Fun Fact: A Study From a Fitness App (opens in new tab) Strava has found that 94% of athletes who practice goal setting are still active after nine months.
It’s very impressive and shows that having a goal – whether it’s getting your first pull-up, improving your 10K time, or holding a crow yoga pose (opens in new tab) – may be the key to keeping you focused on your fitness goals for 2022 (opens in new tab),
You may think that getting fit is as simple as doing a weekly HIIT workout. (opens in new tab)joe wicks workout (opens in new tab)or weight training (opens in new tab) – but really, exercise motivation (opens in new tab) When your 7 a.m. alarm clock goes off it feels all but non-existent because it’s dark and practically Baltic outside.
That’s where goal setting comes in – proven to be an important way for you to maintain your motivation and maintain a certain level of activity after the initial period.
We Talked to Strava Triathletes Vardah Hussain (opens in new tab) and sports psychologist Professor Andy Lane (opens in new tab) what to break Correct! It’s all about goal setting which is great for keeping motivation – and fitness levels – high.
Keep scrolling—and don’t miss our guide to achieving New Year’s resolutions (opens in new tab)self care ideas (opens in new tab)and how to reveal (opens in new tab)while you’re here
Goal Setting Is Important – Here’s Why
What is a goal in its simplest sense?
first things first: What? Is A goal, in its simplest sense? “A goal is a person’s ambition, desired outcome, or something they want to do,” shares Lane.
Think about completing a challenge, like running a marathon (opens in new tab)burning fat (read our fat loss tips (opens in new tab) and era of harmful diet fads (opens in new tab), here), or winning a race. Or, the goal can be a more subtle goal, such as changing a habit or routine or learning something new.
“An example? Running with relaxed arms. Changing your technique allows you to run more smoothly and efficiently, which, in turn, can make a new runner more likely to reach a personal best,” he continues. .
Why are goals important?
You’ve probably guessed by now that goals are very useful for motivation, right – but did you know how it equates to both physical and mental fitness?
Look at it this way – having a goal helps with motivation, motivation helps you reach said goals, and reaching said goals increases your mental health and well-being. “Goals help provide focus and direction,” explains Lane. “As a result, it enables us to see what we need to focus on, and importantly, helps us to make the effort to act. When we know that a goal is difficult to achieve, So we scale up our efforts accordingly.”
What are the benefits of goal setting?
There is a whole load from physical to mental. Benefits include:
- help you achieve your ambitions
- help you drive motivation
- help you stay focused
- Help you facilitate development
- help you avoid getting overwhelmed
- Helps you become fitter both physically and mentally
- Help you benchmark your progress
- Help make travel more enjoyable by offering the possibility of a reward.
How to Set an Effective Goal: Your Guide
did you know Lane points out that the acronym SMART is commonly used to help guide goal setting. “There is a lot of evidence for setting specific goals versus vague goals,” he explains. So, make sure that you have actually achieved your specific goal.
S – specific to what you want to achieve
Goals can range from outcome goals, to process goals, to learning goals.
For example, if you want to lose weight – a resulting goal would be, “I want to reduce my waist from 38 inches to 32 inches”. A process goal would be “I will eat smaller meals and have one instead of two chicken thighs for dinner,” and a learning goal would be “I want to learn about the nutritional value of my food and eat nutrition-rich foods.” Am.”
M – Measurable
There’s no point in having a goal if you don’t have a means of measuring it once you’ve achieved it. “You need to set yourself goals to achieve,” shares Lane. “Feedback is also helpful – it builds confidence and increases the belief that you can achieve the goal.”
A – Accepted
You need to accept and own your goals. Not sure what that means? Be sure that they are so personal to you that deep down you want to have them. That’s where your inspiration will come from.
“Those are your goals,” explains Lane. “Make sure you are committed and know what it takes to achieve it before you commit.”
R – realistic
As in – no point setting yourself the goal of flying to the moon because it’s simply not doable (unless you’ve got Elon Musk on speed-dial). “Your goal should be achievable,” shares Lane. “Set a realistic goal that takes into account both your skills and the effort you’re willing to invest.”
T – time-limited
And finally, keep a deadline in mind – because there’s no better way to stay motivated than to know you need to, too, because the big day is just around the corner. “By setting a limited amount of time to accomplish the goal, you are forced to prioritize your time and resources to make it happen,” he explains.
5 Simple Steps to Setting and Achieving Goals
1. Use the “If/Then” Planning Technique
Haven’t heard of it? Experts say, “If planning helps you achieve your goals, you can identify and address your obstacles.” In short, it helps you equip yourself with the best of actions if an obstacle does arise.
“Write the solution next to potential obstacles or hindrances and repeat it to yourself five times,” he recommends. “For example, if I want to train for an hour after work and I feel like I’m always doing something else, I’ll say to myself – it’s going to cost you your fortune, your health and fitness, and You’re happy going to the gym.”
got it?
2. Record Your Progress
Apps like Strava are designed to help. Lane shares, “Goal setting requires building beliefs and in order to grow beliefs, you need to see progress.”
Don’t Miss Our Guide to the Best Fitness Apps (opens in new tab) and best running apps (opens in new tab)here.
3. Compare and Contrast
That is, analyze the goals of your dreams and all the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving it. “By comparing and contrasting, you remind yourself how hard you have to work to achieve goals,” he shares.
4. Use Positive Self-Talk
Using psychological skills — such as positive reinforcement, visualization, and encouraging self-talk — can actually be a powerful way to correct a negative mindset. (opens in new tab) and the narrative surrounding an event.
Try this: “Visualize yourself achieving the goal and internally tell yourself what is needed to deliver success,” advises Lane.
5. Break down what is needed to achieve each goal
And finally, make sure you are clear about what is needed first to reach your goal. “As mentioned above, along with each outcome goal, also set a process goal and a learning goal, so that you know exactly what is needed to achieve it,” share the expert.
“I like having a goal to work towards—it gives every workout a purpose.”
Vardah Hussain is a triathlete who is part of the 10 Iron Women group. She regularly sets goals for herself on Strava and is spearheading a wider campaign for British Asian female representation, including a 50/50 gender split in the Ironman event.
“I set a goal to complete an Ironman — that’s a 3.8k swim, 180k bike ride, and a full marathon. It certainly felt like a big, hairy, audacious goal — I almost Learned to swim three years ago so honestly swimming around 4k was pretty scary.”
“Although I have done a few half marathons and run regularly, I will never run a full marathon. I have set my sights on Ironman Barcelona and finish it in October 2021.”
“I like having a goal to work for, that means every time I went running, swimming or cycling – it had a purpose. That meant on days when I really didn’t want to Which I found most with swimming, I felt pressured to do it anyway. I also committed to doing it with the 10 Iron Women group—a whole group of women with a lot more to complete an Ironman. determined. I didn’t want to let the team down, and that was incredibly motivating”
“The goal was also a way of measuring progress—how close was I getting to distances that seemed crazy at first? Lastly, I love a little visualization. I imagined what it would feel like to win an Ironman on race day, And how would it feel to cross the finish line.”
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