Setting small goals helps achieve the big ones

Most people set goals like, lose 25 lbs in a year, get a new job in 6 months, be married before I turn 35. These goal are great but the one thing they have in common with other goals is that they all take time. A lot of time, and time is simply something we don’t, well, have time for. So the simple solution is to cut out the time and make the goal easier to obtain while keeping the bigger picture in reach.

Fitness makes couch gravity unstoppable  to most people. In order to pry yourself away from the lazyboy you have to give yourself a chance. Set goals like; 3 lbs a week, an extra 5 minutes a day, steam room once more a week. All this will eventually lead to the overall goal you seek. If you lose 3 lbs a week you will lose 12 lbs a month, well on your way to any goal your fitness-ambitious mind sets.

Tips to setting goals:

1. Think fractions – if you want to lose 12 lbs. a month – cut it down to 3 lbs. a week. Smaller time chunks mean quicker results. It is all how you think about it.

2. Prioritize your goals: The most important goal is first but not always finished first. Losing weight can be done at the same time as running a 7 minute mile.

3. Figure out what it takes to achieve other goals and your initial goal might be met along the way: Julie wanted to get married by the time she was 35, she also wanted a better job. During her job search she met Tim at a recruiting meeting, who she ended up marrying. New job and a husband. Nice!

4. Most important step: Write down your goals. Get those ideas out of your head and onto paper. Put the paper in places you see everyday like the fridge, bathroom mirror or computer. Remind yourself of them and make them part of your daily ritual.

5. Don’t worry about setbacks. If you are trying to lose weight but on saturday night you ate three pieces of cheesecake – remember – that cheesecake wont show up on you for another couple days, you wont gain the weight overnight – you still have a chance to go to the gym and work it off! All food can be broken down into fat or energy. You can eat what you want, do what you want, you just have to make up for it later. Set backs teach us to focus more. Use the cheesecake as a motivational factor, besides, there is always a trainer ready to help you when you need a boost. – Visit Nautilus of Marin for our trainer info and rates.