Training is not easy. It can be downright hard, especially when you are working to improve your level of fitness. However I see and talk to people every day and they sometimes make training harder on themselves.  They are lacking a plan.

 

Setup a game plan before you do anything else. Know what you are going to eat. Know when you are going to train. Know when you are going to rest. Know what you are going to do to minimize soreness. Know your plan.

Now setting up a plan can be quite simple. The most important part is of the game plan is, knowing what you would like to achieve and then sitting down and mapping out how to get there.

 

For instance if you want to lose weight, the first thing to do is figure out how much you weight currently and how much you would like to lose. If you want to lose 10 pounds figure out how much time that should take you (research a general timeline if you are unsure). Once you know how long it is going to take you, a blueprint can be mapped out. What targets would you like to hit and by when (so if it will take 2 months to lose 10 pounds. I need to lose 5 by the end of the first month).

Great, we have a goal, we have a mini goals to help keep on track. Now how do you get there?

 

Depending on what you are currently doing, I see a few options.

-          I can improve my nutrition

-          I can increase my cardiovascular fitness

-          I can start doing more resistance training (weights)

 

The challenge is that you have to know where you are at, so that you can figure out where you are going.  For instance, you want to lose 10 pounds, if you do not know how much you weigh that number becomes irrelevant, as you will not know if you succeeded.  Furthermore, you have to know what you can do differently, to help get you the result you want.

Look at your current nutrition and find the areas that can be improved (sometimes it does not take much of a change, to see improvement). How much cardio are you doing? Do you need to do more, less, or is it enough. Are you doing any weights, is the program designed with your goal in mind?

 

After you have answered a few questions you will find that your goal is not only attainable but within reach. To reach the finish line of a race you have to take a lot of steps, but it starts with just one.