Goal Setting are you Doing it Right?

At the Better Body Group, we are proud to say we guarantee results. No matter what reason drives you to take that first step to walk through our doors, what you have in common with everyone else here, is that you actually have a REASON that’s motivated you to make a change.
What makes the Better Body Group such a stimulating and exciting place to be is that the REASONS or GOALS are so varied! Weight-loss, injury rehabilitation, improve health, make new friends, try something new, you name it, someone in the gym will have a similar thought burning in their mind fuelling that last rep, or that 5th set of burpees and prowler sprints (if you don’t know what these are yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!).
In your first meeting with one of the trainers, the conversation will be geared around this reason. What brought you to the Better Body Group to begin with? Something has got you thinking, “I need to make a change!” And so you came to us. While the goal may be clear, how you are going to get there often isn’t. That where we come in. We will help set up your goals properly, setting out a simple, clear, blueprint for how to get from where you are now, to that place you WANT to be.

What do I mean by setting goals properly?

The underlying reason people often have for coming to us, is for some kind of improvement. I.e. change a negative into a positive. That negative thought or emotion has probably reached a stage where it is almost overwhelming and you feel like you need a little help and guidance. It is so important to change this negative focus onto a positive one. It is important that we structure our thinking and thought processes in the right way, to ensure that we reach our desired results. This starts with effective goal setting. Turning “Bad” goals into “Good” goals.

I want to talk in particular about 2 common “Bad” goals that can be easily turned into “Good” goals.

Turning “OUTCOME GOALS” into “BEHAVIOR GOALS”
Usually people start with where they want to finish.
>I want to drop a dress size<
>I want to look good in my holiday photos<
>I want to bench 100kg.<

There is nothing wrong with this. These are outcome goals, where we want to be at the end of the process. However what’s most important is the process itself. The journey. We create and build on the journey one stage at a time through our behaviours.

While the outcome can be out of our control due to external factors such as work, family, illness etc. You can control your behaviours. A commitment to good behaviour patterns is what separates success from failure.
“Ordinary things done consistently produce extraordinary results”

Outcome Goals >>>>Behaviour Goals
Lose 10kg >>>>Eat until satisfied, not stuffed.
Lower Blood Pressure >>>>Reduce salt intake and exercise more regularly
Bench 100kg >>>>Bench press 3 times a week with variety and consistency.
Improve relationship with partner >>>>Have a date night once a week.

Turning “AVOID GOALS” into “APPROACH GOALS”
Avoid goals are simple and easy. Don’t do this, don’t do that. But what happens when someone tells you not to do something, you want to do it!
“Don’t push that button…” So he pushes the button!
Avoid goals are also very taxing on the psychological energy resource which, when depleted, puts you at risk of dropping that self-discipline and falling back into old bad habits. Turning those negative “avoid” goals into positive “approach goals” will help pull you towards something desirable. Focus your attention on feeling good, rather than avoiding something bad.

AVOID GOALS >>>>APPROACH GOALS
Stop snacking on Junk food >>>>Snack on pre-prepared fruit and veg
Stop drinking fizzy drinks >>>>Drink water with every meal
Stop feeling so tired and sleep deprived >>>>Develop and relaxing ritual to calm your mind before bed.
Stop eating when stressed >>>>Devise a list of stress-relieving actions.

Altering your thought process, and tinkering with your goals can set you up to always think positively about your journey. It will boost your motivation and allow you to control the controllable, and accept that bad days happen. Remember, each morning is a clean slate to tackle your behaviours, and approach life correctly.
I urge you to please, take a look at your goals, especially if you have been coming to the gym for a while and it is now just a habit. Goals keep us driven and steer us towards greater success. Don’t get stuck in a habit, even if it’s good one. Push on and surpass yourself!!

If you are still having trouble setting “Good” goals, speak to your trainer or book a quick consultation with any of us and we can reassess and get you on the right path to those results we desire so much.

Jimmy Sykes

Exercise Specialist

Better Body Group, Sevenoaks