So now what? We have all done a fitness challenge in our years either at work, in a gym or amongst friends. And now you’ve just successfully finished a challenge. So what comes next, how do you protect your positive momentum? How do you stay motivated after the pressure of the challenge is over and you’re not held accountable to anything or anyone but yourself? You probably agreed to do a weight-loss challenge with the encouragement of a friend or maybe it was just the right timing. Either way let’s face it, somewhere deep down you wanted to find a consistent routine, up your fitness level a little bit or drop a couple of pounds.

Set a goal that is S.M.A.R.T.

Specific-create a specific goal that is clear and easy to understand. When asking people what their goal is a lot of time I get something like ”to get healthy” and though this a great thing to shoot for it is too general and there are LOTS of ways that you can achieve this goal. A good example of a specific goal is lose weight, be able to do one pull-up or run a without stopping.

Measurable– make sure that you can measure your goal. Having availability to a scale, such as the InBody machine, where you can measure weight, body fat and skeletal muscle mass is a great opportunity when setting goals.

Attainable– make sure that your goal is attainable. Setting unreasonable goals will only set you up for failure. Use the coaches at In Motion Fitness or trainers that you trust to help you figure out if a goal is going to push you but also be achievable.

Relevant-make sure that the goal fits your time in life and what really matters to you. A lot of time people fall into the trap of making weight loss goals when it comes to fitness; think bigger because if you are pushing for something that truly motivates and inspires you then weight loss will more than likely happen.

Time-bound- put a time frame on your goal. This will set you up for success and hold you accountable to a date. You can’t just put it off until tomorrow if you have a deadline. Also, setting a start date sets yourself up for failure and procrastination. Start TODAY.   

Share your goals with others

Share your goals with people who are close to you and will share in your successes and failures (sadly not everyone will be supportive in your endeavor so give thought to whom you share it with). Let’s be honest, reaching a fitness goal is not always easy or fun. Think about that person who will hold you accountable(in a good way).

• Write your game plan down–

Now that you have a goal make sure to set up a game plan. How are you going to get there is just as important as the goal. If your goal is to lose “x” percent body fat than maybe your road map reads something like this:

1. Workout at the gym 4 days a week and walk one day a week.
2. Meal prep Monday-Friday work on reducing portions on the weekends.
3. Midway check up on the InBody scale.

• Care about yourself first-

It is easy to put other things in front of ourselves and our workouts. We have tons of demands in our lives with work, home, kids and social life. Make sure to prioritize yourself. If you are at the top of the list then make sure that your actions match your priorities.

• Change your mentality-

When you start a fitness journey we have this tendency to think that it’s all or nothing. Consistency over intensity wins every time. What we mean by that is be consistent with your workouts and nutrition. You DO NOT have to be PERFECT! If you miss a workout make it tomorrow, if you have a bad meal make the next one a little more clean. We’ve heard it too many times “I was doing so good with my diet and then X,Y, and Z happened.”

Remember that you DESERVE to take care of yourself! Remember that you are ABLE to take care of yourself.