4 Simple Ways to Reach Your Fitness Goals

It's the time of year where everyone is working towards their new goals/resolutions. After a few days or a few weeks the "newness" and excitement will start to fade and you might have to dig deep for motivation. Make this as easy as possible on yourself and follow these tips that will help you reach your weight loss and/or fitness goals.

1. Believe in Yourself. Sounds cliche but it's true. You must believe you can before you can. The easy part is doing it. It's convincing your mind that you can that's hard. See this post for more on how positive thinking AND talking helped transform our lives.

2. Stay Away From the Scale. Don't use the scale as the only way to measure your progress. I did an entire "scale project" to show just how unreliable the scale is. Instead focus on how your clothes fit, your energy levels, and inches lost.

3. Have A Workout Plan. You need to have a plan when you get to the gym. I see too many people just go up and down the machines without any real purpose. While it's definitely better than sitting on the couch, you will reach your goals much faster if you have a plan. We have 4, 6, and 12 week plans available for all fitness levels in both home and gym versions. Also check to see if your gym offers a free consultation where they take you around and show you how to work the machines and teach you proper form.

Another important part of a workout plan is that you enjoy it. You don't have to absolutely love it (most people don't love working out) but it needs to be something that you don't dread each day. I love weight lifting but if someone made me run a certain number of miles each week I would absolutely hate working out and would probably never do it. Just because it has worked for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you or that you will enjoy it. Find what works for you. Fitness is NOT one size fits all.

4. Have A Food Plan. Planning out what you are going to eat for the week not only saves times but also helps you stay on track. Aim to eat every 2-3 hours with protein and fiber at every meal. Don't make it complicated, you don't have to track every single macro that goes into your body or stress about what you are going to eat at a friends house or a restaurant. Make the best choice with what you have available (choose grilled over fried, get salad dressing on the side, etc).

And we have some big news! Soon, VERY soon, we will be having our very own "13 to Clean" Challenge. It will come with a meal plan, workout plan, challenges, accountability, plus much more! You can sign up here to be notified once the challenge is available.

Also, don't forget to check out our existing 2016 Fitness AND Finance Challenges!

Just for fun, below are a few of the books that we really loved in 2015! Which is your favorite?

Great Books to Read: