifestyle doesn’t allow it or you get sick or busy and only get in three workouts one week, we feel like we’ve failed or that we just don’t have time and give up.
Unsustainable goals. When we set very strict/restrictive goals such as cutting out all sweets, or only eating salads, we set ourselves up for failure. Or when our goals are too vague, such as I’m going to exercise more, we set ourselves up to fail.
So, what should you do instead? Here are 4 things Sandra outlines for year-round success.
Start now. There’s no reason to wait for next week, next month or even next January. Start when you’re ready!
Set goals that fit into your current lifestyle. If you aren’t a morning person, don’t set a goal to work out at 5 a.m. every day because it will not work; and if you do it for a week, I guarantee you will be miserable and you will not continue. You have to meet yourself where you are now if you want to reach your goals.
Let go of perfection. Your body is a smart machine. Eating a dessert or missing a workout every now and then will not derail your efforts. Instead of punishing yourself, just take a deep breath and get back to your routine. Look at your wins instead of worrying about any slip-ups. Consistency wins!
Reassess and adjust as you go. There are plenty of ways to reach your goals, so focus on building habits you can sustain. If your goal of working-out five days a week becomes too much of a hassle, it doesn’t mean you failed. Just rework it in a way that fits your needs. You can drop it to three times a week. Or drop it to twice a week and add a 30 min walk. Little adjustments can make a huge difference, and they’re still valid wins.
So remember, to have long-term success it’s always important to create a clear plan that fits with your lifestyle. If you have a bad week and you don’t meet your weekly goals, cut yourself some slack. Your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Hopefully, by realizing small, realistic goals, and not falling into common goal-setting traps, you’ll have a better experience with keeping to your resolutions.
If you’re looking to learn more about Sandra and how she can help you with maintaining your health and wellness goals, you can contact her at 4everFunctional@gmail.com or via IG @4everFunctional or FB @SandraCorcione. Reach out to her today for comprehensive coaching that includes nutrition, exercise, and mindset online or in person.
