Planning Out Your Long-Term Fitness Goals

Any positive adjustment you make to your life is something to celebrate, especially if you’re trying to improve your fitness levels. Many people find that having a goal gives them something they can work toward and a way to measure their progress. By setting a well-planned and realistic long-term fitness goal, you can stay focused and motivated throughout your fitness journey.

What Are Long-Term Goals for Fitness

A long-term fitness goal is generally a goal you would like to accomplish within a six to 12-month period. Your goal can be to improve your appearance or performance, or it could be a combination of both. Ultimately, the outcome of your fitness goal should be something you can see, feel or do after following a workout plan.

How to Set Long-Term Fitness Goals

One of the most common setbacks with long-term fitness goals is being too ambitious or eager when setting them. Thinking about what you want to achieve and the resources you have available can help you follow through on your fitness goal and experience success.

One of the most popular methods for setting fitness goals is to use the SMART goal format, which is as follows:

• Specific: Does the goal have a clear objective?
• Measurable: How are you measuring progress toward your goal?
• Achievable: Does your goal challenge you while being achievable?
• Realistic: Do you have the resources and ability to achieve this goal?
• Timely: Do you have a timeframe for your goal?

Using the SMART format works best if your fitness goal is process-oriented. For example, this could mean setting a goal to complete a certain number of weekly workouts. Many try only to set outcome-oriented goals, such as losing a specific amount of weight, which can be hard to control and set a realistic timeframe, leading to frustration.

One way to work around this is to set an outcome-oriented goal you’re excited about and then a series of smaller process goals using the SMART goal method for a step-by-step plan for achieving the overall goal.

Get Started on Your Goals at 5 Bridges Health & Fitness

Take the first step toward your fitness goal by joining 5 Bridges Health & Fitness. With multiple workout classes to explore, personal training options and a full gym of equipment to enjoy, we make it easy to start your fitness goal on the right foot.

Members can also take advantage of our many amenities, like a sauna, locker room and smoothie bar, to make each visit to our facility something to look forward to. Explore our membership options, and we look forward to working out with you soon.