In summer, you hear a lot about achieving a “certain look” for the beach — a beach body (see what I did there?). Now, we’re in Omaha and we don’t have much for beaches but that doesn’t change your goal.
It’s swimsuit season, after all.
There’s nothing wrong with setting goals for your aesthetics. Your goals are important and if you want to achieve a certain look, a coach can certainly help you do that.
You’re also probably [painfully] aware that transformations don’t happen overnight. As a result, it’s important to set other goals that will provide motivation, momentum, satisfaction, and a laundry list of other things to work toward your aesthetic goals.
Check these out!
Strength Goals
Something we hear a lot is “I’d love to add some lean muscle.” You can do that but it takes time in the gym and some work in the kitchen as well.
Here’s the secret, though: you can improve your strength well before you add enough muscle to make a visible change. As you learn to lift, your brain makes better (or maybe more streamlined) connections to the muscle that’s already there. This means you can often lift heavier weights in almost every session when you’re first starting out.
This is an exciting time for you and an exciting time to watch [from the trainer’s perspective]!
You might squat with body weight in week 1, an empty barbell in week 2, and a loaded barbell in week 3. The numbers often climb swiftly.
Adding new muscle, however, takes longer — at a minimum [for measurement purposes], probably 4 weeks and visually maybe up to 8 weeks.
To avoid getting anxious while you wait to see a physical change, work with your coach (or your own workouts) to set strength goals you can accomplish along the way. If you do, you’ll have a lot to celebrate and that will keep you smiling while you’re waiting for the visible changes!
Workout Streak
Losing body fat takes time, too. In a good training program, you will gradually improve your body composition over weeks and months.
Dramatic transformations, however, usually involve drugs or unsustainable habits (so the steady approach is the right one).
And, it probably comes as no surprise, that it’s important to set other goals so you don’t get impatient “waiting for your abs to appear.”
Workout streaks are a great way to set yourself up for wins. Maybe you have a body fat percentage in mind, but as you work toward it, you can set a goal of hitting all three workouts every single week. You could also “never miss a Monday session.” Or, how about adding two extra walks outside the gym.
…and so on.
I love it when clients set goals and log their workouts. I can see them look back on their consistency and feel great about it!
The best part? Consistent training patterns will produce other desired results much faster than sporadic training.
The Feels
It’s harder to quantify feelings, but many people who build an exercise habit report increased energy, better sleep, improved confidence, and more happiness. These are great “side effects” to picking up a consistent workout habit.
To document your changes, you could log everything you notice as you notice them.
You might want toned shoulders and six-pack abs at the end of the day, but are you going to complain about a good night’s sleep or an increased sense of self-worth earned through hard work in the gym?
Whenever you notice any changes as a result of working out, write them down in your logbook! This stuff will make you feel great when you read it!
Goals, Coaches, & Your Beach Body
All your goals are important but a coach can you help you frame them so you don’t get frustrated when I takes time to get the big results you want.
A coach’s job (or a personal trainer) is to find out about your goals, make a plan to accomplish them on a realistic timeline, and then help you do the required work to get there. Part of the job is identifying milestones and celebrating successes that mark progress toward major goals.
If you have goals this summer, let’s talk about a plan. We’ll give you timelines and advice, and you can ask the questions you need to ask. If you want to move forward with the plan, we’ll make sure you’re smiling all the time as you work toward your goals.
To meet with an expert coach, book a free consultation HERE.