Realistic Fitness Goals

Another January is behind us, but hopefully New Year's resolutions are not a thing of the past already. It's not too late to set goals, but reaching those goals can be a challenge. Here Clayton, a member of the Y's fitness team, shares some helpful suggestions for staying on track with your health and wellness journey. 

1.) Create small goals and celebrate milestones leading up to your ultimate goal. Feeling successful and accomplished along the way with smaller goals will keep you feeling positive and motivated.

2.) Write your goals down and look at them every day.

3.) Commit to a realistic nutritional plan. Remove bad habits from your diet little by little to avoid feeling overwhelmed and miserable. Your body will adjust to the absence of these foods with time, but doing it all at once can be a recipe for disaster.

4.) Find a support group—others with similar goals—and spend time with them. 

5.) Plan your meals. Find healthy, tasty recipes that you can cook in quantity for days to come or for the week. Bad food choices occur most often when in a hurry and nothing is prepared.

6.) Reward yourself, but do so in moderation and at the right time. Treat yourself with "cheat food" when it has been earned, but doing it early in the day and before you exercise that day allows your body the opportunity to burn some of it off—damage control!

The fitness staff at the Y is always ready to help, whether it's just getting started, answering questions or switching up a workout plan.