Here are some great tips from our Nov Featured Athlete, Emily Danielson, to help keep you motivated and focused. Emily provides these helpful tidbits on a full schedule of her own! Heed what she says-she speaks the truth.

Reach your goal tips:

1. Pin point what your actual goal is.
   -Do you want to loose weigh, gain muscle, tone, increase endurance…..
2. Know why you have this goal. (Must be for you!)
   -Health reasons, self confidence, summer time appearance, special event, increase energy throughout your day…
3. Create a realistic plan of action, including life in AND out of the gym.
   -educate yourself on how to use the most of your time in the gym to reach your goal as efficiently as possible. Also, educate yourself on how to make the most of cardio, proper meal planning and proper rest.
4. Set a goal date!
   -90% of people who try to reach their goals without an actual “reach the goal day” do not succeed.

Tip: Most gyms offer free personal training orientations or fitness assessments. This is a fantastic way to design a solid work out plan that you like! And remember, if you don’t like it or you get bored, it can be changed as many times as you want!

Meeting with a nutritionist is also a great way to come up with the perfect meal plan to reach those goals and to feel great through the day!

Stay motivated tips:

1. Take all junk food out of your house.
2. Surround yourself with like minded positive people, it’s a huge support.
3. Write down your goal and goal date on a post-it and put one on your car dash and another on the bathroom mirror. (or wherever you will see it daily)
4. Take progress pictures.
5. Above all make sure you are doing this for you! If you feel pressured or unhappy you will not stick to it. You have to want it.
6. Talk, read and ask! The more you learn about what you are trying to do the easier it will be to stay motivated and focused!
7. Keep a progress log so you can really see the progress your making.
8. Planning and time management. You must be organized and manage your time wisely. We are all busy; allowing yourself to get caught up in the events of life pushing your workout to the back burner is all too easy.
9. Set some smaller daily or weekly goals for yourself. Keep your eye on the over all goal but don’t let it overwhelm you. Break it down if need be.
10. Crank up those jams! An iPod is every gym goer’s best friend. If you start to loose focus in your workouts…it’s time to change it up!