Planning for Fitness

Setting Goals:

Why do you want to become a bodybuilder? Why do you want to become fit? The first step in any program is to decide why you are undertaking a bodybuilding or fitness plan. Some people start a program because they are overweight or because they want to look better. These are good reasons but, make sure that you are doing it for yourself. A higher percentage of people stick with a plan because they are committed to themselves. Get started now to see a difference tomorrow.

Setup Goals For Today:

By setting up immediate goals you will be setting a solid foundation for gains.
Plan what you are going to eat today.
Plan your workout.
What are you going to accomplish today?
Take it one day at a time and you will succeed. Being consistently disciplined is most of the battle.

Short Term Goals:

Make sure that you start out with some short term goals. Most people set themselves up for failure because they think that they can get big overnight. Rome wasn't built in a day. Start slow and build up to lifting that 300 pound bench press. Add a little extra weight every week or every couple of weeks. Don't jump right in and hurt yourself or get so sore that you won't want to continue. You will be sore in the beginning but, this is part of the deal. After a few weeks the soreness will occur less frequently.

Long Term Goals:

Setup some long term goals for the next 3 to 6 months. Setup more goals for 6 months to 2 years. Example:
"I want to be able to do (you fill in here)."
"I would like to look like (you fill in that person here)."
Find a picture of someone that you admire and visualize yourself looking like that person. Make sure that your goals match the time allotted. Don't expect to look like Dorian Yates in 3 months. Be realistic but, dream a little. Visualization is a powerful tool. Visualize each workout and the workout will become better.

Keep A Logbook:

Write down your training, nutrition and goals. By keeping track of your progress you can easily see where you are versus where you will be.

Make sure that you write the date on each entry.

Training: Write down your exercise, your sets, and your reps. Write down a little about how you felt that day, your bodyweight, and whether you stretched or not.

Nutrition: Write down what you eat and count calories. Write down what vitamins, minerals and supplements you take.

Goals: Write down your short and long term goals.

Workout with a Training Buddy:

Some people like to train by themselves. Others like to workout with someone. If you choose to workout with a friend make sure that you have similar abilities. You wouldn't want someone spotting you that couldn't lift the weight if it becomes too heavy for you. A training buddy can be very motivational. You can push each other to attain each other's goals. If you know that your friend is going to be at the gym you are more likely to show up to train.