10 Tips to Stick to Your Workout Goals
Photos by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach
These 10 tips to stick to your workout goals will help you get out of a workout slump and stay steady in the pursuit of your fitness goals. Whether you are affected by the weather, your mood, or life changes, we all have times when working out goes on the back burner. And that’s ok, but still getting in some workouts will help boost your mental health and offer stress relief.
Motivation from a Trainer
As a trainer and running coach, motivating people is one of my biggest duties. And as a runner and weightlifter, I definitely understand the struggle with sticking to goals. And I’ve often learned the hard way what to do and not to do to stick with workout goals. I wanted to share my tips and research to help you stay accountable and active in pursuing your own fitness goals.
With a new season comes new energy and a chance to assess where we want to be next season and next year.
How to Set Workout Goals
When you set fitness goals, it’s important to set achievable, measurable goals. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goals guidelines will help you set goals that you’re more likely to stick to. S.M.A.R.T. goals are:
Specific. Be specific with your goals. Instead of saying “I want to lose weight,” set a goal to lose 10 pounds, for instance. If your goal is to run faster, set a goal race pace you want to achieve.
Measurable. Make sure your goal is trackable and measurable. There are lots of fitness and running apps that can help you measure your progress and keep track of your workouts.
Attainable. You want your goal to be challenging yet attainable. If you have never run before and want to run around the world, for instance, you should start with a more achievable first goal such as running a 5K.
Realistic. This one is similar to attainable. Make sure you are able to achieve your goal.
Timely. Set a deadline for your goal. This is very important otherwise it’s easy to lose motivation if you don’t have a set date to meet your goal.
If you need help setting achievable fitness goals, check out our article on how to set goals.
My Top Tips to Stick to Your Workout Goals
These are my top tips to stick to your workout goals so you can power through the challenging times and still reap the rewards of staying active.
1. Consistency is key. One of the biggest challenges can be maintaining a fitness routine. Plan ahead and schedule your runs when you’re most likely to be able to get them in, such as early mornings before work. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up but get back to your schedule the next day.
2. Take rest days. It sounds counterintuitive, but you can’t go all-out every day if you want to meet your workout goals. Rest days are as important to your fitness as workouts. Taking at least one rest day a week will help your body rebuild and will prevent you from getting burned out on training.
3. Write out your goals. Hopefully, you are already clear on your fitness goals but if you haven’t already, make a point to write out your fitness goals. There is power in writing and seeing your goals. Post your workout goals someplace visible like your fridge or mirror so you have a daily reminder and inspiration.
4. Set realistic goals. This one can be tricky as we balance out what is possible and challenging with what is just too unrealistic. I am a prime example of what not to do — in the early days of the pandemic, I set a goal to run 100 miles in a month (after being stuck in my apartment for about 2 months and only running a few miles a week), train for a virtual marathon and write my first novel. I soon felt like a failure for not accomplishing these goals and ending up injured and burned out. I can do these things, I realized, but I need to pace myself and focus on one big goal at a time and make steady progress.
5. Focus on one big goal at a time. If you set your sights on a marathon, lifting a certain amount of weight, or some other big goal, do not add big fitness goals to your to-do list right now. Keep it simple and stick with your one Main Goal. You can add smaller milestones that help you reach your big goal.
6. Visualize success. Take some time to calm down, breathe and visualize what achieving your goal will look like. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then picture what you will see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste as you achieve your goal. Picture yourself doing it and immerse all your senses. The more you can visualize success, the more you will train your mind to accomplish your goal.
7. Set weekly goals. Break down your big fitness goal into smaller increments that you can achieve each week. Follow a training plan — check out our training plans if you’re planning to run a race — and this will keep you on track to achieve your running goals.
8. Track your progress. Sometimes we get down or lose motivation, and turning to your training log can help you see how hard you’ve worked and motivate you. Track your progress with a journal or training app like Strava. Training apps will also give you workout stats and help you track your fitness challenges to keep you motivated.
9. Reward yourself for milestones you accomplish. When you make progress — such as completing your first 13-mile long run or running 30 minutes continuously for the first time — treat yourself. Get some new running gear or running shoes, or celebrate by doing something you love like going to your favorite park or beach, or take a self-care day.
10. Get social. Make yourself accountable by training with a running buddy or family member, or join a virtual challenge or virtual running group. You can join Runstreet by tagging us — Runstreet IG — in your workout posts to get cheered on and reposted.
How do you stay on track with your fitness goals? Comment below. Happy sweating to you!😊
Resources: Wolf Pack Fitness Challenge Membership
Related Posts: 6 Tips to Visualize Running Success, Improve Your Running with Progressive Overload, How to Find the Best Running Shoes, How to Make a Home Workout Program Work, How to Set Goals in 2024
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
