Managing your Fitness Journey Expectations
We all started our Fitness Journey’s for a reason, and sometimes along this lifelong journey we reach moments of disappointment, lack of motivation and no desire to continue showing up anymore. No matter what reason you began your fitness journey for, we all experience this sometimes and a great way to get yourself out of this ‘funk’ is to manage your expectations. So here are 7 Tips to Manage your Fitness Expectations to set yourself up for long-term success:
Set Realistic Goals 🍏
When starting your fitness journey, it's essential to set realistic and achievable goals. While it's great to aim high, unrealistic expectations can lead to frustration. Instead of expecting drastic changes overnight, focus on incremental progress. For example, if you goal is to run a marathon but the furthest distance you have run is 5km, then start by working towards a 10km run then continue to build incrementally from there. It’s important to break down your goals into more achievable smaller goals, to make sure you give yourself every chance at achieving your major goal.
For more tips on setting goals, checkout our blog post Goal Setting for Success.
Good things take Time 🌷
One of the most common misconceptions is that fitness results will appear quickly, which can be very disheartening. It isn’t too surprising that these misconceptions affect all of us, considering we are constantly bombarded with clickbait and ads promising to help us "shred 10 kg in a week” or “build a booty in a month”. A mix of unrealistic expectations and wishful thinking makes our brains believe that it’s an attainable goal to be able to see physical changes from the moment we start putting the work in. The issue is, your transformation isn't going to happen overnight, and for most people, probably not in a few weeks either. Expecting big changes to happen in an instant can really hurt your self-esteem and hinder your progress if you stop believing in the process and yourself.
Our long-term client Ellie is the perfect embodiment of putting in the hard work and trusting the process over a longer period of time. She shares her experience with seeing slow progress on her fitness journey.
“It's easy to think we're not progressing sometimes. If you're like me and you are a slow progress kinda gal, don't be discouraged! Never give up, because hard work forever pays off. Slow progress is still progress. It doesn't matter at what speed you are progressing: at any speed, forward is forward”.
Embrace the Ups & Downs 🌈
The key to setting realistic expectations for your fitness results is accepting that no long term journey is ever going to be linear. When you look at someone else's accomplishments on social media, you typically only get a look at the before and after shot without actually seeing what they’re going through every day. It might seem like their results happened in a perfectly straight line, but you don't get to see the ins and outs of the real journey, that actually looks a lot more like a rollercoaster.
The little twists, turns and curves you don't get to see are all the typical disruptions we all experience, like getting sick or injured and having to take a break, social events popping up and going over your calories every now and again, or the down days where you'd rather stay in your pjs on the couch then train. All of these are completely normal and are to be expected on this journey.
During those times where you’re a bit further away from the “straight line of success”, it may seem like you’re getting nowhere, but so long as you are taking steps forward and not giving up, you’re still moving in the right direction.
Comparison is the Thief of Joy ⭐️
Comparison is an innate part of human nature, but we also know that it is the thief of joy and can be detrimental to our sense of self-worth. Avoid setting someone’s physique as your “goal body” or the ideal you're working towards. While it’s entirely true that it’s possible to change your shape with training, there are limitations to this such as natural build and genetics. If you naturally have a long, dainty frame, striving to become like someone who’s naturally curvy and possesses a softer physique is setting yourself up for an almost guaranteed failure - and vice versa.
Always remember that everyone progresses at different rates, and there’s absolutely no point looking at someone’s seemingly faster changes and getting discouraged. This can be hard to accept, but making comparisons will only make you feel unnecessarily upset and discouraged.
Listen to your Body 🩷
Pushing too hard, too soon, can lead to burnout or injury, derailing your progress. It's important to listen to your body and recognise when you need rest or when you should scale back. Fitness is about long-term health, not short-term gains. Prioritise recovery, proper nutrition, and sleep as much as your workouts. If you are feeling lack of motivation or fatigue after completing a few MWU programs back to back, perhaps its time for a Deload Week.
Reassess and Adjust your Goals Regularly ✍️
As you progress, your fitness goals may change. What seemed challenging at the beginning may become routine, or you might discover new interests, like strength training or yoga. Regularly reassessing your goals and adjusting them to fit your current fitness level and interests is important. This flexibility will keep your journey fresh and engaging. If you are currently feeling bored with your training maybe its time to try a new training style? Give the Define Program a go if you want to incorporate pilates, running & weight training or you are ready to take it to the next level and train like an athlete with the Power Program.
Celebrate all Victories - not just the ones on the scale! 🏆
While physical changes are often the focus of a fitness journey, it's important to celebrate non-scale victories too. Improved energy levels, better sleep, enhanced mood, increased strength, or even a new personal best in a workout are all significant achievements. These victories often have a more profound impact on your overall well-being than the number on the scale.
Our inspiring client Bex shares how she has learned to celebrate her victories, “I’ve been doing MWU Programs for 1 year and 3 months now, and have completed multiple Challenges, repeating a few of them along the way. I quickly realised that this journey is about lifestyle and long term changes, not quick fixes or trying to lose as many kgs as possible.
In fact, I’ve learned to not measure my worth by a scale at all. It honestly means nothing and that’s the way I used to measure my value entirely! I've learned so much about nutrition, self love, finding the workouts that work for you, consistency, and so much more - and all this has helped me undo years of negative diet and exercise myths and fads that I believed were true!”
Managing expectations on your fitness journey is about being patient, realistic, and kind to yourself. By setting achievable goals, embracing the process, and focusing on your unique progress, you'll be more likely to stay motivated and enjoy the journey. Remember, fitness is not just about the destination—it's about the growth, learning, and self-improvement you experience along the way 🩷
If you are ready to join an incredible Community of like-minded women and kickstart your fitness journey, look no further than our Move With Us Platinum Membership. Gain access to 10+ Programs and Levels, tailored Meal Guides to your fitness goals, recipe library of 1,500 recipes curated by dietitian's, and so much more.
