Fitness Coach Kanav Vohra provided us with a comprehensive guide to planning realistic fitness goals. Here’s what he shared.
We live in a time where everybody has high expectations of themselves. Sometimes people set these wild fitness goals without thinking if it's doable for them. It's like, did you gain all that weight super fast? Probably not. But then they put this crazy pressure on themselves to get ripped ASAP. It's cool to have goals, but they gotta be real and chill, rather than something that is just another Insta-fueled madness. Taking it slow and steady is way better for your body and mind in the long run.
The key to actually enjoying your fitness journey is making it realistic and sustainable. I train 250+ of my Squad members every month, and there is a list of how one can start their journey.
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Here are my top tips for anyone starting or struggling with their fitness journey:
Personal Approach:
Firstly, stop following your friend's or your favorite influencer’s diet or workout plan. I am not asking you to not take inspiration from anyone - but please realize that your body is unique. Here are some questions you can ask yourself: What are my goals? Weight loss? Fat loss? Improving my mental health.
Look for resources accordingly and break your bigger goals into smaller milestones. This will make it so much more achievable and ENJOYABLE! And listen - every type of workout is effective in some way or other. Take up something that you enjoy.
Addressing Unrealistic Expectations:
We've all been there – expecting a marathon when we're just starting to jog. Setting unrealistic and unsustainable goals aka ‘quick weight loss’ goals will mostly set you up for disappointment and most likely make you quit midway. Trust me, if I could only count the number of times I have seen this happen. I tell my clients or my Sweat Squad to keep track of their progress using various other metrics. For example, measure your strength. See how much more can you lift, and hold a specific posture or how many more reps can you achieve? That might just keep you going in the long run!
Stop trying to do everything at once:
I still call this my best fitness advice, especially for beginners. Trying to do everything at once and not getting the desired results is stressful and overwhelming. Imagine you living a life without exercise and enjoying fast food. Then you decide to start preparing healthy 3-course meals at home along with choosing to work out 5x a week. This sudden change in plans itself feels stressful.
Instead of doing it all at once, start one step at a time. Focus on mini-changes while aiming to be as consistent as possible with them. Once those changes start feeling like a part of your routine, go on to add a new task bit by bit.
Don’t be negative towards your body:
We live in a world where it’s easy to scrutinize our bodies. We criticize it until we slowly start “hating” it. Your body may not be the perfect ‘aesthetic’ one you wish for - but NEVER be negative about it. Always be grateful for the millions of things it does to keep you alive and healthy every day. Start by practicing a small gratitude exercise today. Take 5 minutes out to make a list of 3 things that you appreciate about your body.
Tracking Progress:
Don’t forget to track your progress. But remember, progress is not only weight loss/ gain etc. It is also
- Better Sleep Cycle
- Higher Levels of Energy
- Better Relationship with Food
- Better Mental Health
- Feeling Stronger
Don’t discount all these factors :)
Lastly, just remember: fitness is a state of mind. Your mind can truly achieve what it wants to. Just start taking one step at a time.
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