Hello, loyal UNBers and welcome back to my fourth installment of “Fitness Corner”. My name is Darrin Miller and I’m the fitness staff writer for UNB. Over the next three weeks, I’m shifting from focusing on the attributes required to set fitness goals and concentrate on the three main ways to leverage the goals you’ve set:
- Goals As Building Blocks
- Goals As Reflection
- Goals AS Discipline & Willpower
Goals As Building Blocks
Goals can be whatever you want them to be, as such, one goal can be used to facilitate another. Linking goals is useful to avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed. For example, let’s say your goal is to be able to comfortably run 5 miles one year from today. This is an admirable goal and for many people very realistic. However, if you are not an avid runner or you do not engage in cardiovascular activity on a regular basis, as soon as this goal is posted doubt begins entering your mind: “Five miles, that’s a lot, especially for someone like me,” you may think to yourself. But fear not, the potential for goal failure can be alleviated by establishing smaller goals which will build upon one another to achieve the original goal. One approach could be to break the year up into quarters and set a new mileage level goal each quarter relevant to the proceeding one. In this scenario, you would have the following goals (using 15-Apr-2010 as a starting date for example purposes):
- “I will be able to run 1.25 miles comfortably by 15-Jun-2010 increasing my running capabilities by 1.25 miles”
- “I will be able to run 2.50 miles comfortably by 15-Sep-2010 increasing my running capabilities by 1.25 miles”
- “I will be able to run 3.75 miles comfortably by 15-Dec-2010 increasing my running capabilities by 1.25 miles”
- “I will be able to run 5.00 miles comfortably by 15-Mar-2011 increasing my running capabilities by 1.25 miles”
In short, one goal was built upon another goal and all of the achieved goals transformed an original dream into a reality. So the idea is simple. Take that big dream of yours and break it down into a series of smaller, more manageable, visions.
Now there are some people who might say “I could never do this. I’m not that detail oriented. Even at work, I’m known as the ‘big picture’ guy.” This may be true. Yet, sub-conscientiously you are already laying the fundamental building blocks for your fitness goals – whatever they may be. After all, you did make the decision to start a getting back into shape ad you’re reading articles such as this one. So there you have it. With little forethought you have devised a somewhat vague big goal-improving your health, fitness, and well-being; and you are in the process of achieving one of the first smaller goals – increasing your knowledge about fitness. All you have to do now is consciously develop your fitness goals building upon the initial blocks you have laid.
Remember patience is a virtue. I’m pictured here in a Papi thin banned thong at 45 years old with a 30” waist weighting in at 162 lbs. My current physique is a far cry from the 230 lb, 38” waist physique I had a 40. Set and build upon your goals!!!
