Fit Friday: Setting the Daily and Weekly Goals

Alright, if you are anything like me... 
extreme long term goals for diet or exercise can be intimidating and usually just set me up to fail.
It's like saying, 
"Alright, starting tomorrow I'm going off sugar for a year!" (when you have eaten sugar all your life)
There is no way.
Some people have the will power. I definitely do not.

We don't use the word "diet" around here.
Have I mentioned how much I dislike that word??
Well I will probably tell you about 100 more times.
The word "diet" sets me up to fail.
Maybe you can relate to this.
 I love the phrase, "I'm starting my diet tomorrow!"-
Every time that phrase comes up, 
I will eat everything I see and stuff my face all night like it's my last supper.
So we don't use that word around here.

How many people follow through with their healthy New Years Resolutions?
I can tell you that the running paths around where we live are seriously lacking.
Why??
Although the desire may be there, I believe people set themselves up to fail by setting unreachable goals.

How to set obtainable fitness goals??
#1. Take it DAY BY DAY
I have learned from experience to set DAILY or WEEKLY goals.
*Example: Instead of saying "I'm going on a "diet" for 2 months," (too long!)
I say "I'm going to "watch what I eat" Monday through Thursday, and if I eat good, I can go get Pizza on Friday." (My idea of a really good prize haha) If I don't eat good- no pizza.
For me, I CAN do 4 days.
I can force myself to eat really good for 4 days if I know I get my favorite thing on day 5.

The same thing goes with exercise.
My exercise schedule intensity-
Monday, Tuesday: Really Intense
Wednesday: Small/ Low Impact 
Thursday: Really Intense
Friday: Semi Intense
Saturday: Really Intense
Sunday: Rest Day
Oh how I live for that Wednesday low impact and Sunday rest day!
 When I am working out on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday's low impact workout is in the back of my head and I can push through knowing I get a break on Wednesday.
The same goes for the rest of the week with Sunday's rest day.
I have to see a light at the end of the tunnel, or I just can't mentally do it.

You will soon learn that It's a mind game.

#2. Make it REASONABLE.
I am maybe the worst most terrible pushup'er ever.
Seriously. I hate push- ups with a passion.
Maybe it's because my husband wakes up and does like 150 push ups straight, and I couldn't do more than 10.
Ha that will make you feel bad.
I grew up just always doing girl push- ups because I told myself I couldn't do boy push-ups.

So at the beginning of the year as embarrassing as it sounds, I set a goal to get better at push-ups.
I set a goal to do 12 push-ups a day.
(This was a big deal for me)
12! I knew I could do 12.


Photo credit to my husband at 11 PM last night when I threw on my workout clothes for a picture hahaha.

It didn't matter if I did it in the morning, afternoon, or nighttime, 
I just had to do 12 straight EVERY DAY.
There were many nights I would be getting into bed and realizing I didn't do my push-ups
so I would hop back out of bed and drop down and give my husband 12. ha
Each week I got better and better.
I added one push-up every couple days, and then 2 and then 3.. now I can do several in a row and I can do the one legged things that I thought only men could do. haha
All because I started out by doing 12 push-ups a day.

#3. Hold yourself accountable.
Goals are nothing if you don't hold yourself accountable.
Maybe the guilty feelings and words inside your head are enough to hold you accountable.
For me, that's sometimes not enough.
I tell my husband to ask me, (whether he likes it or not) if I did my push ups for the day. ha or whatever goals I have set for the week.

Instead of just setting those New Year's Resolutions once a year,
I started setting WEEKLY goals every Sunday.
It makes all the difference.
I sometimes create cute little charts 
(because we all know it's more fun to doodle and create a chart then to complete the actual goal)
I love checking it off at the end of each day.
It's a personal accomplishment feeling.
I hang them on my fridge so I don't forget them.

You will find working out and eating right more obtainable if you take these little steps!
For more Fit Friday tips check out my darling friend Jessica's blog!

And lastly I don't think I could end a post without a picture of my favorite little running buddy from our run yesterday.
Don't we all wish we could be the rider of the stroller and not the pusher!
Oh to be little again!
Hope everyone has a great weekend! xo

Karina Marie Powell

14 comments:

  1. Karina! I LOVE these fit friday's! You've had a baby...and still look way better than I ever have! BUT I'm in a pretty serious relationship with working out. So maybe we could do a fit friday link-up. What do you think? Brainstorm brainstorm brainstorm! haha. I've just been thinking of ideas! Have a fabulous weekend, pretty girl!

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  2. OH how I wish we were neighbours ahahha!
    I really needed this today! I was sat here thinking, I just can't get on my treadmill today, I have all 3 children home, I still have 35lbs to lose. It's snowing again ( Canada) and I am missing my family, who I have not seen for 5 years, yes 5! ( well ok, I saw my parents 2 years ago, but they all still live in England).. ok, now I am rambling.. anyways, I was having a 'it too hard', but you totally just motivated me!... I am sending the kids off to my mother in laws, and then I am going to go run!!! :) Thanks Karina!!!

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    1. Awww 3 children! You are an inspiration! That is awesome! So happy I helped in the motivation process! You can do it girl! Hope you are having a great week! XO

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  3. ha, we are the same! and seriously-it is a big mind game(trying to stay on track). ps, your workout clothes are so cute!

    ^^oh and i would do a "fit friday" link-up, too!^^

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  4. I love you workout in a sports skirt. Super cute!

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    1. I'm such a girly girl i know! You are a doll thank you!

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  5. Love that you workout in a sports skirt, super cute.

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  6. I am loving your fit Friday series! You are inspiring me to set some goals and eat better and stay fit! And I love that you love to eat still! :) Thanks for your awesome posts!

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    1. Thank you sweet girl! I'm in love with your baby girl! I love all your IG's! She is so stinking cute.

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  7. I love your Fit Friday posts. I look forward to them every week. I started a new nutrition/exercise regimen around the time when you posted your first post, and I am half-way to where I want to be. Thank you for sharing what works for you!

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    1. Aww this just made me so happy! You are such a sweetheart! You go girl! Hope you are having great week! XO

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  8. my aunt catered your wedding and told me to look at your adorable blog. i love your fitness tips, so impressed with how much you worked out during your pregnancy! oh and your baby is darling.

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  9. HI Karina! I love your blog! So inspiring! I was wondering if you would be willing to share what type of workouts you do on your really intense days and your low impact day and your semi intense days? Thanks so much!

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  10. Hi Karina! I love your blog! You are very inspiring! I was wondering if you would be willing to share what type of workouts you do on your really intense days (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays), your low impact day (Wednesdays), and your semi intense day (Fridays)? Thanks so much!

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