Transform your goals into a game plan:

Today I want to share a simple framework that we use at Nerd Fitness Coaching to transform goals In plans you can actually follow.

In the end you’ll be like Neo in The matrix – able to see the pattern and build a resilient and flexible routine even when life gets chaotic.

Cool? Cool.

Step 1: Imagine your 12-month victory

The first step is to write down what your goals actually are!

Maybe it’s…

• Lose 20 pounds to improve your blood tests
• Run a 5K to support your local charity
• Get your first ​pull up​
• Feel more confident in your body
• Just feel better. Stronger, more energy, less aches.

Everything is permitted.

If you’re feeling stuck, try this:

“In 12 months, if you’ve made impressive progress toward your health and fitness goals…what’s life like? Describe your average day to me.”

This can help get ideas flowing and gives you North Star aim.

Step 2: Identify the skills behind this goal

This is where most people go wrong.

They go straight from “I want to lose 20 pounds” to “I need to follow this exact workout plan five days a week. This skips a crucial step: SKILLS.

Ask yourself:

“What are the types of SKILLS someone who achieves this goal develops?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Do you want to lose weight?

• Control portion sizes
• Meal planning and preparation
• Get enough sleep
• Have non-food coping mechanisms for stress
• Stay active throughout the week

Do you want to become stronger?

• Take the time to lift regularly
• Recover well (including days of sleep and rest)
• Eat enough protein
• Learn to work on the verge of failure during your workouts

You don’t have to list each skill. Just write down a few that come to mind.

Step 3: Choose your practices

Now that you have identified a few skills, the next step is to determine how practical them.

That’s the cool thing, because there isn’t just one right answer, which is actually a GOOD thing. Take my client Amanda, for example.

She wanted to lose weight to improve her overall health. We have therefore identified “portion size control” as a key skill. But she didn’t want to count calories every day.

So here is what we did:

• Week 1: I’ve gotten into the habit of making an afternoon snack at work. This helped avoid overeating in the evening.
• Week 3: Used ​hand guides​ to estimate meals. We started with breakfast, then moved to lunch and dinner over the course of a few weeks.
• Week 10: I tried short-term calorie tracking. What In fact appreciated – something she never thought of when we started!

All different practices. All this in the service of even skill.

We had the possibility to adapt according to what seemed realistic and useful to us at that time.

What if she had a difficult day? She could move towards a different practice while developing the underlying skills.

If you skip the skill development step, you risk creating an inflexible plan or continuing with the wrong actions altogether.

This is one of the reasons why so many diets fail: they don’t help you develop lasting skills. They just give you temporary rules.

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Now I would love to hear from you!

• What 12-month win can you think of?
• What is one skill that could help you achieve this?
• What easy practice could you do this week for this skill?

Hit Reply and let me know. I would like to encourage you.

You have this 💪

-Mast