blastthru23
Moderator
Having and setting goals is imperative to actualizing success in all of our endeavours, and the one that we here on MG talk most of is creating a certain physique. Sure, most will say I want to become HUGE, or I want a body like the HULK, Those goals are fine to have, and if that is what you want, by all means go for it! But, how will you get there? What will it take? What changes are needed? We all know that just pinning god awful amounts of hormones will not, and is not enough. Really, gear is just a small step on a staircase that extends into the future, it's end is not in view, but we each have our own idea of what the end may look like. Let's take a look at goal setting. I will assume any goal that you have in mind, and lets just make that goal set for 6 months to a year, as most REALISTIC goals ought to be able to be realized in that amount of time, whether it's bf% reduction, hypertophy, or strength goals(NOTE: I used the word 'REALISTIC' intentionally as becoming an IFBB pro or an Olympia level competitor is not realistically within reach for most of us, at least not a year from now).
First, there is more than one goal, actually there are many along the way. Each goal you set should be realistic and meaningful lest one becomes disenchanted before even reaching a goal that was set too high, set for failure (e.g. "I want to get huge, weigh 245 in 8 weeks with a sub 10 bf%, even though I weigh 165 pounds and have a bf% above 20%"). So, what we ought to do is to first set short term, very short term goals that we can actualize. The culmination of small, short term goals, if planned correctly and adhered to, will culminate in you long term physique goals. Further, you will get a boost in self-confidence from actually achieving these short-term goals, and this confidence with come in handy in many aspects of your life.
The first step is to take realistic stock in what you are beginning with as far as your current physiological status in concerned. Thereafter, you can then set small goals to achieve what is first need, whether it is body fat reduction, strengthening of tendons and ligaments, correcting a muscular imbalance or just bringing up a muscle group or groups. Whatever the case may be, there will be changes that need to be made in your training and diet to achieve said goal.
To start, be realistic with how many days per week you WILL train, there is no maybe. If you say, "I can maybe train 5 days per week," then design a program for 5 days but in reality you can only make it in 3-4 days per week, you will short change yourself, and not get the requisite amount of training to meet you end goal. Therefore, firmly establish how many days you can train. Once you have that in place your next goal is ready in the wings.
The next goal is to design your training program that comports with your end goal. And, within that goal, there lies yet another goal: RESEARCH. Make it a goal to research training programs that map on to you goal. For example, for hypertrophy, it may high volume, and even high volume/high frequency, with undulating periodization. Your plan of attack will likely be, including but not limited to, your level of experience, and current abilities, level of endurance, and knowledge of lifting strategies.
Concomitant with your training program, you MUST create a diet plan. Make it goal to ascertain your maintenance calories using an online TDEE calculator. Once you know your baseline energy balance, create a plan that agrees with your end goal. Will you be in a caloric surplus, or deficit? Will a ketogenic diet be more effective? What about carb-cycling, could that be a better option to reach my goal? Again, RESEARCH. And this is yet another intra-goal activity that you MUST plan to achieve. Research diet and dietary programs and pick one. AND STICK TO IT. Trust the process.
You have reached the goal of what diet plan you will use. Thus, you will need to make it a goal to create a menu. However, you MUST be realistic about how many times per day you WILL eat. Sure, 6 times per day is the norm, but if you are driving around all day, or you have a job that will not permit you to eat that often, you will need to adapt to your schedule, getting the requisite calories for the day. It's more important to meet your caloric goal for the day, than to skip meals. Research has shown that there is benefit to the 6 meal plan, but in reality, the benefit won't make or break your success. Do you best to at least split your caloric intake into 4 meals, and if that is just not possible, 3 will still work. It's more about being consistent, than anything else.
There are some very short-term goals that are important yet often overlooked. Those are getting to the gym on the days proscribed by your program design, meal preparation, whether daily, or weekly, getting adequate rest to optimize recovery, reducing or eliminating unneeded stress in you life, at least those that you realistically can eliminate (not much one can do about traffic in highly congested areas, but you can change your point of view).
After some time of following your program, setting goals and so on, these behaviours will first become habit and ripen into a routine, a down the road it will be just what you do; it will be your lifestyle. Remember, the long-term goal will likely change along the way as you become familiar with your own physiology. Maybe you gain easily, maybe not. Maybe carbohydrates work for you, maybe not. As you discover you metabolic profile, your end goal may change from time to time. BUT! You now have a practice that will work for you as you progress. That being the ability to set goals and achieve them.
By no means is the laundry list of short term goals I set forth above exhaustive. It is up to you to discover for yourself what short term-goals you will need to establish to fit you and your goals. Goals are as individual, unique, and beautiful as the person creating and achieving them. Goal setting is a way to overcome obstacles.
Final word: Prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance.
