It’s time again to make New Year resolutions. Is losing weight a New Year resolution? I hear the same resolution year after year from many clients and a majority of the time they never follow through. And, that was why I got hired to be part of their New Year resolution.
“I feel fat and I dislike the way I look at myself in the mirror every morning! I need to lose weight.” Listening to such a strong conviction from most clients is the WHY I do what I do today.
Ok so weight loss is the fitness goal but could you be more specific. “I need to lose 10KG in 3 months’ time.” Honestly, let’s forget about the number of kilos you want to lose. Let’s focus on the body fat % instead. Kilos comprises water weight, fats and as well as muscles.
Ask yourself the following questions:
How much body fat% do you want to lose?
What is your ideal physique?
What will it be like to fit into a size that I used to wear before pregnancy?
What will a new ME be like?
You need to be SPECIFIC so be SMART. Let’s break down the word SMART into S – SPECIFIC, M – MEASURABLE, A – ACHIEVABLE, R – RELEVANT, and T – TIME-BASED.
- S – SPECIFIC so, what is a specific goal? Quantify it. For example, losing 5% of my body fat in 3 months or to run your first ever 5KM race. Once a specific goal is set, derive an action plan, execute it within a certain period of time. Now, this is where many individuals give up or have diligently followed through but gave up half-way thinking they can’t do it. My advice is to start with a small goal that you believe is achievable. Most importantly, believe in your goal. It is useless having a goal but not able to envision it with an action plan that derives measurable results thus a relevant outcome.
So, what is an unrealistic goal? If you have not been exercising for a while, but you hired a PT to get you back in shape and you request for a customized fitness plan that guarantees results in 8 weeks. The good news is you have hired an excellent trainer who comes up with exercises and program to whip you in shape twice or thrice a week but you do not work out on your own and still continue to eat crap. Do you think you are able to achieve your goal of losing say 10KG in 3 months without changing your eating and exercising habits? Yes, you know the answer!
- M – MEASURABLE Be sure to track your weekly progress using a fitness tracker or get a fitness plan that you can clearly see yourself following it. It is going to be hard but consistency and repetition reaps results. Resist the urge to seek instant gratification by jumping from one plan to another. No matter how great the plan is, if you do not commit to executing it, there will be no new YOU. The truth hurts.
- A – ACHIEVABLE 80% nutrition 20% exercise. Why even bother to transform your body only to eat poorly? The food you put in your mouth acts as fuel and as a direct impact on your body composition. People say abs are made in the kitchen. I beg to differ. Abs are made in the mind! Achieve by changing your eat habits bit by bit. Progression no matter how small is still progression. Do not underestimate the power of tiny improvement. Every little step counts.
- R – RELEVANT are you setting a goal that is motivating?
- T – TIME-BASED To lose 7% of body fat in 3 months is highly achievable. Now that you have set a dateline accordingly. Make sure you execute a plan.
Comments
Elora
If I comtenicamud I could thank you enough for this, I’d be lying.