The three Ws to achieve your fitness goals

Hello 2020. The New Year is upon us. You may have set specific health and fitness goals for yourself.

The first of January would have been a good time to start but let’s be real, not many people are that disciplined to start on New Year’s Day. So how about today?

For starters, it’s Monday and most people prefer to begin their journeys at the start of the week.

Before you get started, remember the three Ws: why, what and when.

Why

Remind yourself why you want to achieve what you have set out to do. The “why” is very important because without it, you won’t have something to help you get back on the wagon if you lose focus.

For example, your goal might be to lose 10kg. Ask yourself why you want to lose 10kg. Do you have a particular item of clothing you want to fit into? Do you want to feel lighter? Do you want to climb up a flight of stairs without being out of breath?

These are just sample questions to give you an idea.

Know your why so you can go back to it when you are struggling to stick to the plan.

Picture: iStock

What

What are you going to do to achieve your goal?

For example, you decide you want to improve your eating habits so you can be healthier. You need to know what you are going to cut down on and eat more of.

Say you want to cut down on high fat, high calorie foods and increase your fruit and vegetable intake. My suggestion is that you create two written lists of the foods and beverages you want to cut down on and those you want to consume more of.

Stick this list on your fridge or somewhere in the kitchen as a daily reminder.

Picture: iStock

When

When are you going to start? Be realistic. Failing to do this often leads to our goal being a non-starter.

You want to join the gym? When are you going to meet the sales person at the gym?

You want to join a walking/running/hiking club? Sign up for a dance class? Learn how to swim or cycle or even ride a horse? When are you going to do that?

Look at your calendar, set a date and a reminder and just do it. Don’t make excuses when the time comes.

Parents with school-going kids may feel they can’t start today because they are still on holiday. The day they start school could be a good day to start your health and fitness journey.

Remember the three Ws and you should be set to get going with your own goals this year.

On your marks … get set … go!

Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and co-founder of PopUpGym. Follow her on Instagram: @letshego.zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu

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