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How to develop
a successful
routine.
By: Ricky Postma
Certified Personal Trainer
Owner Postma Fitness Centre
​“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
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We have all been there, we had a goal of getting into a new routine that was going to bring on a new you! Then, three hours, three days, or three weeks in, it all comes crashing down and we find ourselves back in our old rut. Eating everything we see, not exercising, thinking negatively and driving ourselves further and further from our true selves.
What now?
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Unfortunately for many, it’s a vicious cycle that repeats itself over and over until we no longer believe we can do it and worse, we believe we are incapable of achieving the very things we deserve; to live a happy, healthy life.
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What if I told you there was a secret recipe, a cheat code, a short cut to obtaining extreme health and happiness? Well, fortunately I would be lying, there is NOT. There is no easy way to arriving at the real you and that is why most people fail at delivering the world the best version of you! Did I say fortunately? That’s right, fortunately. What is so critical about you becoming your best is going through the arduous process of achieving it. A process you will grow to enjoy. It is the process that develops and calluses your mind to making consistent healthy actions a lifestyle. And before you stop reading because you aren’t interested in hearing how much hard work it’s going to take you. That you are already way, way, way too busy. What if I told you by taking on this challenge called life, head on, you will end up with more time than you currently have? By becoming healthier mentally, physically and emotionally you will have the energy, the drive and the know how to be successful in all aspects of your life. You no longer will feel sluggish and miss out on full days of productivity.
How do I make this happen?
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1 - Decide what needs to be in your routine. Prioritize what is important to you. Write it down!
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2 - Set small goals. It is important to write down what your big goals are and also break them down into small segments that you can celebrate achieving along the way. Many people do not even sniff success because they focus solely on the large goal and how far they are from reaching it.
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3 - Formulate a plan and be prepared. How much time is it going to take me each day? How will I fit this into my schedule? What do I need to execute this plan? Use a calendar daily and obtain the things it is going to take to get there.
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4 - Track progress. As a fitness professional there is nothing more deflating than seeing someone quit on themselves when they are doing well, because they haven’t tracked their progress and celebrated achieving small goals. They don’t even know they are well on their way! Track it using a diary, any number of fitness apps can be used to track your workouts, measurements can help determine how your body is reacting to your new routine and most importantly keep a journal on how you feel daily. What is more important than feeling better?
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5 - Seek help. Nobody ever achieves anything worthwhile without the help from others. Find a workout buddy, hire a professional, or join a club or organization. Those who seek help are 80% more likely to reach their goals than those who don’t. The stats don’t lie, get the support you need, and you will need it. When the going gets tough, you will be relying on this support system to push you through.
6 - It’s all between the ears. We must develop a spirit of positivity to be successful. Visualize your success, mentally prepare yourself for the challenges ahead and be aware that you will fail over and over on your path to success. Fill your mind with positive influences, turn off the news and read a self development or motivating book instead. Don’t complain on social media, instead develop an attitude of gratitude and focus on the good things that are happening in your life.
7 - Make it fun! The road to success is clearly daunting and gruelling so it is important to make it as fun as possible. Workout with a buddy or group, make a playlist you enjoy, join events or challenges.
What have you found to be successful in developing a routine?
Share with us what has worked for you! What do you do to be your best mentally, physically and emotionally?
Let us know where you are going to start, or where you need help!
How to
successfully
set goals
Setting goals is the
first step in turning
the invisible
into the visible.
- Tony Robbins
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By: Ricky Postma
Certified Personal Trainer
Owner Postma Fitness Centre
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How do I begin?
Have you thought about where you want to be in five year’s time? What is your main objective? Do you know what you want to achieve today?
If you want to be successful you need to set goals. Without them you lack focus and direction and find yourself falling short again and again. Many people do not properly set goals, thus they lack benchmarks to show them whether they are actually on the right path to achieving their ultimate goal and end up quitting. We cannot simply say I want something and expect it to happen. Goal setting requires careful consideration and clarity of what you want and what you will need to do to accomplish them. Once you take the time to complete the goal setting process you are much more likely to be successful.
Let’s get started
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Decide. Commit. Succeed.
Think of what you want to work towards and what it is that motivates you to achieve this goal. To help break down and bring clarity to your goal, use the S.M.A.R.T goal approach:
S - specific
M - measurable
A - attainable
R - realistic
T - time bound
Be Specific
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Your goal must be clear and well defined. Get into the nitty gritty of how achieving this goal will look and feel.
Example: If your goal is to lose weight, why and how you are going to achieve this, is paramount.
Thought 1 - I want to lose weight.
Thought 2 - I do not like the way I look and feel.
Thought 3 - I want the weight that I lose to be fat.
Thought 4 - I’d like to lose most of the fat in my midsection.
Thought 5 - Exercising will be easier and more enjoyable for me.
Thought 6 - I will play with my kids more with the increased energy I have.
Thought 7 - I will have more self confidence and feel better about the way I look.
Thought 8 - I will feel better
How will I get there?
Thought 1 - I will exercise every day.
Thought 2 - I will exercise at 6am each morning before work.
Thought 3 - I will weight train 3 days a week and walk 4 days a week.
Thought 4 - I will weight train Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I will walk Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Thought 5 - I will join my local gym to weight train and seek help from a professional to guide me.
Thought 6 - I will begin to eat healthier.
Thought 7 - I will cut out pop and chips in the evenings and alcohol on the weekends.
Thought 8 - I will track my nutrition using an app.
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Set Measurable Goals
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It is important to be able to determine quantitatively your progress towards your goal. Using precise amounts and dates to clearly indicate your rate of success is crucial for you to stick with it.
Example: If we now know my goal is to shed fat because I don’t feel good, lack confidence and want to be able to do more. And that it is going to require exercising and eating healthier, how do we determine our success rate?
1 - Feeling better
Simply use a journal and using a scale of 1-10, write down how you feel each morning, afternoon and evening, using a number to represent whether you feel poor or if you feel good. Every two weeks you can review these numbers to see if you are improving in this area.
2 - Measurements
Taking measurements of your body is a great way to see if your body is changing the way you want it to. Seeking help from a professional is a good idea here, they can complete the measurements properly and they can guide you towards realistic expectations. You should also take note of how your clothes are fitting. Use these tools to keep yourself motivated and focused. In my experiences as a personal trainer, many times in the gym I have heard complaints of people not being happy with their progress. When I ask them how their clothes are fitting, their face lights up, and they say they are noticing positive changes in how their clothes are fitting.
The key to success is consistency.
3 - Weight Scale
Although using this device can lead to misinterpretation, the weight scale can also help you in determining your rate of success. If you are looking to shed fat and your weight is going down, you are likely on the right path.
Disclaimer alert! Your relationship to gravity is not the be all end all.
Shedding fat in a healthy way involves weight training and building a strong physique is very important with losing fat. This involves gaining muscle, thus gaining weight to a certain extent. Most people will lose more weight in fat then they gain in muscle, so don’t be alarmed! Do not, however, base all of your success on the weight scale! This is the biggest mistake I see in the gym for the past 15 years!
4 - How You Perform
How you are performing at work and during your workouts is a great indicator of your degree of success. For your workouts, logging what you do will help you plan to progress and quantitatively see how you have improved. If you can walk further and longer, if you can lift more and last longer in your weight training, you are succeeding!
Is it attainable and realistic?
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There is nothing worse than picking a timeframe that does not fit the goal you are trying to achieve. Setting benchmarks biweekly or monthly can help you stay accountable and allow you to evaluate accurately if your plan is getting you towards your goal. In our example, I would suggest seeking the help of a professional, so that they can help you build your timeframe based on their expertise and knowledge. Be consistent with your benchmark evaluations, even when you slip up. It is inevitable to happen, so deal with it, learn from it and move on.
Failure is not the opposite to success, it is the path of success.
Is it time bound?
As we’ve mentioned with tracking and assessing whether you are on pace to achieve your goal, having a deadline and milestones within your goal, allows you to celebrate your successes and create a sense of urgency.
Let the fun begin! Sit down, take the time to write down your goals in detail and notice the clarity of your vision and plan unfold in front of you. Your success depends upon it!
What has helped you create successful goals?