Tag: Goals

Signs You Aren’t Eating Enough

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”- Jim Rohn

Spring has arrived, which means summer will be here before we know it. Many folks begin to focus on weight loss goals in May. So I just wanted to put out a gentle reminder…

If you have weight loss goals…

🐢slow and steady 🐌 

…is the healthiest and most sustainable way to go. 

How slow and steady? To preserve most of your muscle mass (not just for looks **)around 0.5-1.5 lbs per week is a general recommendation. But YOUR body will let you know if you’re losing weight too fast for YOU.

Here are some signs:

  • feeling cold
  • trouble sleeping
  • constipation
  • low libido
  • frequent or constant hunger
  • irritability 
  • hair loss
  • weak immune system/ frequently sick /can’t get well 
  • anxiety and/or depression
  • brain fog

**Why is muscle mass important?

  • Quality of life and independence (especially as we age)
  • Preventing osteoporosis 
  • Lowering your heart rate
  • Managing blood sugar
  • Protection from injury
  • Stronger immune system
  • Improved energy levels
  • Overall healthy aging 

Getting Started

Beginning a new task can be difficult.

When we are looking at the task as a whole, it can feel like a huge, overwhelming weight hanging over our heads. This leads us to put it off, when in fact, the best action we could take is to get started now.

Diving in without a plan could leave us feeling frustrated and even more overwhelmed than before.

Planning out our project means we can both start and finish it. Our plan places us in control and breaks down the big project into smaller, more manageable steps.

Accomplishing one step at a time keeps your momentum going so that you can finish your project once and for all.

How does this relate to fitness?

Deciding you want to become stronger without a plan will lead to disappointing and likely random results. Choosing to become stronger and beginning a structured, individualized workout plan suited to your goals and abilities and executed consistently will lead to results.

If you’re a beginner with the goals of performing 10 full chest-to-floor bodyweight push-ups and squatting your bodyweight, those are absolutely attainable goals that can be worked toward with a plan. Having shorter term goals along the way (2 push-ups, then 5 push-ups, etc) will keep you motivated and excited to keep going.

What’s the big project or goal you haven’t tackled yet? Cleaning the house counts as a big project, imo.

SMART Goals

🧠 Become an effective goal setter with SMART goals

When we first start thinking about our goals, what we usually come up with are broad terms or vague ideas. “I want to look good.” That’s a start, but if we really want to succeed we have to get more detailed and make a plan.

🏝 Let’s say we have a client named Kevin and he wants to feel more confident on an upcoming beach vacation. We ask Kevin more questions and discover that what he actually wants is to lose 10 pounds of extra weight for his vacation in three months. He’s 37 years old, 5’11”, weighs 200 pounds, and has no medical conditions. Here’s how we can make Kevin’s goal SMART:

👉🏻Specific- Kevin would like to lose 10 pounds in 3 months.
⚖️Measurable- A scale can be used to measure overall weight loss. If there are other body composition goals, these changes can be measured and tracked as well.
🧗Attainable- A 10 pound loss in 3 months is an attainable goal.
👍🏼Realistic- At his height and weight, 10 pounds in 3 months is attainable for Kevin.
⏱Timely- 10 pounds can be lost in 3 months at a steady and sustainable rate.

💪🏼If you have a goal of your own in mind, get started with your plan by asking yourself these action-oriented questions:

❓What is my goal?
📆 When would I like to have this goal accomplished?
💰 What do I need to accomplish this goal? (Support from friends/family, money, time, gym equipment)
🤒 What are some possible challenges I could face on my journey to reach my goal? (missing workouts, holiday goodies, out of town trips, etc)
👟What steps can I take each day to keep moving in the right direction?

😁Answering these questions will serve many benefits. Not only will you be developing a plan of action, but you’ll also feel empowered, focused, and motivated.


💪🏼🔥Happy goal crushing!