Guest Blogger: Eva Forde
Setting, and achieving, fitness challenges are tough. After all, you’re making your body change its internal structure and adapt, which isn’t easy for even the most hard-core athletes. Setting yourself up for success is the key to crushing your fitness goals, and it can be as simple as four tips and tricks that help you last after the initial enthusiasm inevitably wears off. From setting targets to rewarding yourself, there are actual effective ways to make sure your fitness challenge is a success and we’ve broken it down for you below. It won’t be easy, but it’s absolutely worth it.
1. Get a Buddy
Accountability is everything when it comes to sticking to your goals. In fact, you increase your chances of fulfilling your goal by 65% if you commit to someone, and that number actually shoots up to 95% if you have a specific accountability appointment with the person that you’ve committed to, for example a weekly workout date. Having that other person to help motivate you when you’re not feeling it is so much better than going through it alone, and will help you ride that motivation wave so you can actually build a habit (find more accountability tips here).
2. Get the Right Clothes
There’s no shame in motivating yourself. Whether it’s through a cheat day at the end of the week, the promise of a shopping spree, or whatever else gets you out of bed for that 6:30 a.m. spin class; finding ways to motivate yourself is all part of the battle. Having fresh, stylish sports clothes goes a long way in making you want to work out, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. After all, if wanting to show off your workout clothes gets you to the gym, then you’ve already won.
3. Set Targets
Telling yourself you want to lose a whopping thirty pounds or be able to run 10 miles without stopping are fantastic goals, but they can quickly become overwhelming. Setting yourself incremental targets to achieve your end goal will help set you up for success: the feeling of checking off weekly targets gives you a sense of accomplishment that can fuel your motivation and keep you going. Whether it’s running an extra half mile per week, or committing to adding five pounds every three lift sessions, incremental targets are incredibly helpful at achieving your end fitness goal.
4. Eat Right
They say you can’t outrun a bad diet, and it’s 100% true. Your fitness goals are inextricably linked to your eating, as frustrating as that can be. It’s hard to consistently see improvements when you have no energy from eating only junk food or skipping meals entirely. Help yourself succeed by fueling your body with healthy, whole foods that actively promote and encourage your fitness goal, instead of working against it. After all, abs are made in the kitchen, so get cooking.
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Eva is our newest addition to the Kuel Life Community. She writes her own Beauty and Fashion Blogger and can be found on EvaFordeBeauty. Welcome, Eva!
