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6 Simple Steps to Reach Your Fitness Goals

Workout TipsWhitney Carlson1 Comment

I'll be the first to tell you that setting a fitness goal is easy - it's actually following through and seeing the goal to completion that is the hardest thing. However, it can be done (and it can be done by YOU)! Here are 6 simple steps to reach your fitness goals.

6 Simple Steps to Reach Your Fitness Goals

1. Think 6 months down the road and set a goal (we consider this long term!). Where do you want to be? Is it a nutritional fitness goal, related to endurance, muscle mass goal, etc? Narrow it down to 2-3 goals and write them down.

Example: I want to lose 10 pounds of body fat, gain 5 pounds of muscle and improve my mile run by 2 minutes.

2. Break your 6 month goal into 2 month goals. While you will likely be monitoring your progress much more closely in the first few weeks, checking in every 2 months will definitely provide you with an opportunity to be proud of the accomplishments and progress you have made! Going off the previous example in #1, here is an example: Lose 3 pounds of body fat, gain 1.5 pounds of muscle and improve my mile run by 45 seconds.

3. Break those 2 month goals into 1 month goals. Wow! The progress that you will make in a month will astound you! Make sure these goals coincide with your 2 and 6 month goals, but are also attainable. You should set them high enough that you have to work at it and are a bit of a challenge, but remember - it's only 1 month! Make it attainable! Only YOU can be honest with yourself there!

4. Set a weekly goal that isn't tied to each of the longer-term goals. If you don't associate the weekly goals with the longer-term 1 month or 2 month goals, this will help you to focus on something new each week. Obviously, they need to correlate with helping you reach your ultimate goal. Example: I will work out 5 days this week. OR I will try 2 new aerobics classes I have never taken this week and finish them!

5. Tell a friend! Or 20 friends! Have a goal that you know would be better kept if you are held accountable by your family and friends? Don't be afraid to tell them! You may get some skeptics, but a good friend will ask you how it's going and try to help you stay on course.

6. Reward yourself! Don't reward yourself with food, but start setting aside $10 or $15 each week that you reach your weekly goal. When you reach your monthly goal, spend half of it on something nice for yourself - a new workout top, shoes, a massage, etc. When you reach your 2 month goal, take half of the weekly monies you have saved and get another reward. Save the other half toward your 6 month goal and I hope you plan something fabulous to spend that money on as a reward!

What are your goals?

Let us be your personal trainers with our detailed 4, 6 and 12 week She Sweats Workout plans! We guide your workout each day, telling you exactly what to do and what intensity to work at. We have everything you need! Find out more!

Clean Eat Education :: 5 Tips to Make Morning Workouts Easier

Workout TipsWhitney Carlson9 Comments

If you are a morning person like me, you may find it easier to get your workout in during the morning hours, preferable before you start your day. If you are not perky and a pleasure to be around in the morning, but mornings work better for your schedule, here are a few tips you can use to make your transition to morning workouts easier!

5 Tips to Make Morning Workouts Easier

1. Plan your workouts for the week and know which body part and/or exercises you will be doing the night before. Let's face it - you don't need the added stress of having to think about your workout in the morning. Just get up and get it done!

2.  Pack your gym bag the night before! Don't have time to come home and shower? The night before, choose two or three outfits you would want to wear the next day (or one if you are good at that - I need options!) and have them hanging, ready to go with everything you need for the outfit. Pack all of your toiletries, makeup, towels, flip flops and undergarments in your bag the night before. Set it by the outfits, so you can make an easy choice and grab the hanging clothes and your gym bag in the morning.

3. Pack your food for the day the night before! You HAVE to eat something before you workout, so set up a water bottle and some dry oatmeal on your counter the night before. Add some hot water to the oatmeal and take it with you in the car. Grab the rest of the food you packed for the night before and you will be on your way to a good day with no excuses about food!

4. Find a support system for morning workouts! Make a friend at the gym, make a pact with one of your friends to go together or join a class where you KNOW you will be missed if you won't be there. This will help to hold you accountable and you will be less likely to flake on your workout.

5. Make morning wake up time less traumatic! Set your alarm for 15 minutes before you need to get up! This will give you a little time to toss and turn and make you feel like you can hit snooze one more time and may make you feel less "slighted" on sleep! Find a tune on your phone's alarm or your alarm clock that doesn't jolt you out of bed, but that eases you out so you aren't inclined to be cranky!

And...here's one more tip! Sleep in your workout clothes! It's easier when you just have to put on shoes, grab all of your packed bags and off you go! NO EXCUSES!

Do you have any tips for making your morning workout easier?

P.S. Here are our tips for evening workouts!

Fit Finds :: At Home Workout Essentials

Workout TipsWhitney Carlson8 Comments

We often get questions from our readers asking us to help them create the home gym of their dreams or simply asking what the best equipment is for home use. Although it helps if you lack space, a gym is NOT a requirement to eating clean and building the body you always dreamed of having. NEITHER is spending a TON of money on equipment for your home gym. You can stock your gym using our recommendations for UNDER $300!!

Create a Home Gym Under $300

Here are our recommendations for must-haves to get the most out of your workout at home:

A Good Quality Height Changing "Step" - This is a triple-duty piece of equipment! Not only can you use it for toning your legs (think step-ups) but also for cardio and as a bench upper body workouts (just consider throwing a towel down or a yoga mat for added comfort)

A Workout Mat or Yoga Mat - This one is really up to you! If you feel like you will need a little extra cushion (say you are working out on hardwood floors vs carpet) then you may feel like a workout mat is right for you. If Yoga is your thing, a good quality yoga mat can do double duty for you (PS - You can also get them in extra thickness!).

An Exercise/Stability Ball - Stability balls can be great to use as "benches" for upper body workouts or to tone your abdominal muscles during planks or crunches. My best suggestion is that you choose a ball that is medium in size - you don't want it to be too large (unless you are 6'4'') or too small.

A Weighted Medicine Ball - Medicine balls are phenomenal for a multitude of exercises. Slam one of these puppies against a wall during an ab workout, use it while you do burpees or simply use as a weight while you lift upper body. It's as functional as it is small!  We recommend a variety of weights, depending on your fitness level.

Resistance Bands - Resistance bands are possibly one of the best items that provide a "bang" for your buck! Not only can you string them together to make your workouts more challenging, but they are portable - you can take them with you when you travel!  Here is Jim's favorite set:

Free Weights - You can never have enough free weights! Especially as you begin building your gym and building your endurance and strength. When choosing weights, consider buying three (if buying static dumbells) - one that you are comfortable with, one you can do but struggle too and one to work up to! You can always keep adding! Or, consider a plate-loaded mechanism.

Jump Rope - Need a quick cardio pick me up? Try a jump rope! They are portable and CHEAP!

Workout DVDs - These are great for days when you just need a change from your ordinary workout! We have reviewed several different DVDs over the course of the blog - you will find the links to the reviews below.

What piece of equipment can you NOT live without in your home gym?