Top 10 realistic fitness goals to set in 2023

"Setting a realistic fitness goal based on relevance, timing, attainableness, and other specifics will initialize a good fitness routine to focus on throughout the year."

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You can stay on track with your fitness goals by incorporating shorter workouts, such as HIITs, in your routine. With the New Year here, you can set a fitness goal that is unique and suitable for your lifestyle and health. Consider seeking advice from your healthcare provider before starting any fitness regime. Here are examples of fitness goals to start on your 2023 wellness journey:

Set up or start a walking program

A sensible, attainable fitness goal does not always have to be strenuous. A walking routine is the best entry into a long-term fitness routine and one of the most achievable exercises as it is easy and free to start. Walking regularly will also improve your longevity and make notable improvements to your health. In about two weeks of power walking, you'll reap numerous benefits, ranging from strong leg muscles and improved stability to reduced blood pressure.

How to achieve it:

• If you are a beginner, you can start with a 15-minute walk each day for the first two weeks.

• Aim for 4 to 4.5 mph on your treadmill or 18 to 20 miles per hour walking outside.

• Advance your walking program by increasing the time, pace, or incline.

• You can try to recruit a family member or a friend for extra accountability.

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Strengthen your upper body

Substantial upper-body strength makes it easier to carry and lift anything. Daily activities such as picking up kids or even hauling groceries become easier when you are working with a strong upper body. A strong upper body facilitates good posture, improves your range of motion and flexibility, increases muscle mass, and promotes good health, such as keeping your heart healthy and reducing the risks of diabetes.

How to achieve it:

• Add an arm-strengthening exercise to your workout routine at least three days a week to start feeling the results.

• Work towards doing 20 pushups or strengthening your arms to enable you to do one pull-up. To begin, you can get an upper body workout using only your bodyweight and no dumbbells.

• You can also set a goal to do at least 3 sets of each workout with 10–20 repetitions.

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Option 1: Chest press

• Push a pair of dumbbells horizontally upwards while lying flat on a bench.

• Hammer curls and biceps

• Holding a dumbbell horizontally with each hand while standing, weigh the dumbbell so that it curls your arm but not to the top.

Option 2: Hammer curls

• Weigh the dumbbell vertically and bring your arm up to your shoulder.

• Other upper-body exercises include bent-over rows, assisted pull-ups and dips, overhead extensions, and triceps kickbacks. Incorporate these workouts into your fitness regimen to enhance a strong and stable upper body this year.

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Work on building a stronger core

A strong core is essential for improving posture, reducing lower back pain, and looking good. Proper core engagement enhances other workouts such as push-ups and squats. Your daily tasks, such as standing, bending down to put on shoes, or lifting a package, require your core strength.

How to achieve it:

• Start by doing at least a 15-minute core-focused workout three times a week in order to start feeling the results.

• Work on holding a minute-long plank and engaging different abdominal muscle angles with workouts such as side planks (25–60 seconds), hip dips in side planks (8–15 repetitions), and single-leg glute bridges (12–17 repetitions).

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Boost your cardio endurance

Cardiorespiratory workouts are essential for strengthening respiratory muscles and the heart, optimizing metabolic rate, reducing cholesterol levels, decreasing hypertension, and increasing lean body mass. You do not have to spend much time on a treadmill to improve your cardio. A HIIT workout is the best way to boost your cardio and can be used in various workouts.

How to achieve it:

• Running and jogging are the best ways to build and boost your cardiorespiratory fitness.

• Start running at least three times per week in 8 minute per mile. This rate should be manageable after a few days of consistent and solid training.

• Consider a new piece of cardio equipment, such as a jump rope rowing machine, or keep the workout interesting by advancing the workouts in different ways.

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Lifting weights

Although your body weight can help you achieve incredible fitness gains, lifting weights can help you improve your workout routine by promoting endurance and stability. Strength training exercises enhance sleep and flexibility, facilitate bone density, improve endurance, and increase lean body mass. It also helps reduce the risk of various chronic diseases.

How to achieve it:

• Begin with two to three weekly weight-training sessions. Start by lifting light weights and paying attention to your body's response to avoid strains.

• Consider working with a qualified fitness professional to assist and teach you various essential techniques.

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Aim for strong glutes

Throughout the exercise routine, your gluteal muscles aid in proper posture and power. Training your glutes has numerous benefits, from offering lower back support to preventing knee injuries. Incorporate exercises such as jumping, running, and heavy lifting as they facilitate glute toning, which is essential for acceleration and building power.

How to achieve it:

• Encourage glute-toning exercises at least three days a week for a positive change and a great impact on your fitness regimen.

• You can use resistance bands to start the workout; resistance bands facilitate mind-muscle coordination and increase muscle tension, facilitating the toning of gluteal muscles.

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Boost your flexibility

Flexibility facilitates good balance and posture, less pain, greater strength, a positive state of mind, and improved physical performance, making it the best choice of the realistic goals to attain in fitness and wellness. Lack of stretching minimizes your body's range of motion. Stretching and lengthening your muscles gives your body energy and helps to prevent injuries. Stretching more often can provide the muscles with a full range of motion.

How to achieve it:

• Set a 10-minute goal for stretching in the morning. Stretching in the morning promotes blood flow to the joints and muscles, thus helping your body stay active.

• Consider a 5-minute cool-down stretching routine if you are doing other exercises.

• Stretch for about 25–40 seconds to allow your muscles to relax fully.

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Regular meditation

Fitness is not always a matter of hitting the gym; introspection through mind-body connection is crucial in enabling us to connect deeper with the motive that suits our set goal. Meditation is the most effective method for achieving physical relaxation and calmness. It also decreases blood pressure and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How to achieve it:

• You can start by allocating a meditation space at home. Pick a simple place, such as a quiet corner with a few small plants.

• Other meditation routines target specific issues like anxiety, stress, and sleep, so you can tailor the meditation experience to what is best for you.

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Drink enough water

Hydration is the most important aspect when it comes to fitness goals. Water is crucial for proper body functioning, which includes daily workouts. We lose a lot of electrolytes and water through sweating, which may result in dehydration. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, heat stroke, and fatigue. As a result, it is critical to drink more water before, during, and after your workout.

How to achieve it:

• You can stay hydrated by drinking 2-3 glasses of water at an interval of about 2-3 hours before the workout session.

• Take 1-2 glasses of water every 15 to 30 minutes to stay hydrated during the workout session.

• Aim for 3-5 glasses of water after varying the intensity of your workout.

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Achieve a proper form of the pushup

Pushups are a great free exercise because you only need your own body weight. It is the best upper-body strength workout that targets your shoulder, chest, back, and arms. It improves your posture, supports bone health, boosts your heart health, and helps boost your core.

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How to achieve it:

• Get down on all fours, with your hands wider than your shoulder.

• Straighten your legs and arms.

• Go down until the chest nearly touches the ground. Pause, and then push your body back up.

• Repeat the process.

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Pushups are often done the wrong way. You can do them correctly if you work with a trainer. It is more important to do a good-quality pushup than to do more repetitions. After you have mastered the correct pushup posture, you can make it more challenging by adding weight, increasing the volume, changing the angle of doing it, and slowing down the pace of the ups and downs.

Setting goals and realistic plans for your fitness journey is important for both your physical and mental health. Realistic fitness goals such as boosting your flexibility, lifting weights, growing strong glutes, setting up a walking program, and meditating will enable you to attain your fitness goals and improve your confidence, posture, strength, and motivation in your fitness journey.

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