Posted on May 11, 2016 by Jenny Cromack
One of my personal training clients turns 40 next year (I’m sworn to secrecy on who….needless to say, she doesn’t look it because she leads a very healthy and active life!). She has a created a list of 40 things to do before she is 40, which gave me the inspiration to write this blog.
Many of the ‘things to do’ on her list are fitness inspired goals such as run a half marathon, run a 10k in under an hour, etc. This got me thinking about goal setting and different fitness inspired or health inspired goals we could set? We live in world where we tend to be obsessed with numbers, which is great for motivation for some (including me…I’m a stat person and like to know how I rank against others) but for some numbers and ranking just doesn’t float their boat. So here are some ideas for fitness inspired and health inspired goals which may keep you motivated in your healthier lifestyle.
1. Run a Park Run every weekend. I love Park Runs…they are FREE and a great atmosphere. A great way to start the weekend, and as they are only 5k and held in a local park they don’t take over your weekend!
2. Attend a cookery school and learn to cook some new meals.
3. Run 10, 10k’s in a year.
4. Be able to a full press up or if you can do this already be able to do a plyometric (clap) press up
5. Sky dive!
6. Conquer the pull up! Reading this thinking…..easy! Set yourself a target of number of pull ups you would like to be able to do…..and with perfect form!
7. Walk or run the Yorkshire or National 3 Peaks….or both! Fancy going further afield….why not complete a hike somewhere abroad like the Grand Canyon?
8. Give up booze for a month…..easy…..go without it for a year!
9. Complete an event such as a 5k in fancy dress
10. Beat one of your work colleagues/friends/family at an arm wrestling match!
11. Learn to swim…..for some of you this might not apply, but I think you would be surprised how many people can’t swim or swim well.
12. Complete the London Marathon (or any marathon)….I would say this on most runner’s wish lists!
13. Already completed the London Marathon? How about an oversee marathon such as Paris or Berlin?
14. Complete a triathlon. This could be anything from a try-a-tri/supersprint right up to an Iron Man!
15. Complete the London to Brighton Bike Ride or another long-distance bike ride.
16. Go to Club La Santa, Lanzarote on holiday – an amazing place to get fit in the sunshine!
17. Master an advanced yoga-pose and work on your suppleness and flexibility.
18. Take 10 minutes out of your day, every day to do something you enjoy……read a book, go for a walk, knit, kick-boxing…something which doesn’t involve technology or work!
19. Learn a new hobby….knitting, cooking, play a musical instrument….anything! Challenge yourself!
20. Perform a handstand – easy when you were a child? Can you do one now? This requires an amazing amount of upper body strength and core strength. Make sure you can do it with perfect form and be able to hold for a minimum of 10 seconds.
21. Be able to touch your toes…..come on, how many of you can do this without warming up first!
22. Compete in an amateur body building competition.
23. Go surfing or paddle boarding…get there and enjoy the ocean.
24. Whilst we are talking about the ocean….learn to scuba dive.
25. Take part in a mud-run or obstacle run.
26. Bench press your body weight
27. Deadlift 1 to 1.5 times your body weight for 5 reps.
28. Squat your body weight. Can do this already? How about 1.5 times your body weight?
29. Hold a plank for 3 minutes
30. Learn to ski or snow board.
31. Give up sugar for a month.
32. Learn to rock climb or boulder.
33. Go for a full month of making your own lunches for work.
34. Dedicate one day a week where you walk or cycle to and from work. Try it just for one month!
35. Give up processed food for a month.
36. Hit your target body weight/body fat levels and maintain it for the year…..crack at least three months and there will be no going back!
37. Take up a new exercise-related hobby with your children or partner.
38. Make one new recipe a week to keep your diet healthy and varied.
39. Take 10 minutes of your day every day to reinforce all of the positive things you have done. And give yourself a compliment every day. Both of these do wonders for your motivation and self-belief.
40. Do 100 burpees without stopping….ok so I know many of you will ignore this one, but I had to get burpees in there!