Fitness Goal Planning for Success

Fitness goal plans are common when making our New Year's resolutions. Most people like the idea of looking and feeling their best, but too often we fail to stay on track with a diet and exercise program because we don't take the time to come up with a real plan for success. 

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It's important to fully plan your M.A.P. for success. Using our free Master Action Plan (M.A.P.) tool, you will address the key areas that will help you be successful in your fitness journey. This tools works for each important area of your life, but for this example we'll focus on the area of personal fitness.

A successful fitness goal plan will be fully defined - meaning your plan will answer key questions such as the How Much? Of What? Where? By When? By Who?, etc.  

In addition, your plan should include anticipated obstacles and corrective actions that you can take to overcome challenges that otherwise might derail your progress.

You should begin your plan by asking yourself why you want to set the goal in the first place. Why is the outcome important to you? How will you feel when you achieve goal? How will the results you seek benefit or improve your life?

These are important questions that when answered will provide you with inspiration, which will help to motivate you during times of weakness or procrastination.

Using our M.A.P. tool below you'll answer these key questions, and more. Take the time to make your fitness goal plan as complete as possible. Use our example below to help get you started.

Don't just copy the plan example, customize your fitness goal plan to become a plan that gets you excited about becoming a stronger, healthier version of yourself.

Fitness Goal Plan Example

In the following information, we've provided a step-by-step example of how to use the Master Action Plan (M.A.P.) form most effectively. 

(Image of the Master Action Plan (M.A.P.) form - Download your free copy by subscribing to our free newsletter.)

Once you've downloaded and printed the M.A.P. form you will want to go through the following steps to complete the goal setting process. The following information provides a detailed example of how to establish a Fitness Goal Plan:

1. What's My Ultimate Goal or Outcome? (What must be achieved?) I will lose 50 pounds in the next year and keep the weight off!
2. Why Do I Want To Do This? What's my purpose/motivation for achieving this goal? (Hint: Attach as much emotion to your purpose as possible for maximum leverage.) To be around for my grandchildren To become my better self, healthier with higher self-esteem To be an example to those I love and who love me To ensure I live a long life To prevent disease and illness
3. What High-Impact Activities/Tasks Will Ensure My Success? (Hint: Be specific, answer How Much, Of What and By When?) Get a physical exam within the next 7 days by Dr. X Join a local gym within the next 5 days and purchase a training package with a certified trainer Make an appointment within the next 5 days with a nutritionist to establish low calorie menu options that are nutritious and taste great Schedule time in my planner for weight training 3 days per week, and walk or run for 30 minutes on the off days. Write down all my meals and workouts so that I can keep myself on track daily and chart my progress.
4. What Barriers Do I Anticipate? How Will I Overcome These Barriers? Lack of willpower: Establish rewards for yourself for hitting each target along the way. Hard to diet with traveling out of town: Plan your meals in advance. Bring healthy snacks with you to curb hunger throughout the day. I can't give up chocolate forever: Change your mindset. Do not see this as a one year diet, see it as a choice to improve your lifestyle forever. "Nothing tastes as good as fit feels." My family won't support me: Understand that only you raise the fork to your mouth and only you determine how long to sit on the couch. Take complete ownership of how you live your life.
5. 5-Day Planner: Review the above high-impact activities. Use the 5-day planner to schedule your week to include the activities that will lead to your success. Continually assess and adjust the plan as needed.

Clearly, the above fitness goal plan is not all-inclusive. In other words, it's not a complete plan that will take you all the way through the end of the year. The plan will need to be adjusted at regular intervals for maximum effectiveness.

The above example does, however, represent a plan that will get a person off to a great start, with very specific stepping stones that can lead to long-term success.

Success Lesson #31: Keeping Fit For Life

Achievement does not depend so much upon the amount of money in your bank account. What's truly important is the amount of capital you have in yourself and how effectively you can use that material to do good things.

A man or woman who is weakened considerably by ill health, or who has sapped his energy by excessive use of tobacco, alcohol or drugs, has little chance for success when pitted against one who is healthy, robust and full of energy.

If you are truly committed to make the most of yourself, you will regard every bit of energy and every source of power, physical, mental and moral, as precious life-capital not to be parted with. You will look upon every form of dissipation, and every little drain of energy, as an unpardonable waste, a sin - almost a crime.

Keep yourself fit so that you can do your work and lead your life with dignity and vitality, and without struggle or strain.

The secret of your future achievement is locked up in your brain, in your nerves and muscles, and in your ambition, determination and ideals.

Everything depends upon your physical and mental condition, for that governs your vitality, your vigor, and your ability to do great things.

Every indiscretion or wrong indulgence simply opens a leak which drains off your success capital. Your body and your mind will respond in kind to how you treat them.

Take care of both the mind and body, and they will take care of you in your pursuit of success and higher achievement.

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