What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words fitness goals for women? Losing weight? Burning fat? Getting skinny?
This is all we hear and read about; its no wonder why we obsess over it and torture ourselves with extreme workouts and fad diets.
So why is it that most diets don’t seem to work? A new year rolls around and you’re so motivated to get fit; at times setting unrealistic goals for yourself.
The result? You end up giving up altogether. I know because I’ve been there. It becomes a vicious cycle with no end.
But there comes a time in your life when you have to look at yourself and say, “stop”.
For me, it was when I realized I was losing sight of the bigger picture. The most important thing was, (and should have always been), being healthy and feeling good in my own body.
This didn’t mean getting skinny, it meant getting strong.
Once I shifted my mindset and stopped obsessing over the idea of being skinny, eating healthy and moderate exercise became a habit and way of life. I finally started to see results.
I felt as though I had just found the secret to staying fit and couldn’t believe how simple it was!
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The Key to Achieving Fitness Goals for Women
What was the key you ask? It might seem obvious, yet most people don’t focus on it.. all you really need is consistency.
I once asked a middle aged client of mine how she was able to maintain such a toned body. She replied that she exercised four times a week for about twenty five minutes a day and ate sensibly. So simple.
She didn’t do much, but she did it four times a week, every week for twenty five minutes each day, and simply watched what she ate.
She was consistent.
I started focusing on consistency and forming good habits; this became my new “diet”.
Of course, we all have different body types and fitness goals. Start with these tips, and once you begin to see how it all works, you can tweak the exercises to better fit your goals.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Large visible calendar
- Alarm
- Short grocery list
- Yoga mat
- Ankle Weights
- 5 pound weights
- Youtube – for workout variety/ keeps it fun!
- 25 min of your time per day
Alarms are extremely essential for sticking to any goal. These reminders keep us on track as well as hold us accountable.
I set one for each workout and put the timer on for 25 minutes.
Calendars are another great way to keep us organized and focused on our goals. I usually get a large desk calendar that I can fill in and clearly see my schedule.
For example, my calendar could look something like this:
Monday – Speed Walking (25 min)
Tuesday – Strength Training (25 min)
Wednesday – Yoga & meditation (25 min)
Thursday – Pilates (25 min)
Remember to focus on strengthening your body, everything else will fall into place.
Top 5 Fitness Goals for Women
1. Speed Walking
Aside from being extra me – time, speed walking increases the heart rate, and strengthens leg and abdominal muscles.
I strap on some light ankle weights (no more than 2 pounds), and go for my 25 minute speed walk in the mornings. For after dinner, regular paced walking is best. I always feel lighter and less bloated after.
2. Strength Training
Strength training tones the body and makes your joints stronger, which can help with body aches and pains.
Having strong muscles has amazing long term benefits as well. Strength training builds and maintains muscle mass, which we tend to lose with age.
This protects the bones and lessens your chance of injury. Think of it as preparing your future body for anything that comes its way!
I use Youtube and a yoga mat in my living room for most of my workouts. One of my favorite channels for workout variety is MadFit. This particular video is an amazing one for toning arms and shoulders : At Home SHOULDER SCULPT Workout (Tone, Build, & Define)
Choose 20-25 minute workouts that you can handle to keep yourself motivated for future exercises. I keep the weights at 5 pounds, but you can always increase them with time.
3. Smart Eating
How we eat is a huge part of achieving our fitness goals. As the title of this article mentions, don’t diet… simply eat smart.
Your grocery list should always include a few key items to have in your fridge. Foods that keep you full longer, like sweet potatoes, oatmeal and belly tightening berries are essential.
Nut butters with apples or bananas are delicious and easy snacks to reach for, while lean proteins like chicken and salmon are great for dinners. For a late night treat, enjoy some dark chocolate with berries and nuts.
Keeping a food journal is also a great way to see which foods are working for you. This is not at all for counting calories, just for knowing what has been giving you the best results and being able to refer to it if necessary.
Always keep hydrated with plenty of water of course and try your best to eat sensibly during the week. On the weekends, don’t deprive yourself – just keep everything in moderation.
4. Yoga & Meditation
Yoga focuses a great deal on stretching your muscles, and stretching is sooo underestimated, in my opinion. It improves flexibility, decreases anxiety and even helps you sleep better.
Yoga also strengthens the muscles and improves your performance in physical activities. Some of the best yoga poses for muscle strengthening include bridge pose, plank pose and warrior pose. Again, Youtube has plenty of videos to help guide you through these workouts.
Meditation yoga is just as important on this list of fitness goals. Deep, guided breathing not only helps tighten your core, but encourages mental clarity for keeping yourself motivated.
5. Pilates
Nothing says less is more than Pilates. It seems as though you’re really not doing much, yet these tiny but mighty moves focus on small, repetitive motions that deliver big results.
Pilates also increases your core strength (which is everything), improves your posture and balances the muscles in the body.
Dedicating just 25 min to this type of workout, can make a world of difference in how strong your body can feel.
What Do Your Fitness Goals Look Like? Leave a Comment!
I hope this post has helped you realize how small changes (twenty five minutes a day) in your weekly routine, can easily become part of your daily life and help you achieve your fitness goals.
