Everyone who engages in any type of regular exercise has fitness goals. While some goals are certainly loftier than others, all of us have something that we hope to accomplish through regular exercise. However, this isn’t to say that you should be married to the initial goals you set for yourself. Although committing to a consistent fitness routine is certainly admirable, you shouldn’t be afraid to amend long or short-term goals should the need arise. So, the next time you find yourself faced with any of the following issues, don’t be shy about rethinking your expectations.
Interference in Your Personal Life
There’s no denying that physical fitness is important. After all, it can increase our confidence and longevity and help us obtain our ideal bodies. Still, this doesn’t mean that exercise should be the most important thing in your life. For example, if meeting your current fitness goals has adversely impacted your personal relationships, family obligations or job performance, it’s probably a good idea to rethink them. Packed schedules are a common detriment to physical fitness, and it’s easier for some of us to clear out time in our schedules than others. While meeting your long-term fitness goals should be among your foremost priorities, it shouldn’t be your only priority.
Insufficient Stamina Levels
If you’ve taken an extended break from physical fitness, you may be champing at the bit to start a new exercise routine. However, it’s worth noting that enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily equate to ability. So, if you’ve been out of commission for a while or have never tackled a regular fitness routine, there’s a good chance your stamina levels are currently waning.
While building stamina levels back up is certainly possible, it’s far from an overnight process. When it comes to honing your stamina, it’s important to start small and work your way up. You may think that simply throwing yourself into a physically-demanding regimen will kick your stamina into high gear, but if you don’t gradually work your way up, this is far more likely to result in extreme exhaustion and/or physical injury.
Unrealistic Goals
Wanting to see the best possible results while expending minimal effort is basic human nature. As such, it’s hardly surprising that many of us set unrealistic goals for ourselves when preparing to start new fitness routines. Additionally, when these impossible goals fail to be met, people often become discouraged and swear off exercise entirely. Of course, in reality, it’s not so much a matter of exercise being ineffective as goals being wholly unrealistic.
So, if you’ve yet to see the results you desire, sit down and consider how realistic your goals actually are. Should you reach the conclusion that the goals you set were never particularly feasible, don’t hesitate to amend them.
Lack of Results
If you conclude that your fitness goals are realistic but still aren’t seeing the desired results, it’s possible you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. For example, if your current routine barely makes you break a sweat, it’s possible that you may need to challenge yourself a bit more in order to achieve the results you’re looking for. Still, if you don’t think your stamina levels have reached a point at which pushing yourself harder is a good idea, continue building stamina until a more challenging regimen is feasible.
Personal Injury
If your current workout regimen has caused you to injure yourself, don’t hesitate to bring it to a halt – at least until you’ve recovered. When it comes to physical fitness, it’s possible to challenge oneself too much, and if you’re not careful, you may wind up committing to a regimen that’s well beyond your physical abilities. For example, if your current routine results in a dislocated wrist or any other injury, put the brakes on exercising and seek proper medical attention.
Even if you don’t engage in a consistent workout routine, there’s a good chance you still have long-term fitness goals. Whether you want to lose a certain amount of weight or build up your muscle mass, there are a variety of goals we set for ourselves. However, this isn’t to say that these goals should be regarded as ironclad. If you encounter problems achieving certain goals or come to find that some goals simply aren’t feasible for you, there’s no shame in amending your goals accordingly.