HOW DO YOU REACH A GOAL ONCE YOU SET IT?

The most important component in goal-setting isn't the goal but what you plan to do to reach it. Goals are primarily used to motivate the person to take direct action by focusing attention, increasing effort and intensity and encouraging new strategies to solve problems and foster persistence. This is especially true after experiencing failure. So, once you set your goal, you must utilize a two-step action process to ensure success.

Step 1 Create An Action Plan.

What exactly are you going to do to meet your goals? Steps may include:

Devote two workouts per week. Ask yourself what exercises will most effectively help you reach your goal.

Follow principles of periodization to maximize training gains while optimizing rest and recuperation. Pay particularly close attention to your intensity or amount of energy you put into your workout. Monitoring your output will be the key to success.

Set specific times to eat five meals throughout the day. If you eat frequently, you'll more optimally absorb each meal's nutrients. Clearly, optimal nutrient absorption is vital to your success.

Begin a supplementation program specifically designed to help you grow stronger including plenty of protein.

Get at least eight hours of sleep each night to ensure maximal rest.

Step 2 Identify Possible Barriers.

Don't ignore obstacles to your success. Instead, recognize what they are and deal with them before they arise. Do any hobbies get in the way of your training? Does your spouse or partner, friend or lack of self esteem encourage you to skip workouts? An active social life could interfere with you reaching your goals. Don't let potential barriers take a bite out of your goal achievement. Find ways to both exercise and spend quality time with him or her.

If you don't set goals because they've failed you in the past, you need to change your ways of thinking right now in 2009.

Setting goals does work and will help you achieve the body you want if you develop an action plan and effectively deal with potential barriers.

This is Lisa aka T-N-T signing off for now....