1. Join a Walking Club
When you set walking goals only for yourself, but when you join a walking club, when you meet your personal walking goals, you help others meet theirs as well. Most walking clubs meet locally, but tally their successes on a national or worldwide scale, so hooking up with a team of walkers can keep you motivated. After all, you can't let the team down, right?
2. Go Small and Build From There
Set walking goals for yourself that are attainable. If you have not been walking all winter, don't expect to put 20 miles in the first day. Keep your expectations reasonable and reachable, this limits discouragement, which is a workout motivation killer. Set a goal of half your regular walking time, steps or miles the first day back into your walking program. If you easily meet this, then try 75 percent your normal pace the next day, and so on. Working slowly back to your normal distance and rate keeps you from burning out too soon, and stopping before you even get started. Always check with your doctor before starting, even if it's another "restart" of your old walking program.
3. Talk it Up
It might seem that to set walking goals from your chair is counter productive, but it can really work. Join a walking forum on the web and you'll be surfing your way to walking goals in no time. Some walking forums have walking challenges and other motivational tools to get you going. You can even calculate how many of those lunch calories you burned off. It's good to keep the conversation on a positive spin, most of the people on these forums are like you, looking for a little pep talk.
4. Grab a Buddy
Nothing keeps you keeping on like a walking buddy. Set walking goals and share those goals with a friend. For us gals, walking with a friend is a social activity. We can catch up on all the latest goings on while we get our daily 30 minutes of exercise. If you are one who is easily discouraged, choose a walking buddy who is positive, upbeat and most of all motivational. This type of person can keep you in the game when you feel like staying on the couch. Be sure to do the same for them as well on days where you've got the steam. Keep each other going by daily reminders. A phone call, email or even a text message serves as a gentle reminder of your walking goals and how you'll meet them that day.
5. Keep
Writing down what you did to meet your walking goals helps you set walking goals for the future. Keep a calendar and write down your successes, such as your steps, times or miles, and use this to set new goals for yourself. Keeping this visual reminder also shows your progress and successes, which can be a great motivation to meet future goals.
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