{"id":28886,"date":"2014-06-11T07:15:37","date_gmt":"2014-06-11T11:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=28886"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:03:51","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:03:51","slug":"train-to-win-achieve-fitness-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/train-to-win-achieve-fitness-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"Train to Win: 4 Steps to Achieve Any Fitness Goal"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Train<\/p>\n

JC Deen is a fitness coach and writer based out of Nashville, Tennessee. He has contributed to The Huffington Post, Men<\/i>\u2019s Health and Men<\/i>\u2019s Fitness, and has been featured in Forbes. Check out his <\/i>No-BS Approach to Looking Great Naked<\/i><\/a> and find him on <\/i>Twitter<\/i><\/a> or <\/i>Facebook<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Fitness, fat loss, muscle gain, improved athleticism<\/a>, running a 5K without stopping, feeling better in your own skin\u2026<\/p>\n

What if you had the ultimate formula for making any of these goals a reality? What would you do with it? Would you put it to work and achieve your loftiest goals, or would you pass it off as too good to be true?<\/i> Some might promise you one weird trick<\/i> to getting the six-pack abs or bikini body you long for. Others might have you banking on a surge in strength, speed or athletic ability. But do these so-called solutions ever hold up to their claims?<\/p>\n

Sometimes they do. Most of the time they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s why: Most people don\u2019t understand the complexity behind what it takes to achieve a goal<\/a>. There are four main components, all of which are detailed below, that can literally make or break your ability to succeed \u2014 in any fitness-related endeavor. Sure, to build muscle, we should lift heavier weights over time. To run farther, we should run often. We should push ourselves when we want to improve.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s fine and good, but what about getting started? What about making sure you\u2019re on the right path? What about the moments you feel like giving up? What about bad habits you want to break? There\u2019s a formula, and it looks like this:<\/p>\n

Goals + Planning + Habits + Accountability = Success<\/b> (however you define it)<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n

\"My
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Set a Goal\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\u201cWhat would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?\u201d\u00a0\u2015 Robert H. Schuller<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Without something to aim for, how will you know if you actually get what you want?\u00a0Goals, while they may sound simple, are something many don\u2019t give much consideration. If someone decides to \u2018get in shape\u2019 or \u2018run faster,\u2019 what does that mean exactly? It could mean many things depending on the person, their personal experience and expectations.\u00a0And, too often, the statement is vague.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to stay motivated when you have no clear idea of what you want. This is the classic case of the New Year\u2019s Resolution: \u201cI want to exercise and feel better this year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s great, but we need to define the above statement with concrete ideas. The thought exercise I encourage everyone to try is called \u2018finding your why.\u2019<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s first determine a goal \u2014 something tangible and specific. Take your time, and make sure it\u2019s clear. Maybe you want to lose 25 pounds by the end of the year while exercising three times per week. Or, perhaps you want to enter your first half-marathon<\/a>, or powerlifting meet. Whatever it is, make sure you know exactly what you want.<\/p>\n

Then, find your \u2018why.\u2019 Spend time asking exactly why you want this goal to come to fruition. What does it mean to you? How could it change your life? How will it positively impact you, and those around you? How deeply connected are you to reaching this goal?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hint: The magnitude of your \u2018why\u2019 and your chances of achieving your goal are directly correlated.\u00a0Take your time, and crank out the most meaningful \u2018why\u2019 possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Clean
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Make a Plan<\/b><\/h3>\n

Without a plan, you get nowhere.<\/p>\n

I once wrote an article called \u201cplanning is good, doing is better<\/a>.\u201d I still stand by that sentiment, but planning is important, as long as you don\u2019t spend all your time there. Your plan needn\u2019t be perfect, but it should be doable. You should aim for structure when it comes to the most important aspects that make up your goals.<\/p>\n

A strategy that calls for consistent action is often the best one to construct. That means your plan should comprise daily, weekly and monthly steps that propel you forward. If you\u2019re placing a priority on eating healthier, set aside time to plan a healthy menu each week, and figure when you\u2019ll be to cook those meals for the days ahead. If your goal is to work out at the gym three times per week, carve out the time to do so and schedule those sessions in.<\/p>\n

The initial phase may seem rigorous, but it\u2019s imperative to your success.<\/p>\n

The more compliant you are, the more motivated you\u2019ll be to continue onward. Create the positive feedback loop. Doing something to improve yourself makes you feel good. Keep chasing that good feeling.<\/p>\n

\"Healthy
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Form Healthy Habits<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Start with a trigger, create the routine, and then make sure the reward is big enough to reinforce the loop.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Our lives are nothing but a string of habits, one after another.\u00a0In fact, where we are right now physically is mostly a product of the decisions we\u2019ve made, and routines we\u2019ve established up until this very moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You\u2019re only as strong as your habits. Why? Habits are the difference between an accomplished marathon<\/a> runner, and a weekend wannabe who only manages to make time for running when it\u2019s convenient.\u00a0In other words, if you want to do something right, you must first establish the habits based around that ideal. Everything up until this point must take place before a habit can be built.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First comes the \u2018why.\u2019 Next comes the planning. And now we have habits.<\/p>\n

Many of our habits are made in our subconscious \u2014 so much to the point that they can seem automatic. Everything we do from brushing our teeth, to our daily Wendy\u2019s lunch run, to how we warm-up for our workout at the gym.<\/p>\n

It takes a mindful approach to change bad habits and create new ones.\u00a0For starters, begin to think about the habits in your life you\u2019d like to change, and then think about new habits you\u2019d like to create.<\/p>\n

All habits are made up of three components:<\/p>\n