Meeting Fitness Goals
What does progress look like to you? How do you know you’re really achieving your fitness goals? Obviously, guys will go straight to the physical results and that’s fine.
That’s often the top priority. But what about all the other progressions you make when you’re on your personal fitness journey, the progressions that keep you going to reach even greater goals?
Here are 7 key indicators that you’re crushing it.
1. You Have Improved Sleep
This is one of the most reliable indicators that your fitness routine is paying off dividends. One of the causes of insomnia is anxiety. Exercise reduces anxiety and one of the byproducts is better quality sleep. Exercise releases endorphins and regulates serotonin levels. When these chemicals are naturally balanced, your body falls into a rhythm that optimizes sleep patterns.
2. You Learned Something New About Wellness
When you’re making progress with your fitness routine, you’ll most likely come across new ways to train, new foods to eat, and new techniques that promote wellness. This isn’t an accident. Learning something new about wellness is an indicator that you’re placing a priority on your physical fitness and health. You’re increasing your attention span in these areas, and you’re open to trying new things for the betterment of your body.
3. A Difficult Exercise Feels Easier
When you first start out on your fitness journey, just about every exercise feels difficult. Your body responds with aches and soreness over the next couple of days. Yet, you might not have even realized that some of the exercises are becoming easier. Or you might need to rack up to a heavier weight now.
Regular exercise improves your circulation, pumping more blood to your extremities. Your muscle tissues have more mitochondria, meaning that on the sub-cellular level, you’re getting stronger. Your anaerobic threshold has increased, and your heart can work harder with less effort. Just don’t rush things. Try to add more variation in your exercises instead of jumping up the weight racks.
4. More Positive Self-Talk
Before you started exercising regularly you might’ve told yourself that you weren’t attractive. Or perhaps you started working out and dieting but just couldn’t make it stick. So, you felt defeated. It’s the story that so many guys share.
Well, have you noticed that you’re starting to think and speak more positively about yourself now? Well, it’s a sure sign that you are on the right track. When you feel better about yourself, then you start exhibiting more positive self-talk and it creates a spiral of confidence that continues to grow stronger. Keep patting yourself on the back. It’s working for you.
5. Clothes Are Fitting Differently
One of the most obvious indicators that you’re achieving your fitness goals is the way that clothes fit you now. You might’ve noticed that those baggy T-shirts are starting to fill out around the shoulders and sleeves. Or perhaps your jeans are a bit tighter than usual because your thighs and glutes are more defined.
Well, it’s time to shop for the clothes that complement your new physique. There’s no need to squeeze into those old outfits because you’re growing into a new representation of yourself. It’s time to do some experimenting with your style. Take some chances and highlight your physical attractiveness.
Related: 5 Ways to Trick Yourself into Exercising
6. Having More Energy
Exercising two to three times a week helps your cardiovascular system work better and that gives you more energy. Before you started working out regularly, you might’ve believed that exercise makes you tired. Well, hopefully you’ve found that the opposite is true.
Regular exercise balances your hormones and increases neurochemistry. You’ll find that you don’t have restless energy at the end of the day, and you don’t struggle as much to shake off the fatigue when you wake up.
7. Creating a Realistic Routine
You should know you’re in the zone when you stop careening from one erratic workout to a long period of doing nothing and then trying to jump back on another workout again. Real success comes from a regular and realistic routine.
As you gain a rhythm, it helps you work out more. That gives you more confidence and you feel motivated to keep exercising. Exercising according to a schedule helps every other aspect of your life, as well. When you start heading to the workout automatically, without giving it much thought, then you know you’re dialed into a new fitness first lifestyle.
Related: 12 Reasons You’re Not Seeing Results From Your Exercise
Final Thoughts on Fitness Goals
You might not realize that you’re getting better, healthier and stronger. Sometimes we forget to look around at what’s happening in the moment because we’re so focused on idealized standards. You can’t judge yourself against others, because everyone’s journey is different. You might not have the body you always wanted right now, but what you’re doing right now is going to get you to that final achievement down the road. It’s all linked.
That’s why you have to appreciate the micro steps and small advancements that you’re making each and every day. These little inklings of hope help to fuel your fitness motivation and provide reassurance that you’re on the right track.
So, don’t let anything or anybody make you feel like you’re not successful on your physical health journey. You can feel pride about fitting into your clothes better or shopping for new shirts that never would’ve been on your radar because your body wasn’t flattering in that style.
Hold your head up high while you run farther than you did a month ago. Take pride in the fact that you’re feeling more confident now. Sometimes, giving yourself permission to appreciate yourself is a victory in of itself. If you can relate to any of these 7 indicators, then keep up the good work. You’re really crushing it.
