Four steps to find the perfect fitness program for you

What's the right fitness program for you?

Short answer: the one you will do consistently.

Slightly longer and more complete answer: the one that you'll do consistently and achieves the goals you want to achieve.

Here are 4 simple steps to help you find the perfect match for you:

Step 1: Define the first goal

Write down the first goal you want to achieve. This can be very basic or can be detailed. The goal is personal to you and depends on where you are now. Here are some examples:

• If you are just starting a fitness journey, then your goal may be to exercise at least 3 days per week for the next month.
• If you've been working out for a while at a gym where you spend time on a cardio machine (like a treadmill or elliptical) and then do a little bit with weights, your goal may be to add structure and intent to your workouts and maintain a 3 or 4 workouts per week pace.
• If you've been working out with intent and purpose for a while, then your goal may be something more specific like acquiring the skill double-unders or increasing your strength to a 2x bodyweight deadlift.

Your goal should be personal, and it should be something that speaks to you. For most people, the ideal first goal is something that can be achieved in the next 1 - 3 months.

While no one can define your goal for you, a good coach can help you identify your ideal goal and the steps necessary to get there.

That's exactly what we do during the initial consultation at our gym.

Step 2: Write down the steps needed to achieve the goal

Goals are necessary. They're the waypoints on the journey that let us know we're on the right path.

You don't set out on a trip to Daytona Beach without looking at the road signs to make sure you're headed in the right direction and making progress, right? If you're heading to Daytona Beach from Atlanta and you see a "Welcome to Tennessee" sign, you know something is not right. But, if you're headed to Daytona Beach from Atlanta and see that glorious sign for Buc'ees in Warner Robins, you know you're making progress and you're about to experience the cleanest restrooms anywhere on the interstate!

That's why we write down the steps needed to achieve our goal. It gives us a roadmap to follow and ensures we get there.

This is one of the most critical steps in the process. The steps should use habit stacking and address the possible obstacles. That's also what a great coach helps with. We don't write the steps for you, but we guide you through the process to make sure your steps are on target.

Step 3: Execute the plan and use accountability to your advantage

This one seems obvious, but it's where a lot of people stall out. The best map and plan in the world is useless unless you start the journey. Just like the Chinese proverb that we're probably all familiar with, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Accountability plays a major role in this. Share your goal with someone and then ask them to hold you accountable for the steps along the way. Maybe the goal is to exercise 3 days each week, and the steps for this week include exercise on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Your accountability partner will check in with you on Monday evening to see if you've done it.

Don't underestimate the power of accountability in achieving goals. It's not just important - for many of us, it's a non-negotiable. This is another area where a coach plays a major role. Once you're part of an amazing fitness family (like ours at CrossFit Koinonia), your accountability partner may also be your workout buddy.

Step 4: Achieve the first goal, then repeat the process

Success breeds success. Achieve that first goal and then repeat the process. Identify the next goal, map out the steps to get there, execute the plan, and leverage accountability to your advantage.

A great coach will help you identify when you're ready for your next goal. Goals always remain intimately personal, and a coach will help you find the thing that speaks to you.

We're here to help

Click the button below to book your initial consultation and trial class. You can also text 817-879-1625 to start the conversation - just lead with the word Coaching. It's nothing automated in the texting so you'll be talking to a real person (me).

A personal example from me

As a coach, I believe that it's super important for me to lead by example. That's why I'm in class 6 days per week at the gym - I truly believe in the CrossFit methodology and the results that come from it. I also believe in the process of establishing goals and working toward them by leveraging accountability.

I'm currently in maintenance stage on one goal and in the early stages of a second goal.

Goal 1: Work on my mobility daily. As I've shared before, mobility has been difficult for me since I was running cross country and track in high school. Since it's something I'm not good at, I've devoted very little time to it (who can identify with avoiding the stuff you're not good at?). Sixty-three days ago I began a mobility journey, and I'm documenting it daily on the gym's social media channels for accountability. Check out our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube channels to see all of them. I've seen incredible improvement in my mobility, and that's translating into improvements in lots of areas (more on that another week).

Goal 2: Get my first muscle-up. I've never done a muscle-up. I started CrossFit at 40-something and I never had a gymnastics background. I want muscle-ups, and I made that a goal following the CrossFit Open this year. I shared the goal with Tish, Daisi, and one member at the gym. The member also has a goal of muscle-ups, and so we are keeping each other accountable as we work through a 10-week program.