Getting fit is often talked about like a challenge, and as though it’s just something to battle through, but the truth is, it doesn’t have to feel that way – you can still work towards goals, and still get stronger feel proud, but you can do it in a way that feels good while you’re doing it, not just afterwards. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about how to enjoy reaching your fitness goals.

Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery

Don’t Rush Ahead

It sounds obvious, but a lot of people set goals based on where they think they should be, not where they actually are, and that just makes the whole thing harder than it needs to be. The fact is, there’s nothing wrong with starting small or slow, or even from scratch. You’re allowed to be a beginner, and you’re definitely allowed to not know what you’re doing yet. The most important thing is that you start from a place that feels realistic for you, not someone else.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll notice the pressure drops a bit, and with less pressure, it’s easier to enjoy what you’re doing. Not everything has to be a big leap, and a few steps in the right direction still count.

Let It Fit Around You 

You don’t have to wake up at 5am to be healthy or follow the same routine as your friend. You don’t even have to love exercise, as long as you find something you’re willing to do regularly. The mistake a lot of people make is trying to force their life around a workout plan, but it’s much easier to stick to something if it fits around you, including your energy, your time, and your likes and dislikes.

Maybe that means stretching in your living room while watching something in the evening, or going for a walk instead of driving, or finding a gym near me that has classes at times that work for your schedule. Whatever it is, if it feels realistic, it’s far more likely to last, and to feel good too.

Track Progress That You Care About 

There’s more than one way to measure progress – it doesn’t have to be the number on a scale or the size of your jeans or how fast you can run. It could be noticing that your mood is better after moving your body or realising you can lift your shopping bags without pausing, or sleeping better… 

In the end, those things matter because they’re signs that something’s working, even if it’s quite slow progress – something is better than nothing, after all. And when you actually notice them, it changes the whole tone of your journey because you’re not just chasing one big outcome anymore, and that’s a lot easier to handle, and more rewarding too. 

Don’t Make It All Or Nothing 

You’ll miss a day sometimes, or you might miss a week, and you’ll eat chips and skip workouts and you could feel like you’ve undone everything you reached, but that’s not actually how it works. The fact is that health doesn’t disappear in a day, just the same as it doesn’t improve in a day, so you’re not back to square one and you’re just having a blip, which is completely normal.

What helps is remembering that a break doesn’t mean a failure and you really don’t have to start over. You can just carry on, and the less guilt you attach to it, the easier that becomes. In fact, enjoying the process means building in time for those less positive days, and not punishing yourself but instead just picking things back up when you’re ready.

Let Your Goals Change If They Need To 

Sometimes you start out thinking you want one thing – maybe it’s weight loss, or muscle tone, or a certain look – but then along the way, you realise you actually feel more motivated by energy, or mobility, or strength. That’s okay because goals can change, and sometimes they even have to. 

It doesn’t mean you’ve given up because what’s you’re really doing is you’re being honest with yourself about what really matters. That can lead to better goals, and when your goals feel more meaningful, the work you’re doing to reach them feels more enjoyable too. That’s why it’s a good idea to check in with yourself sometimes and see if the goal still fits, if it still feels good, and so on. And don’t be afraid to adjust if it doesn’t.

Find Things That Feel Like You 

There are so many ways to move your body and so many styles of fitness, you don’t have to pick the one that looks best on Instagram. If you like being outside, focus on walking or cycling. If you prefer group energy, try a class. If you’d rather be alone with your thoughts, maybe swimming or a solo workout is the way to go.

The point is to find something you don’t dread, and to do something you might actually look forward to. That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard, but it won’t feel like punishment, and that makes a difference. Enjoying your fitness journey doesn’t mean you never get tired or sore, it means you feel like the effort is worth it, and that’s the real difference that can keep you properly motivated. 

Make Rest Part Of Your Plan

Rest isn’t what you do when you’ve earned it – it’s what helps you stay consistent, plus it can help your muscles recover, and it’s what’s going to ensure you’re able to get your energy back to go again when you’re ready, otherwise you risk burnout and even injury. 

That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure you take breaks when you need to, even if you don’t think you’ve reached a good point to stop. And definitely don’t wait until you’re exhausted or burned out or injured. It’s best to choose days to rest the same way you choose days to train, and then use those days to take care of yourself in other ways, like stretching, hydrating, sleeping, and ultimately relaxing.

This helps your body, but it also helps your mind because knowing that rest is allowed, expected, even – makes the whole process feel kinder and more doable.