When starting a fitness program, most of us are driven by a specific goal. As a result, our commitment to physical activity is highly dependent on seeing and feeling progress towards that goal. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to give up and cease training after a few months if no visible results are achieved.

It’s important not to be discouraged by slow progress. Following are some tips to help you achieve your goals and stay motivated along the way:

• Be SMARTER with your goals: It’s important to set a goal that is a specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely. Once you have reached your goal, it is then important to evaluate and reflect on your success.
• Set short-term goals: When you establish short-term goals, not only will you likely be more motivated (with a deadline just around the corner) but you will also see progress sooner. As an example: if your primary goal is “upper body strength” then we suggest making your short-term goal to complete 10 proper push-ups by a date you and your trainer deem appropriate. Once achieved, increase that goal to 15 or consider a goal for a different upper body exercise.
• Recognize and reward short-term improvements: If after one month of regular exercise, you feel like you haven’t seen much of a difference physically - perhaps little to no weight lost or no obvious 'toning' – we urge you to consider how you feel mentally. Have you noticed a discernible difference in your stress levels, quality of sleep or level of energy? It’s important to recognize how exercise makes you feel.