Stressed? Set Goals for Success!
Have you set the same goal of beginning an exercise program, year after year, only to have other things continue to pop up and take priority? If you answered yes, stress may be interfering with your fitness plan.
We typically think of barriers to exercise in terms of time constraints. In reality, most of the barriers that prevent us from realizing our fitness goals are mental barriers. In fact, just the thought of exercising can elicit a stress response in some individuals!
Ask yourself these questions:
- Have you attempted to reach the same goal, time after time, and not been successful?
- Have you had the same goal for years, regardless of your environment or life circumstance?
- Do you have a history of committing for short periods of time and then find yourself back where you started within a few weeks?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, stress may be inhibiting your fitness plan. Now that you are aware, you can begin to take action. Let’s look at each question a little more closely.
- Have you attempted to reach the same goal, time after time, and not been successful?
Becoming physically fit is a learning process. It’s about learning to turn bad days into good data. We all love success, but in the journey of fitness, we also have to be good with failure. We must adopt the mindset that past failure is not final.
Be an Overcomer: Agree to disagree with those limiting thoughts! Start by creating awareness through journaling. Once you are aware of what’s holding you back, have a conversation with a fitness coach or friend who has experience, strength and hope in overcoming obstacles.
- Have you had the same goal for years, regardless of your environment or life circumstance?
If you are over the age of 30, this very likely applies to you. You’ve probably experienced success in the past, and you are tapped in to your previous ways of doing things. Or, you’ve achieved fitness success in the past and you are hyper-focused on returning to where you used to be. While the latter can be a very positive motivator, if you are focused on returning to the athleticism of your college days now that you are working full-time and managing a household, that may be unrealistic. The fact is, achieving fitness success is a journey that changes throughout our lives depending on family status, jobs, etc. When our environment changes, we must learn a new process. When our life situations change, we must reset our goals.
Be an Overcomer: Grab a pen and paper, and write your goal at the top. Now, write down the specifics of what it will take to achieve your goal. For example, that may be the amount of time you would need to exercise during the week, the amount of calories you need to consume and the type of exercise you need to do. Draw a line.
Now, write down the amount of actual time you are willing and able to devote to fitness, along with any other behaviors you are willing to commit to. Include behaviors you are willing to begin as well as those you are willing to give up. Examples may include: meal prep, joining a new gym, purchasing equipment, giving up TV time, waking up an hour early, etc.
Look at your paper. Does your time and commitment below the line match above the line? If not, develop a new goal based on your time and commitment level. As time progresses, reassess your willingness and update your goal accordingly.
- Do you have a history of committing for short periods of time and then find yourself back where you started within a few weeks?
You’ve committed. You’ve taken steps. You’ve seen results! Mental barriers, like the ones mentioned above, may be playing a role here. But, this is most likely related to something referred to as skillpower. Our will to change can keep us temporarily motivated. After the initial excitement wears off, the reality of the effort required to meet the goal sets in. This can be a bit of a de-motivator. However, if you are committed to the process and focus instead on developing skills, you’ll increase your chances of success. In summary, if change is taking too much will, it may be because you lack the skill.
Be an Overcomer: Develop your skills! Start with your biggest barrier (i.e. nighttime snacking.) What are two solutions to overcoming your barrier? Write them down, take action, and assess at the end of the week how you did. Turn your days into good data. Also, someone in this situation may benefit from an accountability partner. Find a friend or coach to share each week’s plan with. Tell them what you need, (i.e. restaurant choices, text support, etc.) and work together on a new plan.
These questions should help you identify how stress may be affecting your fitness goals. If you’ve implemented these solutions and still haven’t seen results, reaching out to a fitness professional may be helpful. For more information on stress and exercise, you can visit Harvard University, WebMD and the Mayo Clinic.