How to stick with your fitness goals

The desire for instant gratification in our lives has reached an epidemic level. With the information age, so comes the ease of access to images and videos of what you want your life to look like. Finding a photo or video of someone with what you want has never been more accessible.

From a shiny new sports car to the lofty mansion on the hill, everyone has something they desire. And with these images so accessible – and so many gurus yelling from the rooftops of said mansions about how you can have everything you want – it’s no wonder that most people never reach their goals.

With these stark images and snake oil salesmen peddling their 24-hour riches course or 12 weeks until financial freedom advice. It’s no wonder that people start with a goal and then fail to attain it. Day and night, the carnival barkers assault you with how easy it is to have everything you want.

And so, we go through our lives convinced there is a “magic bullet” for everything. An easy solution exists for any problem that you might encounter. However – the sad reality is – there’s no such thing. There is no quick fix to any real problem. This desire for instant gratification, or a “quick fix” to issues you may face, leads to disappointment.

And disappointment leads to frustration. And frustration leads to giving up. Giving up leads to never reaching that goal you thought was fixed in your mind.

Because in and of itself, there is nothing wrong with wanting a better life. There’s nothing wrong with wanting more income, a better job, or even better health. Yet, there is one thing you must remember as you search for a better way of life – there is no quick fix. No one is coming to save you.

You must do for yourself.

And doing for yourself means strapping on your boots, becoming determined, and getting to work. Yes, any real improvement you may want to see is that dirty four-letter word that so many seem to shun today – WORK. That’s right, there’s no such thing as instant gratification or an easy button for real solutions.

There’s hardly any industry plagued with instant gratification as much as the weight loss and fitness industry. There are pills and powders, along with shakes and smoothies. Promises of easy results and effortless solutions for your needs abound. However, deep down, you know this is a bunch of hocus-pocus. So, what’s the real key to the problem of getting and staying in shape? Well, you probably know the answer – but a little review can’t hurt – can it?

The difficulty of achieving your fitness goals.

In the story of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Alice finds an impossibly small door. She can open the door, and through there, she can see a beautiful garden. She wants to enter the garden badly, yet she can’t because she is too big. However, she finds a bottle that says, “Drink me.” And with a quick swallow of the contents, she is shrunk down to the proper size.

Easy-peasy, right?

Just like that, your size has been changed. This, unfortunately, is what many health and wellness products offer. Like Alice, you can change your size with a pill, a drink, or a powder. You will change who and how you feel, taking virtually zero effort. And this lends to the continuation of the problem of instant gratification.

Many tend to give up when that pill, powder, or plan doesn’t quickly produce the fitness or health results you want. How much money Is wasted on these products or programs? Well, let’s look at a few statistics.

In 2021, the USA’s spending on weight loss products and programs reached $72.6 billion. Now, you’re used to seeing big numbers in the media, but to put 72 billion into context, it’s the same as every man, woman, and child in the United States spending 211 dollars on weight loss products.

The sad part of this rather large expenditure is the success rate.

Sources differ. However, none of the information is encouraging – only 5% to 20% of people who set out on a weight loss/fitness goal have achieved it after 12 months. And even fewer people maintain it longer than 12 months.

This is the problem with thinking results are, or should be, fast and easy. Too many seek instant gratification or instant results that are impossible. It takes time and serious effort to achieve success and reach your goals. Most importantly, you must stay motivated while making fitness part of your life.

Stay motivated and see results

It seems that everyone is motivated when they start something new. Otherwise, why would you start? You’ve decided that something needs to be done, so you act. However, that ole’ desire for fast results takes over after a few weeks or days, and then you forget why you were so ready to take the plunge.

The word “motivation” is a noun that refers to the reason or reasons you have for acting or behaving a certain way. It can also refer to your general desire or willingness to do something. This alludes to the fact that motivation is an internal process, not an external one. You must make up your mind about your motives and maintain that desire.

Maintaining that desire is what pushes you to the finish line. You must keep at the front of your mind WHY you started this course of action in the first place. For example, one of the latest polls suggests that the number one reason people try to get into shape is that their clothes don’t fit like they should. The number two reason is that they see an unflattering photo of themselves.

These can be primary motivators, but you must take steps to maintain this motivation. Here are some simple things you can do to keep that motivation front and center.

This list is brought to you by Chris Patt, a personal trainer and founder of Strong Arm Fitness. Chris makes simple free videos with workouts that can be performed anywhere, with no gym required. And with 25 years as a fitness expert, he’s seen plenty of people lose motivation. So here are his top tips to stay focused and achieve your fitness goals.

Pick goals that matter: If you don’t find your goals to be meaningful or valued, research shows that your progress towards those goals will fade. So, pick something that matters and something that will bring you joy, such as “being able to jog with my partner” or “playing with my kids without being exhausted.”

Write down your goals: Research has repeatedly proven that you are more likely to achieve them if you write them down. And the more specific the plan, the more likely you are to achieve it. For instance, don’t say, “Get into better shape”; instead, say, “Lose ten pounds and one inch off my waist.” Plaster these goals where you can see them daily or hourly. Just make sure they are visible.

Surround yourself with winners: If you hang out with people who are likely to eat unhealthy, skip workouts, or not care about their health, it can be infectious. The old saying, you are the sum of the five people you hang out with the most, is true. So, if your goal is to improve your fitness and health, hang out with people who are already there or working hard to get there.

Ditch the perfection: Thinking that everything has to be perfect or go perfectly brings down so many in their fitness goals. Of course, getting started is hard, and staying motivated is more challenging, but once you realize that progress is not a straight line, it gets easier.

There will be good and bad days, ups and downs, twists and turns. Don’t let these things derail your progress. On average, there are 2,000 steps in a mile. You only finish that mile one step at a time. Just keep stepping.

Keep learning and working towards your goals

Don’t stop trying to reach your goals.

As mentioned earlier, there will be good days and bad days. You may even have a string of days where you don’t do anything working towards your goal. However, keep going, and don’t let those setbacks stop you completely.

A great way to stay motivated is to check out Strong Arm Fitness. There, you will find videos of simple yet effective “do-anywhere” exercises that will get the blood pumping wherever you are.

There are more motivational tips and Chris Patt’s personal S.T.R.O.N.G. philosophy to health, wellness, and fitness.

S – Strength

T – Total Body Wellness

R – Recovery

O – Overload principle

N – Nutrition

G – Goals

On the website, Chris goes into much more detail about staying motivated and incorporating the STRONG philosophy into your life.

While you are there, enjoy all the free information and consider these great activewear products Strong Arm Fitness offers.

Unisex Performance Tanks

Made to withstand your most brutal workouts and keep performing.

Strong Arm Skort

Stylish and functional to meet your workout needs.

These great offerings are only available through the Strong Arm Fitness website. There, you will find more activewear that is not only stylish and functional but affordable and comfortable.

Click the link above, read the reviews, and look at your fitness goals differently. A realistic look that will help you stay motivated and avoid the trap of instant gratification.

* In partnership with our friends at Strong Arm Fitness LLC* Photo courtesy of Strong Arm Fitness LLC
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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