Establishing Successful
Fitness Goals
By: Tom Kalka, CFC CEO
Custom Fitness Concepts, LLC
www.CFCFitness.com

A GOAL without a
PLAN
is nothing more
than a WISH

Fitness goals, like other goals,
must contain these 5 important
key steps:
1. Define your Goals
2. Devise a Plan
3. Understand your
Limits
4. Establish a Support
System
5. Be Patient

Define your
Fitness
GOALS
1

I am going
to lose 50lbs A Spartan
Race
might be funRun a
Marathon?
I’m going to
add 10lbs of
of muscle

Elements to a Realistic Goal
Use the SMART acronym. Your goals should be:
• Specific – What exactly do you want to achieve?
• Measureable – How do you know if you have
attained your goal?
• Achievable – Is your goal beyond the realm of
possibility? Is safety a concern? Do outside
factors inhibit your ability to accomplish it?
• Realistic – Is it something that makes sense or
are you setting yourself up for failure?
• Timely – Pick a time/date to reach your goal.
Don’t leave it open ended.

Devise your2

No Plan = Failure

Devise your Plan
Use the backwards planning method to
develop your plan:
• Start where you will end up:
– Imagine you have met your goal
• Ask yourself:
– How did I get there?
– What steps did I take?
– Write down the smaller accomplishments which led to
the overall success

Devise your Plan
• How much time did it take to complete
each smaller goal
– Estimate the timeframe in which it took to reach that
stepping stone
– Now you have your plan!
• What equipment, space, program, tools
did you use?
– Make sure you have everything you need on hand or
have the capability of getting it before moving forward

Understand Your
3

Understand your Limits
• How will your job, kids, family affect your plan?
• Do you have any current injuries or a history of
injuries that have inhibited you in the past?
• Are you taking into consideration your planned
vacations/ holiday weekends?
• What events have derailed your previous
attempts and how can you avoid those in the
future?
• What happens when you have a pitfall?
• What is your plan to get back on track?

4
Establish Your

Go it alone and you are far less
likely to be successful.
Join forces with others and you will
be much more likely to hit your
mark!
Establish your Support System

Establish your Support System
Express your goals to those people who will hold
you accountable to them
Do NOT count on significant others. They can not
answer honestly without hurting your feelings so
you need to tell someone who will tell you the
truth.
“Yes, your butt does look bigger in those pants
because you MISSED BOOT CAMP!”

Who should be in your support system?
• Your trainer(s)
• Fellow clients
• Your doctor
• Neighbors
• People that you see regularly who should notice
the changes in you or your behavior: The
barista, bartender, hair dresser/barber, office
mates, business partners, priest/pastor
• Your kids… they’ll be honest with you and it
might motivate them to join you
Establish your Support System

Who should NOT be in your support system?
• The haters, the naysayers the people who
railroad your attempts (knowingly and
unknowingly) and do not support you.
• Oftentimes, it’s the people who care the most
about you.
– Your spouse, your mom, your dad… They don’t want
to see you suffer and they already love you for who
you are. This goal is about YOU and what YOU want
to accomplish so seek out those out who will be
honest with you.
Establish your Support System

5 Be

Be Patient
• It takes time to undo what you’ve done.
• Don’t expect miracles.
• Expect pitfalls but be confident in your
plan; be patient, believe that despite
pitfalls, you can do it!
• Never give up.
• Don’t ever give up.
• If you fall off track; remember that starting
over is acceptable; giving up is not.

I did it!
I did it!
I did it!
I did it!

By: Tom Kalka
CEO, Custom Fitness Concepts, LLC
Tom@CFCFitness.com
www.CFCFitness.com