Decide whether you want to gain muscle, lose fat, or improve overall fitness. Your workouts and diet should align with your goal.
1. Identify Your Primary Goal
Before starting, ask yourself:
✅ Do I want to build muscle? → Focus on strength training and progressive overload.
✅ Do I want to lose fat? → Prioritize a calorie deficit with strength training and cardio.
✅ Do I want overall fitness? → Mix strength, endurance, and mobility workouts.
2. Use the SMART Goal Method
Your gym goals should be:
- Specific – Clearly define what you want (e.g., “gain 5 kg of muscle” instead of “get bigger”).
- Measurable – Track progress with weight, body measurements, or strength levels.
- Achievable – Set realistic goals (e.g., “lose 2 kg per month” instead of “get abs in a week”).
- Relevant – Align goals with your lifestyle and abilities.
- Time-bound – Set a deadline (e.g., “increase bench press by 10 kg in 3 months”).
3. Break Down Goals into Small Steps
Instead of setting one huge goal, break it into smaller milestones:
- If you want to gain muscle, aim to increase your lifts by 2.5-5 kg every few weeks.
- If you want to lose fat, track your weight weekly and aim for 0.5-1 kg loss per week.
- If you want to increase endurance, improve your cardio time gradually (e.g., running 1 km faster each month).
4. Track and Adjust
Keep a workout log or use a fitness app to track progress. If you hit a plateau, adjust your training or diet.