So you did it! You decided that you want to start going to the gym. Whether it’s a new year’s resolution or just a goal that you set, my goal is to set you up for success with this article and other articles on this site. Starting your fitness journey can be hard because there are many facets that you need to take into consideration like time, meals, and progress.
For this article, we will focus on the planning aspect when it comes to getting started in the gym. When we have a clear set goal in mind, it’s easier for us to plan out the increment steps on how we will get there. So, let’s pull out a sheet of paper or a OneNote and let’s get planning.
What’s Our Specific Goal?
Let’s start by outlining our goal for getting into the gym. For this exercise, let’s lay out a SMART goal. A SMART goal is one that’s Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based. For example, say my overall Goal is to lose weight. Well, that’s a vague goal and in order for us to plan our time accordingly we want to add more words to make it more specific. To make it specific, let’s say “My goal is to lose 10 pounds in 3 months”. This new, revised goal provides more detail of what I want to accomplish and the time frame I would like to get this done.
How Am I Going to Measure my Results?
Once we have our specific goal identified now we want to find a way that we can measure our results to ensure that we are on the right track to achieving our specific goal. So, let’s keep the example of me wanting to lose 10 pounds in 3 months. The best way I found to measure my results is weekly check-ins with myself. For you, this could be taking weekly progress photos, or if your goal is to get stronger, this could be documenting your lifts every workout to see the progression.
Something tangible and viewable is the best way to measure your results in a metrics way. The saying seeing is believing holds incredibly true in this situation. If you’re having positive results then you know that what you’re doing is right, but if you’re seeing neutral or negative results then you know that you may have to revisit your methods of doing things.
In the case of anything fitness related, I’ve found that a combination of weekly check-ins with progress photos and documenting in an app or on physical paper provided me with great insights of the direction that I’m trending. This can be as easy as setting up a OneNote or on the Notes app on your phone. If you’re experienced with Excel, this is another good way to track your goals and visualize it with a graph.
How Much Time Can I Dedicate?
So, we have a specific goal and our way of measuring this goal figured out. Now we want to determine how much time a week or month can we dedicate to this. In the case of getting started in the gym, we want to ask ourselves, “How many days can I go to the gym and/or do any type of physical activity?”. This part may require you to look in the macro lens of your life and see what you do in a day and kinda act as a check-in. You may ask yourself, “How do I feel after work?” “Can I muster the energy to go to the gym after work?” or “Can I become an early-bird and go to the gym in the morning?”. These types of questions can help you determine how much time you can give.
When deciding how many days you can go to the gym, you want to make sure that the time dedicated is not interrupted. By doing this, you’re dedicating all of yourself to achieving this goal. If you’re looking to start a workout routine, I wrote an article that outlines several programs given the number of days you’re available throughout the week. If you’re interested in building a workout program, you can view that article HERE.
Let’s Combine All 3 Questions
You’ve made it this far into the article! I hope you’ve been writing down notes on each section and following along with this planning process. You should have your specific goal identified, ways that you’re going to measure your progress, and deciding how much time you can dedicate to each. Now let’s put it into action and pick that start date that you’re doing to start working toward this goal. The whole theme in this article was health & fitness.
Be sure to check back on BetterHealthierYu for health & fitness articles that could help you achieve your fitness & fitness goals for the year. I’ve got 14 years of trials and errors to share with everyone that can help you on this journey. Everyone’s journey and body is different, so I hope that my experiences help provide you with new ideas on how to approach situations.
Be Better. Live Better.