Having a fitness goal is key for maintenance of that lifestyle, and because without it you slowly slip into that lazy brown stuff, becoming a slob, losing confidence and eventually, your self-esteem. If you don’t have a goal that you’re currently working towards, Pulse.com.ng has 10 great ideas for you to consider.
1. Run your first full or half-marathon
Yeah I know. This sounds daunting, but if you regularly have a jogging routine, or a running program that you’ve kept in place for a number of years, now might just be the time to step up your game a little and sign up for that half or full marathon that you’ve been thinking and wishing about for so many years. In Nigeria, you can try signing up for the Obudu Mountain race, or yearly Okpekpe International Marathon, in Edo state. Having a clear goal for your training each day will give your workouts new meaning and ensure you stick with it for the long haul.
2. Run a 40-yard dash in five seconds
Well if my first suggestion scared the shit out of you, or sounds just a tad terrifying, then don’t worry. Long-distance running isn’t your thing. But now you can try and work towards improving your 40-yard dash sprint time. Aim to complete it in less than 5 seconds. Keep trying until you get there. When you do, or get close to that, that’s when you’ll know you’re in top-notch shape.
Another benefit of this is, sprint training will improve your cardiovascular performance better than endurance training, and is excellent for revving up your metabolism as well.
3. Perform 50 pushups
Strong guy. If you’re looking for a challenge away from the sweaty, and sometimes expensive the gym, consider aiming toward doing 50 pushups without stopping. This is a remarkable upper-body exercise and core developer, and will boost your muscular endurance. To crank it up a bit, if standard pushups are too easy, place your hands up on an exercise ball instead.
4. Reduce your waist size by two inches
This is wrong: Far too many men set their goals based on their body weight. Body weight doesn’t tell the whole story, though.
Instead, try to reduce your waist size by two inches. Your waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio are two of the most important health stats that you need to be aware of, as they're directly linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
5. Participate In Swimming
If you’re looking for a serious endurance-training challenge, consider participating in swimming. This is even great for men who want to get more variety out of their workouts, or suffer from joint pain and can’t perform the training associated with a marathon.
Whether you choose an Olympic-sized pool or some custom made one, you can be sure it is a goal worth pursuing.
6. Go a week without eating any processed foods
Today's increasing obesity rates are partly a consequence of eating processed foods. Not only are they contributing empty calories to your diet, but they’re also increasing your chances of developing insulin resistance. To combat this, make a goal to go a full week without eating any processed foods.
Drop that sausage roll, that fry, or skip the fastfoods. Cook all-natural meals and just watch how different you feel by week’s end.
7. Aim to consume a fruit or vegetable with every meal for a whole month
To really boost your fitness goals, make it a personal mission to consume a fruit or vegetable with each meal and snack you consume. Men are generally worse than women at getting their five to 10 fruit and veggie servings per day, so it’s time to change that.
8. Learn a new sport
Learning a new sport is another great way to get yourself motivated to keep up with your workouts and challenge your body in a way it hasn’t been before.
Try something different than all the other “mainstream” activities, like adventure sports such as Hiking or climbing. They’ll not only test your muscular strength and endurance, but your coordination and agility as well.
9. Perform five full single-leg standing squats
If there’s one exercise to really test your muscular ability, standing squats are it. Many men completely underestimate just how challenging this exercise can be, but if you want to develop powerful leg strength, add these to your home-workout program. They should be performed without weights, so are easy to do completely outside of the gym.
10. Keep Pushing!
Whether it's the odd, timeless measured acts of masculinity, or the lone walk when you're bored, keeping your fitness a priority should be a habit. So whatever you do, keep pushing your levels up!