As we are heading into summer, it won’t be long before messages about “summer bodies” or “bikini bodies” appear everywhere. That moment is often a cue for people to start a last-minute diet and fitness regime in the hope of achieving that summer body.
Allow us to let you in on a secret: setting and measuring healthy fitness goals helps you accomplish more in the long term. Our team at Align is here to help you discover what fitness and wellbeing mean for you and how to get to that point.
A New Approach to Health and Fitness
Ask anyone about their fitness goals, and weight loss is often one of the first answers. But as our awareness of the detrimental side effects of yo-yo dieting grows, it is time to reexamine our approach to health and fitness.
Losing weight at all costs isn’t always beneficial to your health. As we move through life, our bodies change. Setting sustainable fitness goals is a great way of acknowledging that change and working with your body to improve your overall wellbeing.
Consider these fitness goals, for example:
- Feel more energetic throughout the day
- Improve strength
- Enhance mobility
- Relieve recurring back pain (or any other niggling problems)
- Become more flexible
- Create a healthier lifestyle for yourself and your family
All these goals allow you to approach your fitness from a more holistic angle. Rather than fixating on weight loss, you are prioritizing long-lasting lifestyle adjustments.
Boost your motivation by sharing your goals with a friend or your family. They can help hold you accountable and motivate you when you feel like skipping too many days.
How to Measure Health and Fitness Goals
Keeping track of your progress and measuring it can be a great motivator and help you stay on track. Before choosing a method or a specific tool, think about what really motivates you.
Here are some of our team’s favorite tools:
1. Before / After Pictures
One of the most common misconceptions about yoga in Saudi Arabia is that you need to be “bendy” to get started. The opposite is the case. Practicing poses is a great way of improving your flexibility. Take pictures when you’re first trying a pose and then again, a few weeks later to see how far you’ve come.
2. Use a Tracking App
Keeping a tally of your progress with the help of a tracking app works very well if you are training towards a goal like running a certain distance.
If you’re starting from scratch, try creating milestones such as running a certain distance continuously or breaking a certain time over a distance. Remember to alternate easier days with more challenging ones.
3. Schedule Off Days
Taking a break from your fitness regime is just as important as practicing regularly. If you are training hard, your body needs time to recover physically. If your routine is starting to feel drab, a break of one or two days is often all that’s needed to get back to exercising.
4. Try a New Activity
Becoming stuck in an exercise rut can drain your motivation, so why not try out a new activity? If you feel stuck in your yoga practice in Khobar, challenge yourself with a Pilates class. The same works for Aerial yoga or Barre class. Just pick a program you’ve never tried before.
Resetting your approach to fitness by setting new goals and measuring them can have long-lasting benefits. Start by thinking about your wellbeing and develop your personal goals from that point. Our team at Align Studio is here to help, and together we’ll make sure you hit your targets.