Achieve Your Fitness Goals Before the End of the Year
We set new year’s resolutions with the best of intentions: Start a new workout plan! Adopt healthy eating habits this year! Lose 30 pounds before the summer months! Often times, those resolutions are old news within just a few weeks. And when your weekly or monthly check-ins yield nothing but disappointment for not reaching your goals, you can get discouraged to the point of wanting to quit.
In more cases than not, we don’t reach our goals because we’re too ambitious in the first place. For example – a goal of losing 40 pounds in one year when you have been the same weight for the last two decades may not be realistic. Or planning to run a marathon when the most you’ve ever run is around the block, can be unattainable. When it comes to setting achievable goals related to women’s fitness and a weight loss eating plan, the secret is to be realistic. Here are some tips on setting more achievable, healthy weight loss and fitness goals.
Set mini goals and reward yourself along the way.
For example, if your goal is to lose 25 pounds before your high school reunion that is six months away, start with the intermediate goals of losing five pounds each month. Celebrate achieving each smaller goal along the way to keep yourself motivated and feeling positive.
Keep your schedule in mind.
Sure, we would all love to get to the gym five to six times a week for women’s strength training and cardio. But with full-time jobs, kids, and other responsibilities, a workout schedule such as this may be unrealistic or leave you exhausted and frustrated. Set a realistic workout plan that works with your schedule. This way, you are less likely to get discouraged or burned out. For example, start with two trips to Curves for the 30-minute circuit each week. Once two workouts are a consistent part of your weekly routine, bump it up to three times, and so on.
Be flexible.
Flexibility is a key to success, both physically and in managing your women’s exercise plan. When something prevents you from getting to Curves for your full-body workout, be it a last-minute meeting, bad weather, or a sick child, it’s important to have a backup plan. Luckily, Curves has MyCurves On Demand. With this at home fitness program, you can complete a total workout virtually from the comfort of home and stay on track with your exercise routine.
Surround yourself with support.
When it comes to setting weight loss and women’s fitness goals, a good support system is crucial to staying consistent with your plan. Camaraderie is a cornerstone of the Curves community of women. Not only will you have similar goal-oriented women exercising alongside you to keep you motivated, you’ll also have your Curves Coach helping you maximize your workouts and structure your healthy eating plan. Coaching is what makes the difference at Curves, by helping women stay on track with fitness and weight loss goals.
Don’t get stuck on the scale.
Many women get caught up in numbers when they set out to lose weight. Of course, you want to lose pounds, but keep in mind that a weight loss journey isn’t a straight path. There are ups and downs, and periods of rapid loss and plateaus. Plus, if you are incorporating strength training workouts, you may gain some pounds as you build muscle, because muscle is denser than fat. That means that you may be toning, but not always losing weight. Rather than focusing on your weight, pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes are fitting. If you’re working out regularly and maintaining a weight loss diet plan, chances are, you’ll feel stronger and have more energy. Plus, your clothes may be getting a little baggy. All are benefits of eating healthily and working out regularly that provide added motivation to keep working toward your ultimate goals.
Engage in strength training for women.
Strength training is an important part of a women’s exercise and weight loss plan. By exercising with strength training equipment like the machines or resistance band you’ll use in the Curves circuit, you’ll enhance your fitness, build confidence, and grow stronger with every workout you complete. And because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, you’ll speed up your metabolism and lose more fat tissue in the long run.
Have fun!
Women’s fitness and weight loss are journeys for sure, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the ride! If you have fun, your journey won’t feel like work, and you’ll reach your goals more quickly. At Curves, you’ll get a proven workout for women in only 30 minutes, so you can easily fit your full-body workout into your busy day. Plus, you’ll exercise with the help of a supportive community of women and receive guidance on women’s fitness and a weight loss eating plan from a knowledgeable Curves Coach. For all these reasons, Curves is the perfect environment in which to achieve all your health and fitness goals this year.
Your Curves Coach is there to lead you through every gym workout. With your Curves Coach success is within reach. Visit ‘Why Curves’ to find out more about Curves women’s only gyms and our full body workout on the Curves Circuit, or find your local Curves and sign up today!
