Goal Setting

Alright lets start with the recipe now. It can be summed up as this: "right food, right workout and rest". Simple enough! To be honest it is simple and I'm gonna say this for the umpteenth time: the recipe is simple, it's following it that takes effort. I'll start with the not-so-known component I hinted about earlier known as "Goal Setting".

This is an exercise which many of us might find cheesy. It's about having clearly defined goal written on paper. I thought that it was a pointless hassle for I thought I knew what I wanted when it comes to fitness but the fact is unless we have clear written goals we are sailing blind. Here's few things to keep in mind when setting goals:

1. Goals must be specific and objective/measurable: A goal like "I want to loose 5 kg." fits the bill but a goal like "I want to be slimmer" can hardly be propelling. A note here, weight loss goals actually have a catch as they don't take into account where you loose the pounds from. No one would want to loose 5 kg. of muscle so it's better to rephrase the goal in terms of fat loss or body composition (aiming for say 10% body fat).

2. Goal must be big yet realistic: Don't go for excuses like "I am just starting how can I hope to gain 2 kg. in a month." Unless your goals are challenging you would subconsciously be going easy in the gym. You need to make each workout count so challenge yourself. At the same time you don't want an unrealistic goal that you are already convinced of not achieving; balance is the key.

3. Goals must have some emotional reasons: I bland goal like "I want to loose 5 kg. in 2 months" is not nearly as powerful as "I want to loose 5 kg. by September (so that I can impress my girlfriend)." Ask why you want what you want, associate feelings and phrase your goals accordingly.

4. Goals must not be conflicting: Though this should be obvious it took me more than a year to come to terms with the fact that I cannot gain muscles and loose fat simultaneously. For gaining muscles you have to be in calorific surplus and for loosing fat in calorific deficit, they clearly don't go together. It is however possible to achieve this goal (using something called the "zig zag method") but that would be slower and much more demanding than a bulking-cutting cycle.

You are now ready to write down your goals. Write them in a personal tone, in present tense (as if you have already achieved them) and using positive words (all of this has to do with how subconscious processes information). Keep them in front of you so that you can see them everyday. Here are the goals I wrote (and achieved) for myself:

8th February: "I am so happy and thankful for my lean body after shedding 6 kg. of fat by May."

8th May: "I am so glad now that my fat percentage is 8 and I can see definition on my abs."