The wellness edit: making fitness goals

If you are new to fitness or have been working out for years but never really had a set plan or routine, then you might lack a goal to work towards. Fitness goals can often seem intense, with social media portraying achievements such as marathons, HYROX’s, or even Ironmans as something we should all work towards. In reality, this is not the case. Making fitness goals can be something much smaller and achievable in the short term while also supporting your health in the long term. In this article, I will discuss the importance of making fitness goals, how to ensure they align with your needs, and the best ways to achieve them.

If you understand the end point, creating a goal around this is easier

Fitness goals can be helpful to anybody in their fitness journey, whether new or experienced. It allows you to take a step back and assess whether the activities you are engaging in are helping you get to where you want to be. Goals can be a way to keep you motivated and held accountable, offering a chance to reevaluate your sports, exercises, or routines so you know that everything you are doing is genuinely what you want. It can be easier to go the gym without focussing on a specific type of exercise. Whilst it’s still great to be working out in any capacity, you won’t effectively use your muscles without consistency towards a final goal, participating in the right cardio, or practising your sport in the right way to help you improve.

The most effective way to engage with goals that will truly help you is to establish what you want from fitness. If you play a sport, are getting into running, or go to the gym, understand why you are choosing to do it and what your aims are. It may be as simple as improving your fitness levels. You may be wanting to compete or race, or you might be aiming for an appearance change. If you understand the end point, creating a goal around this is easier.

By following some of these steps and personalising your training to suit your needs, you may benefit from seeing changes in your fitness

Once you can see where you aim to go, you can break down your larger goal into smaller steps. Figure out what you need to do to achieve this. Examples of this could be aiming towards a number of training days per week or focusing on specific areas to improve on once a week to see changes sooner. You can establish what needs to change to achieve your goals by looking at your strengths and weaknesses. This doesn’t have to be an intense programme you create for yourself. It can be simple guidelines that give you direction when you feel stuck. These steps should make achieving your goal seem easier and within reach, allowing you to take the necessary time while focusing on making the changes you want.

If you have a clear goal and some stepping stones to get there, then you are in a strong position to make the most of the fitness you engage in. Making just a few changes based on a new awareness of what you must do can help you achieve your goals. By following some of these steps and personalising your training to suit your needs, you may benefit from seeing changes in your fitness. Experiencing that extra motivation can make fitness more enjoyable.