I receive a newsletter from Global Health and Fitness and this was the fit tip from #242. I thought it was a great reminder that we are in this for the long-term and to set realistic short-term goals!

Here's to taking it one day at a time!!


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FIT TIP
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Goal setting is a great way to stay motivated and achieve the results
you
deserve. Unfortunately, many people set goals simply to look better in
the
short run and not for the other many benefits a healthy lifestyle
offers us
in the long run. For example, setting a short-term goal of losing 10
pounds
for a class reunion or wedding isn't helpful. Once the reunion is over,
most
people will either revert to their previous habits because the special
event
is over or simply quit all together because the goal they set was
unrealistic.

Living a healthy lifestyle and decreasing your body fat takes a
long-term
commitment. Trying to do it all at once, however, only makes you
frustrated
and discouraged. Instead, set a realistic long-term goal; then achieve
it by
reaching smaller, short-term goals. For example, if your goal is to
decrease
your body fat by 10 percent, shoot for modest goals, such as decreasing
your
body fat by one percent each month. Decreasing body fat slowly is not
only
the safest and most effective way, it is also the most realistic. Every
goal, short-term or long-term, should be one that is truly attainable.

Every goal should also be one that you are in charge of. Setting a
short-term goal where you are in charge, such as exercising four times
a
week, will help you achieve your long-term goal. Remember - and remind
yourself: each time you reach a short-term goal, you are one step
closer to
achieving what you really want: a healthier, more attractive, fit body.

Setting small goals and acknowledging all the small achievements on
your
path are essential to successful change. When you begin achieving great
results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change
well
worth the effort. Action creates motivation! Remember, successful
programs
are for life - take it one day at a time.