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Most people start exercising because they want to lose weight, feel better, and LOOK better - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But there's much more to your fitness journey than appearance. Fitness, health, and happiness operate at a much deeper level.
Here are 6 fitness goals that have nothing to do with weight loss or appearance. Consider making these your focus.
1 - Improved Function
Have you ever wanted to move better? Have you ever dealt with chronic pain that kept you from the activities you enjoy? Improving your body's overall function is one of the first and most important effects of exercise.
The American College of Sports Medicine has a saying - "Exercise is medicine."
Most doctors and health professionals agree that a high baseline of fitness and health should be the first level of prevention. Exercise improves your joint strength, integrity, and an increased ability to withstand physical ailments. It makes you hard to kill.
Exercise doesn't have to be difficult. Simple exercises like walking and stretching can offer most of the benefits.
2 - Stress Management
Exercise should reduce stress, not add to it. Find activities that are enjoyable to you. Whether it's boxing, swimming, running, weight lifting, dog walking or aerial yoga - find something that doesn't FEEL like exercise.
Exercise helps your brain regulate hormones and feel-good endorphins, reduce stress, sleep better, lower anxiety and emotional stress, and can be a great coping mechanism.
Many people use exercise as an emotional outlet - and for good reason. Make stress reduction your goal, not body weight.
3 - A New Personal Record
It's fun being strong. Seeing your strength and endurance increase on a daily basis can be a huge motivator. Plus performance goals can be more motivating (and more noticeable) than body weight goals, so focus on improving the workouts themselves.
I like to say "Focus on the process, not the end result." Schedule fitness tests to challenge yourself, take group exercise classes with a mild competitive element, or straight up compete in a sport for a challenge. Triathlons, martial arts, and tennis can be very intense when trying to out-perform other people.
Set a performance goal, not a body weight goal. Here are different domains of fitness to challenge your body. Are you lacking in any of them?
4 - Make life tasks easier
You climb stairs, lift and carry things, sit up and down from your chair on a regular basis. For many people, these daily tasks can be more challenging than they should be. Resistance training makes life easier and reduce injuries from repetitive movements. If nothing else, set goals that make life easier. Here are the top 5 strength moves - and how to do them - so you can be stronger and live easier.
5 - Set An Example For Others
Don't focus on your body weight. Instead, be a leader. Live to be an inspiration for others and be the person your dog thinks you are - awesome.
For those with kids and family, use them as a motivator. Be there for your kids instead of being sick, tired, and always injured. Set an example for the way you want your family to live.
Many people feel their family "holds them back" from their goals - but think about it the other way around. Set the example. Encourage them to join you in your fitness goals. Life is much easier when your whole team is working together.
Your family is really lucky to have you setting such a great example.
6 - Just Feeling Good
Endorphins are a thing. You can get high from exercise - and it's an upward cycle. The better you feel, the more you WANT to exercise.
It may not seem like it now, but starting with as little as a 5 minute stretch per day can create a spark that will ignite a fitness fire. Start with a simple routine. Every morning when you wake up, do a light mobility set to activate your joints and increase blood flow.
Experienced exercisers are motivated from within. Monitor your progress based on how you feel, not specific body weight goals.
Make feeling good your goal.
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