“Setting goals is often considered an art and there are some common pitfalls you can avoid when it comes to fitness and exercise, to help you finally accomplish what you set out to do,” says Erin Light.
Light offers the following rules for successful resolutions:
1 Don’t be a repeat offender.
Are you setting the same goal year after year and not accomplishing it? Then that may be a sign you need to change it. If you have set a goal of running the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon every year, but fail to reach it, try changing your goal to running a smaller race or train for a different type of event.
2 Shorten your strides.
Avoid thinking in terms of “this year” when you set your goals. A full year is a long time to be working towards a goal. Instead, give yourself something to shoot for each month. So, instead of setting a goal to lose 30 pounds this year, try aiming for losing 3 to 5 pounds this month and then continue to set monthly goals from there.
3 You don’t have to sprint to the mountain top.
It is important to build on an exercise routine to help your body adapt physically and to help it fit into your lifestyle. Avoid the pitfall of trying to reach your ultimate goal of “exercising five days a week” right away. If you start out at half that amount, you can move step by step to the mountain top and avoid burnout.
