Fitness goals are just like taking a trip.  You need to know how to get there.  You don’t get in your car and drive across the country for your family vacation without a map so why would you do the same with your fitness goals?  If you are serious about getting fit you will need a plan of action, a roadmap.  Here are 5 suggestions to help you out:

1. Start slow and simple – Pick 1 or 2 things to change.  If you try to change everything at once you are most likely setting yourself up for failure or burnout.  Been there done that, got the t-shirt & the koozie!  I can’t tell  you how many times I tried to change everything at once and never got very far.  As soon as I learned to slow it down and not try to do everything at once I saw results…results that stayed.

2. Create your roadmap – Deciding to get in shape isn’t enough you need a roadmap to get there.  Create your roadmap to help keep you on track.  Schedule workouts with a friend or find time to workout when no one is around.  For me, working out when no one else was around was key because I was ashamed of how bad I let myself go and didn’t want anyone to see me working out.  Your roadmap should also contain a stop on it to get rid of the junk in your pantry.  Don’t feel like you can just throw it away, donate it, have a block party, send it to work for the breakroom…just get it OUT OF SIGHT!

3. Have fun – Don’t do something you hate.  Hate running (I loathe it!), then don’t run because the likelihood of you continuing to follow your roadmap isn’t very probable.   If you love to dance then dance your ass off…literally!

4. Acknowledge the wins – Each stop on your roadmap is a win so acknowledge it and celebrate it.  If your goal is to lose weight but you don’t see the scale moving but your close fit looser, then celebrate that win because it is a win…a huge win!   If at the end of your roadmap you want to lose 10 pounds you have to make stops along the way and each pound is a stop so celebrate each one.  If your goal is to be more physically fit then at the beginning of your map give your self a test, push ups, sit ups, pull ups, endurance, anything to measure yourself along the way.  Add retesting to your map to see your process and celebrate those wins too, after all 1 more sit up, pushup, etc is still more than you did before.

5. Reward yourself –  What is at the end of your roadmap?  A new pair of shoes, a trip, a night out on the town?  If you have a reward established then you are more likely to keep yourself going.