Setting Silly Fitness Goals That Aren’t About Losing Weight – and Why It Makes Us Happier

When we think of wellness or fitness goals, the first thing that comes to mind is usually weight loss. In fact, most people set fitness goals because they want to lose weight. While there’s nothing wrong with that, focusing solely on weight loss can make our fitness journey seem like a chore rather than something fun and enjoyable. The good news is you can set silly and enjoyable fitness goals that aren’t about losing weight and still get amazing health benefits. In this blog post, we’ll delve into why setting silly fitness goals can make us happier and healthier.

Is It Important for Athletes to Have Fun?

Did you know that exercise is not only good for your body but also for your mind? Regular exercise can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. While some of the world’s best sports coaches implement the importance of fun for their professional athletes’ success, it doesn’t have to be a serious workout for us non-professionals to achieve these benefits. You can set silly fitness goals like learning a new TikTok dance or participating in a 10k fun run at Disneyland. The small amount of physical activity involved in these goals can still boost your mood and improve your mental well-being.  Just ask your fitness coach or personal trainer in Hong Kong. We bet they could share at least one fun thing they strategically include in their overall fitness regimen!

 

Tiny habits for a happier and healthier life

Setting silly fitness goals can also help you break free from the monotony of everyday rigidity and challenge yourself in new and exciting ways. It can be something as simple as walking a certain number of steps every day or practising mobility for five minutes every morning. These small goals can spark new and enjoyable habits that can better your overall health and happiness.

If you’ve been following us at Limitless Health and Fitness Hong Kong for a while, you’ve probably seen the recurring theme of habit setting.  Part of our coaching protocol is to help you assess what you already do and identify habits that can be made tiny or even reconsider setting them.  Drawing from the best of both “worlds” – Functional Medicine and fitness coaching – it is even more paramount that you look beyond nutrition coaching and gym workouts for that deep-dive personal training.  The ones we’ve seen the most success in are the ones who adopt tiny habits for the sake of being happier and healthier.

What setting silly fitness goals can teach us

Another great thing about setting silly fitness goals is that they can bring a sense of community and belonging. For instance, you can set a goal of joining a local sports team like Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat community or check out some outdoor adventure groups with your friends. Working towards silly fitness goals as a group can make the activity fun and enjoyable, and there’s nothing like having the support of others cheering you on.  Wondering how that might transfer to our professional performances? Well, there’s a reason why many large corporations in Hong Kong invest in wellness and fitness activities for their employees.

The research confirms that hobbies help professionals conceive creative solutions for work-related problems. Those more engaged in creative activity often scored 15 to 30 percent higher on performance rankings than those who were less engaged.  Kevin Eschleman, an assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University says, “We found that in general, the more you engage in creative activities, the better you’ll do at work.” – Inc.com “Why Successful People Have Hobbies”

Finally, silly fitness goals can be a great way to break down the barriers we set for ourselves. Sometimes, we can be our biggest critics and believe that we’re not good enough, strong enough, or fast enough to achieve our goals. By setting silly goals that seem innocent and “less important”, we give ourselves the space not to need to excel in everything we lay our fingers on and be fully present in tackling new things. Surprisingly enough, that allows true confidence to surface and prove to ourselves that we’re capable of achieving things we never thought possible.

Having fun counts!

Setting silly fitness goals that aren’t about losing weight is a great way to improve your overall health and happiness. Those step-counts and fun group activities benefit in ways beyond physical fitness, as these goals can spark new habits and improve your mental well-being. The most important thing is to (re)learn how to have fun, reframe what having fun means in relevance to your discipline and not take yourself too seriously. By setting enjoyable fitness goals, you’ll be more likely to stick with your fitness routine and achieve long-lasting success in moving well. So, go ahead! – what are some silly fitness goals you can set today?