5 Reasons Starting Small Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals
When it comes to fitness goals, you might think you should just go all in. But this is like going from sitting on the couch to running a 10K in a day. Instead, if you want to really reach your goals, start small.
Starting small is the key to success. In fact, this is how to reach almost any goal in life. Small steps lead to major results over time.
1. Small Goals Are More Attainable
Which sounds less intimidating – lose 50 lbs. in six months or lose 8 lbs. a month? Both give almost the exact same results, but every time you look at that 50 lb. goal, it just feels impossible. But, if you start with 8 lbs. or, better yet, just 4-5 lbs., the goal becomes much more attainable.
Start small with attainable fitness goals. It’s healthy to lose 1-2 lbs. every week. Plus, you won’t get so intimidated by a big looming goal that you give up prematurely.
If you have a bigger fitness goal, break it into much smaller pieces. Then, focus on one piece at a time. It’s like running a marathon. You’d start with short walks and/or runs each day or even several times a week. As those become easier, you’d set goals for longer walks and runs. With small attainable goals, you’re able to build up to the bigger marathon without wearing yourself down.
2. You Stick with It
If you start off big, you expect to see major results instantly. It’s a common reason so many New Year’s resolutions fail. When you don’t see immediate results, you give up. But, if you start small, you see small results much faster.
For instance, you might set a goal to exercise every day. If you set a goal to work out 30 minutes every day from day one, you’ll probably miss several days, feel bad about yourself, and give up a few weeks into your goal. If you set a goal to exercise five minutes a day, it’s much easier to stick with it.
Gradually, you can add an extra five minutes a day until you build up to your larger goal. It may take a few months but starting with a smaller five minutes helps you stick to your goal.
3. You Get Faster Wins
Speaking of instant results, it’s those small victories that give you the motivation you need to push past any obstacles in your way. Let’s go back to the five-minute daily workout. Each day you accomplish this, it’s a win. Every victory makes you feel better about yourself and more confident about achieving your goals.
By starting small with your fitness goals, you get instant gratification. Of course, this makes you want to keep doing it over and over again. Of course, if you ever feel like you’re plateauing, don’t worry. Instead, let a personal trainer help you set new goals.
4. You Build Confidence
Have you ever gone to the gym, ready to lose weight, get more energy, and feel better? But two things happen. First, you’re intimidated by all the perfectly fit people who seem to look down on anyone who doesn’t spend all their free time in the gym. Second, you want to fit in and reach your goals fast, so you try to push yourself way beyond your limits and get discouraged when you can immediately sprint on a treadmill for 30 minutes without wearing out.
Small goals help you build confidence. You don’t need to spend hours at a gym every day. You don’t have to push yourself to the breaking point. You can achieve your fitness goals by taking small steps. Something as simple as walking in place during every commercial break of your favorite show burns calories and helps you build stamina.
As you feel better, you feel more confident with each new goal you set. Just like with any personal growth goal, you build confidence by starting your journey off one step at a time.
5. You Feel Better and It’s Healthier
Anyone who has ever started out strong with a major goal knows how horrible you feel the next day. Day one goes great. You do intense cardio for an hour, drink a lot of water, and eat nothing but a salad all day. Then, you wake up the next morning too sore to move and have zero energy to even get out of bed.
Trying to change yourself overnight doesn’t work. Imagine how you’d feel if you started with five push-ups a day. It’s not much, but it starts getting your body used to a new activity. You might have a little stiffness in your arms the next day, but nothing major. So, you’re able to do five push-ups again.
Starting small helps you feel better throughout the goal, helping you stick with it and making it more sustainable. Plus, it’s healthier for your body. After all, being extremely sore means you overworked your muscles, and they need time to heal before diving back into your workouts.
Ready to start your fitness journey off right? Contact Destiny Management today to learn how we can help.
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