10 Simple Habits For Achieving Your Fitness Goals

We all have those abandoned fitness goals, don’t we?

Every year, on the first week of January, hundreds of people enroll in the gym.

But only some of them successfully follow through with their fitness goals.

But sticking to a properly planned fitness routine is the best thing you can do for your body.

The most important thing to keep in mind while making a fitness plan is sustainability.

The results of working out regularly and following a proper nutrition plan alongside are so rewarding.

Dr, Chelsea Jackson Roberts, Ph.D., Peloton Yoga & Meditation Instructor recommends “starting off small ad committing to celebrating the small wins”.

One shouldn’t overwhelm oneself or their body at the beginning of a fitness routine.

“Progress over perfection” should be every fitness enthusiast!

Every small positive step or victory matters and counts.

So, let’s dive into the top 10 simple habits for achieving your fitness goals.

1. Start Small

Start with something you will stick to very easily, such as walking 2k steps daily.

Or running every weekend, going to the gym 3 days a week.

Just making things flexible and a part of your weekly routine will help you immensely get into the habit of working out regularly.

2. Incorporate Regular Cardio

Whether you’re 20 or 60 years old, cardio is a great component of fitness and essential for heart health.

Starting with light forms of cardio daily, such as walking 10k steps or running half a mile, jogging, skipping, etc is the goal.

We don’t want you to do very rigorous cardio exercises right away.

Improving your cardiovascular endurance will improve bone strength, immunity, and heart and reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Again, to inculcate cardio into your daily routine, we recommend Tip #1 to make things easy for you.

More tips include listening to good music while running or walking and starting a wellness or educational podcast.

You can try early morning time to complete your cardio since it’s the best time to refresh oneself and get the body activated.

3. Kiss The Comfort Zone Goodbye

If you’ve established Tips #1 and #2, you’re pretty much moving your body to a good extent now.

If you want actual results on both your body and mind, you need to get out of your comfort zone.

The cozy bed or the soft couch that seems so inviting needs to be accessed only after you’ve put in the work.

If you want to become stronger and healthier than ever before, you need to start slow but also take impactful actions.

Simply doing 10 minutes of slow walking daily won’t give you the body of your dreams.

For the average person, 150 minutes of moderate physical activity is recommended every week.

Make sure you start slow and successfully hit this goal. Once it’s achieved, up your cardio game and go for intense forms like speed running or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).

4. Drink Enough!

Your body needs fluids just as much as you need food.

By fluids, we mostly recommend drinking sufficient water.

At least 8 glasses of water a day is the minimum.

If you can gradually go up to 2-3 liters per day, that would be great.

But remember to not fall into the trap of overhydration as recommended by mainstream fitness industries.

There’s no need to drink flavored or sparkling water as that will only add up excess calories.

In addition to water, have lemon water or homemade fruit juices without added sugar.

You can also try out apple cider vinegar in the morning.

According to the US National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s guidelines, 3.7 liters of water is recommended for men while 2.7 liters is recommended for women daily.

Tips to drink more water would be carrying around a water bottle of suitable size as well as setting reminders to drink water throughout the day.

Apps like Water Reminder- Remind Drink(Playstore) or Daily Water Tracker Reminder(Appstore) are great apps to get you started.

5. Increase Flexibility

Doing stretching won’t necessarily burn calories but it will definitely help you increase your body’s range of motion.

Doing warm-ups before you start your workout and stretching post-workout is very crucial for oneself.

Stretching your muscles out will also help you prevent injuries and activate the muscles.

Tips to start stretching

Develop a habit of stretching first thing in the morning, for at least 10 minutes.
Try doing yoga for more flexibility as well as weight loss, endurance, stamina, and strength.
Hold each stretch position for minimum of 30 seconds and then relax.
Hop onto YouTube for excellent stretching routines.

6. Take Recovery Days

Do not treat rest days as “lazy” days.

Rest days are equally crucial for your body as the workouts itself.

Because this is how your muscles will recover from the stretch and tear and regenerate.

Also, rest days are of utmost importance for one’s mental well-being.

Use equipment like myofascial foam roller or gym ball to relax your muscles and back.

This will help relieve any tension and soreness that you might be suffering from.

7. Get Enough Sleep

I think this has to be the most important tip out of all the 10.

About 10% to 30% of adults suffer from chronic insomnia, according to the statistics laid out by sleepfoundation.org.

Snoring, heartburn, getting up to pee- these sleep disruptions are more common than ever among men, women, and even teenagers today.

Getting adequate and quality sleep is so important, not just for muscle recovery but for one’s proper functioning, mental health, and happiness.

Have dinner 2 hours prior to sleeping, minimize phone usage before bed, avoid strenuous activity before bed, and sleep at the same time every day.

8. Meditate!

Yoga and meditation go hand-in-hand.

Fitness is essential for the physical body but meditation will help establish a spiritual connection between your mind and body.

Meditation is helpful to prevent and treat depression and anxiety.

The thing most beginners to meditation worry about is if they’re meditating the correct way.

There’s no correct or incorrect way to do it.

All you need to devote is just 5 minutes a day, to feel your emotions, close your eyes and focus on your breathing and clear your mind’s clutter.

9. Try Weightlifting

Lifting weights is great for your body. It not only burns excess calories but also gives your body the definition and shape you want it to have.

However, lifting weights is not necessary. Simple bodyweight exercises can do wonders for your physique.

But if you want to take your workout game to the next level, weightlifting is definitely worth the hype.

Lifting weights also help you increase lean body mass, enhanced sleep, and better and stronger bones and joints.

We recommended starting slow, just 2 to 3 times a week of weightlifting sessions.

Make sure to use the correct form while performing the exercises.

You can take help from the Internet or hire a personal trainer if you can afford one.

You can also take the help of these fitness apps of 2023 to help achieve your fitness goals.

10. Make a Workout Plan

In order to achieve your fitness goals, you should make a proper workout plan to figure out how to give equal importance to each muscle group.

Not just that, having a proper workout plan will help to adequately incorporate cardio, yoga, meditation, and stretching routines.

Remember not to forget components like cardio and stretching for an overall healthy physique.

For gym and weightlifting, you can refer to this famous 4-week Beginner’s Workout Program by muscleandfitness.com.

More Tips to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

Use the SMART technique for achieving your fitness goals:

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Timely

Using this approach will help you realize what all you need to prioritize as well as how to build habits that are sustainable.

Work out with a friend or colleague to help you both stay on track.
Follow fitness related YouTube channels, Pinterest boards, blogs, and Instagram accounts to stay motivated and get inspired.
Maintain a journal of your fitness record. Try to jot down what all you did on that in the gym or at home, even if it’s a light evening walk.
Treat yourself with kindness and accept that you will make mistakes sometimes.

Wrapping It Up

Seems quite intimidating for a beginner, doesn’t it?

Well, let this fuel you and your inner passion.

Remind yourself constantly of why you want to start this fitness journey and what your fitness goals are.

Do not go harsh on yourself if you fail at something, get up the next day and try again.

You might fall off the wagon sometimes, or let your laziness get the better of you.

When that happens, reschedule your day and incorporate some physical activity at a later time.

The goal is to be consistent and focused, not perfection.

“Change isn’t easy”, as said by every individual who has conquered immeasurable heights. You have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Do the hard things, gradually lift heavier weights, run at a faster speed- just keep improving.

Remember, growth never stops.

Forgive yourself for your past actions and start clean. There is always another chance for you.

All the best!