4 expert-backed steps to help you reach your fitness goals

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We’ve all been there—we vow to get more toned, but life somehow gets in the way.

Most people have unspecific goals that have no chance of being achieved, fitness experts told Fortune. These pros shared four steps to take when outlining your workout plan to set yourself up for success. 

1. Understand where you are in your journey, and plan your goals accordingly

It’s important to understand where exactly you are on the stages of change model, says Neal Pire, certified health coach and fellow at the American College of Sports Medicine:

• Precontemplation, before you have identified the change you’d like to make
• Contemplation, when you consider making a change
• Preparation, when you have a plan to change
• Action, when you begin to change
• Maintenance, when you sustain the change for six months

Pire says a fitness goal likely won’t stick if you go from the contemplation stage (“I want to get in shape”) straight to the maintenance phase (“I will go to the gym five times a week”). 

2. Be specific 

Certified strength and conditioning specialist Connor Agnew suggests following the SMART method (an acronym standing for goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) to devise plans that you can easily follow. 

3. Prepare for the “humps” 

Though experts estimate it takes six weeks to build a gym habit, Agnew

says he’s seen novice gym goers lose their drive a month in.

To account for these “humps,” Patrick Wilson, owner of Realistic Gains, says to attach shorter milestones to your overall goal. If you want to run a half-marathon at the end of the year, build in smaller benchmarks at two- to three-month intervals to ensure you’re staying on track.

4. Be prepared for motivation slumps

Remember the three tenets of the self-determination theory of motivation to account for dips in motivation, Agnew advises:

• Autonomy, or having a say in what you’re doing. Agnew has found giving yourself choices is key to ensuring your resolutions stick. 

• Relatedness, or a sense of belonging. Agnew says people who have accountability partners, such as a friend who encourages them or joins them in working out, are much more likely to stick to their fitness goals. 

• Competency, or feeling good at what you do. Remember to always be easy on yourself, Agnew says: “Give yourself some grace and understand you’re not going to be an expert immediately.”

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