Fitness Goals: Why You Need Them

Elizabeth_C34

I see a lot of people on here with number goals, namely wanting to get a certain dress size or weight, but something I don't see as often are fitness goals.

Exercise has many benefits beyond just burning calories. People who are physically active tend live with much better quality of life, live longer, and are at significantly less risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Furthermore, people who are physically active also tend to suffer less from depression and handle stress better than those who don't. Exercise improves your mood, and is just superb all around for your body and mind. Don't think of exercise as a chore, but something you do to keep you healthy just like brushing your teeth twice per day. Make time for it. It's very important. 30-60 minutes of exercise 3x per week is a very reasonable time commitment even if you're busy. You don't have to be an athlete, but it's important to keep moving doing something you enjoy and to continually try to improve yourself.

One of the other benefits to weight loss with fitness goals is that it keeps you going when you get stuck. Most of us who have had a long way to go with our weight loss get stuck at some point or another. When that happens. it's really important to keep on track and keep working toward some goal when the scale refuses to budge. Unlike number goals, reasonable fitness goals are guaranteed achievable if you put in the work and dedicate yourself to reaching them.

So, what kind of goals should you think about?

That really depends on your fitness level and what you enjoy. If you enjoy walking, work on walking faster or longer distance than you did last week. If you enjoy cycling, work in increasing your speed or distance. If you enjoy lifting, work on getting stronger and make some goals for your lifts to work toward. The only thing you really need is to find something you enjoy so keep an open mind about activities. Try as many activities as you can and be positive about giving them a fair shot. You never know what you might end up loving.

I hope that you all will set some kind of fitness goal for yourself and keep pushing to live better than you are now. It's amazing what you can accomplish in life if you just try.

ElementalEscapee

Here here!

Elizabeth_C34

Here here!

Thanks!

ShannonBas

Agreed!! :happy:

tamanella

Thank you for this post! It has made me stop and think about the fitness goals I need to make and then actually DO them! lol I'm going to give this a lot of thought today :0)

mommy7

Awesome post!!

kazzari

Absolutely agree. I would love to see more emphasis on health and quality of life as primary goals. I recently was not happy with results of recent blood work. The numbers weren't terrible, but not where I wanted them to be given my hard earned level of fitness. It was an eye opener for me that as hard as I had worked to be fit, I still wasn't doing enough. I am now focusing harder than ever on optimal nutrition and developing strength.

Elizabeth_C34

Absolutely agree. I would love to see more emphasis on health and quality of life as primary goals. I recently was not happy with results of recent blood work. The numbers weren't terrible, but not where I wanted them to be given my hard earned level of fitness. It was an eye opener for me that as hard as I had worked to be fit, I still wasn't doing enough. I am now focusing harder than ever on optimal nutrition and developing strength.

Me too! I would love to see less focus on the scale and more focus on health and quality of life.

I hope your bloodwork improves!

Erindipitous

I love this, and You! I'm so glad we're friends!

jerzypeach

Schedule your workouts in your calendar.

Make an appointment with yourself.

You are worth it.

Write down your results each time, and you can go back over them to see how much progress you have made on those days when you think things aren't going ok.

Keep track of distance, time, calories burned, amount of weight lifted, etc......anything that will show progress over time.

Best wishes!!

almc170

Completely agree!!!

brattyworm

i agree... i started this website with weight goals.. and about 6 months or so into it when i realized i wasnt achieving them and that was disappointing i realized. its not about weight loss. its about life style changes. so to do that tit meant the whole philosophy had to change. So at that point i made up fitness goals based on the cardio exercises I do. I also have a few other food goals as well, but none of them include weight loss. That is just the side effect benefit from everything I do.. and i do track it as my doc likes to see the scale go down

Qatsi

Well stated. I wouldn't have made the progress I've made had I not started making my walks a required part of my morning routine.

When I started here seven months ago, getting to 10,000 total daily steps was a struggle most days. Gradually, it got easier. Now my morning walk ALONE is over 10,000 most days.

I track all the numbers on my pedometer, so I can see the progress I've made (and also see when I've slacked off).

Once I get my weight below 200 (only four pounds away!) I'm going to start going back to the gym and add strength training to my exercise routine.

ishtar13

Strength:
Squat with the 45 lb bar Done! 4/12/12
Squat 100 lbs Done! 6/2/12
Squat 125 lbs
Bench Press with the 45 lb bar Done! 4/12/12
Bench Press 75 lbs
Overhead Press with 45 lb bar Done! 5/5/12
Overhead Press 75 lbs
Assisted pull up 50% body weight (90 lb assist)
10 real push ups
1 wide grip, man-style pull-up

LorinaLynn

Absolutely agree!

Seeing progress towards my fitness goal (which was initially being able to run a 5k) was what kept me motivated when I wasn't seeing the changes I wanted in the mirror or scale.

Other times I lost weight (which I did all wrong, anyway, since I just tried to survive on minimal calories) I always got to the point where I thought, "Screw this. I can eat what I want and look alright... why am I starving myself to be ten pounds smaller?!"

But this time, not only was I not starving myself since I was eating those yummy exercise calories, but I also had the motivation of, "Holy crap! I just ran a whole mile! This is really making a difference!" And that's what kept me going when I wanted to quit. I knew that even if my jeans were still tighter than I wanted them to be, if the scale was barely budging, I was still becoming a healthier, stronger person. I was doing the right things for my body.

meshashesha2012

agreed!

my weight loss has been slower than i expected. if i was just going by that then i would be much more tempted to think that i'm not making progress. but i track everything exercise wise :heart rates, distances, time, weights, etc. it's great to able to look back and see the fitness progress i've made from month to month

jtintx

Absolutely agree!

Seeing progress towards my fitness goal (which was initially being able to run a 5k) was what kept me motivated when I wasn't seeing the changes I wanted in the mirror or scale.

Other times I lost weight (which I did all wrong, anyway, since I just tried to survive on minimal calories) I always got to the point where I thought, "Screw this. I can eat what I want and look alright... why am I starving myself to be ten pounds smaller?!"

But this time, not only was I not starving myself since I was eating those yummy exercise calories, but I also had the motivation of, "Holy crap! I just ran a whole mile! This is really making a difference!" And that's what kept me going when I wanted to quit. I knew that even if my jeans were still tighter than I wanted them to be, if the scale was barely budging, I was still becoming a healthier, stronger person. I was doing the right things for my body.

^^^ Love this!!!

Rays_Wife

Totally agree!! Great post! Fitness goals have given me something else to focus on besides the scale, or a pants size. I love the feeling of getting fitter, stronger and healthier!

Snitch1

Liz..you totally hit the nail on the head..I had fitness goals on my old profile..and today, I filled out only the section about Friends Lists..I was thinking of making my goals..Actually have my exercise sheet right here in front of me..

Here I go..off to post some fitness goals on my new profile..

You are so Awesome for reminding me..there is a pot of gold at the end of this journey..a healthier me!!

larkiedeek

Went back and added a fitness goal to my profile.

Thanks for the kick in the pants!

IronPlayground

Excellent post!

piratesaregrand

Yes!

My goal is to complete c25k and then build up to 7k ready for a fun run in feb

Elizabeth_C34

Went back and added a fitness goal to my profile.

Thanks for the kick in the pants!

No problem!! I'm glad you found something new to work towards!

becoming_a_new_me

I completely agree with you!! Every time I go to the gym or start a workout, I tell myself "five more minutes" whenever I feel like I can't go on. Those five more minutes keep adding up until I get anywhere from 30-45 minutes more! My endurance is getting better and better every time!

taunto

I am kinda guilty about not having fitness related goals but rather weight related goals. I until recently had fitness related goals and in a weird way, it distracted me from my journey here. I was obsessing over working out harder and harder and to be like those olympians so much that I just simply burned out.

Now, I am more focused on just being able to move around easily. I don't obsess over my scale but rather how loose my clothings are and I feel happier this way. I still enjoy working out, I still enjoy boxing, I still enjoy my stationary biking (though I would prefer an actual outdoor bike with this weather) and I still enjoy spending that burst of energy I have to pull huge calorie burns but I'm atleast not obsessing over that kid who can punch on the punching bag 3x longer than I can.

Elizabeth_C34

I am kinda guilty about not having fitness related goals but rather weight related goals. I until recently had fitness related goals and in a weird way, it distracted me from my journey here. I was obsessing over working out harder and harder and to be like those olympians so much that I just simply burned out.

Now, I am more focused on just being able to move around easily. I don't obsess over my scale but rather how loose my clothings are and I feel happier this way. I still enjoy working out, I still enjoy boxing, I still enjoy my stationary biking (though I would prefer an actual outdoor bike with this weather) and I still enjoy spending that burst of energy I have to pull huge calorie burns but I'm atleast not obsessing over that kid who can punch on the punching bag 3x longer than I can.

There is a balance that needs to happen, for sure. There's nothing wrong with number goals, and I'm not saying there is (I have my own number goals for my weight and clothing size). It's just that it's insufficient for long-term maintenance and health. People who constantly try to better themselves are fitter, leaner, and look better than those who don't. Although I'll never be an athlete, I think emulating that part of their lifestyle is a good thing to keep me on my toes and always moving forward instead of just stalling out doing the same activities at the same level forever.

Certainly, not everyone has to do this to maintain themselves, but I think it's something to consider especially for people just starting out here who may be discouraged when the scale or their size doesn't budge for a while. The best thing about a fitness goal is that if you set a reasonable one and put the work it, it can be accomplished. Sometimes scale and size goals don't go that way (often they don't especially when we try to put them on a time schedule).

jadedone

For me, fitness goals are critical to staying motivated. My journey will take around a year, and if I just focused on the scale....I'd stop when it wasn't moving.

I time every walk anywhere to see if I am beating my times, and try to hit some personal bests with the weights.

Definitely agree with setting the fitness goals.

NeverGivesUp

I push myself hard physically like never before and it is paying off. I feel better, look healthy, have more energy and have gotten completely rid of my couch potato ways. I never thought that I would be running 11 miles at a time, but I am and now I have even signed up for a goal of running at least 50 miles this month. My goals are always evolving and I am always looking for new ways to challenge myself. It is fun and I honestly think I am in the best shape of my life at 40 years of age. Goals are fun to make and even more fun to check off the list when you have accomplished them !!! This is definitely for life for me and once I get really comfortable within my body, I will never go back. That is the biggest goal of them all!! Thanks for this post, I get inspired when I read others having the same missions as me. !

Vailara

Good advice.

My overall goal is improved health and fitness (my main reason for wanting to lose weight is to make it easier for me to be fit). But it hadn't occurred to me to set fitness goals along the way. I'm not sure where to start with that but I'll think about it.

Nataliaho

I really love this thread because I think it is something that appears sadly lacking from myFITNESSpal...

That being said I think I have gone a complete 360degree in this regard. I started out with my trainer 4years ago purely because I wanted to lose weight, I did lose alot of weight in the first couple of years. But slowly that became secondary to my performance goals and then I stopped looking at the scales at all. Now that would be fine if I had my goal body, but I don't.

I am fit, strong, healthy and over the weight I want to be. So I am on MPF purely to lose those last kgs of fat...

I definately encourage everyone to get to the point I have though, where activity/sport/exercise/performance is just a non-negotiable part of you everyday life forever...regardless of the dress size you happen to be rocking...