It is important to challenge yourself when you make the decision to try and lose weight or tone up your body. While I also believe in making small changes and setting realistic goals, it can’t be so relaxed that you don’t feel challenged.
This can be tricky to figure out. You want to create a plan that is doable yet not so easy that it doesn’t push you. Here are some ways I have learned to make this happen.
First, set a target. In addition to goals (such as exercising three times a week or cutting out soda), have a clear target in mind. For some people it is a target weight or size.
For other people they might set a range. For instance, instead of saying I want to be a size “you fill in the blank,” it might be, “I would like to be somewhere between a size blank and size blank.” Or, “I would like to weigh somewhere between blank and blank.”
One of the benefits to your target being a range is that it feels more doable. That can make achieving your target much easier.
Second, track your results. While it’s great to set goals and a target, it’s also important to determine if it is working. For some people this might mean tracking your weight on a daily basis or taking measurements every two weeks. You determine how you will track your results.
Last, make it manageable. One of the ways you do this is by giving yourself a day off.
With eating you might allow yourself permission to have your pizza one day a week. But you don’t overdo it.
Or you give yourself one day off from exercising. Allow yourself the opportunity to be a couch potato and catch up on some television shows.
What other ideas do you have for challenging yourself when trying to lose weight or tone up?
Related Articles:
Putting Together a Fitness Schedule
Keeping Track of Your Progress
Photo by familymwr in Flickr