For someone who likes to be active and reads a lot of fitness-related blogs and articles, I don't have strict fitness goals. When it comes to fitness, my approach is similar to what I talked about in my last post when I suggested taking a break from resolutions. You see, instead of telling myself that I have to do one particular activity at one particular time, I choose what I want to do and when I want to do it. If I was thinking about running today but the last thing I want to do is run?

Well, power-walking it is. The point is, it’s activity and it’s getting done.

Now, granted, not wanting to do one activity doesn’t give you free rein to do nothing at all. No fair swapping a bike ride for watching the Tour de France on TV (not unless you’re temporarily putting off your bike ride until after the televised race is over). And, yes, I acknowledge that my ability to choose when and where my activity happens has a lot to do with the fact that I’m single and child-free. I don’t have to factor in such things as soccer games or bedtime stories.

Just because I have the ability to switch activities around to meet my needs doesn’t mean I never do the same thing at the same time. Here’s a good example of a routine I have that doesn’t change very often: unless I’m out of town, or on the rare occasion that I’m not feeling well, I lift weights at my gym every Saturday and Sunday morning (lower-body one day, upper-body the next). I enjoy lifting weights on the weekends because I prefer working out in the mid-to-late morning -- but during the week I’m at work during those times, so I have to take advantage of it when I can.

On the flip side, some people really enjoy having structure. Some people, in fact, need structure in order to succeed -- if left to their own devices, maybe they would choose to do nothing at all. Not to mention, if you have a specific fitness goal in mind (like wanting to run a marathon, or participate in a triathlon), there’s a very good chance you’d do a lot better if you follow a formal plan and don’t skip out on running just because you’re not feeling it.

Me? I’m the kind of person who avoids joining classes that meet on a regular basis because I know that one week I may feel like going, while the very next week there’s a good chance I’ll feel like doing something else. I’ve never run in any kind of formal race because that might entail -- gasp! -- having to buckle down and actually train. (If you’re quirky and you know it, raise your hand.)

Right now, I’m perfectly okay with this. Maybe I’ll always be okay with this, and if so, that's great. But maybe one day I’ll change my mind, and I’ll want to train-train-train and “run like the wind” and think about such things as how many minutes it takes me to run a mile. Maybe one day I’ll get bored with solo activity and become more competitive. And you know what? That would be okay, too. As long as it’s my decision, and I’m happy, and I’m active, and I’m okay with where I am and what I’m doing? I’m fine either way.

My current fitness goal is pretty simple: I want to feel and look healthy. In addition to that, I'm sure I'll continue to sign up for random classes that strike my fancy. (Did you know there are places where you can take hula-hooping classes? FUN!!!!)

Everybody's fitness goal is going to be different. It depends on what you want. Maybe your main fitness goal is weight loss, or you want to work up to 50 standard push-ups, or you want to bench press 100 pounds, or you want to run a half-marathon. If you’re anything like me, someone who prefers to switch things up on a whim, you might not do so well making a lot of ultra-strict plans. (What can I say? Curiosity and restlessness are typical Gemini traits that I relate to and embrace.)

If you’re looking to make your own personal fitness goals, think about what kind of person you are. Do you dread the treadmill or stair-climber? (Zandria says: "Ooh-ooh! Me! I hate machines.") Seriously, I get bored after five minutes...any longer that that and I’m ready to pull my hair out. If you ever visit my gym and see a pile of long blond hair all over the floor where the cardio machines are? It’s probably because I was dragged there against my will and forced to elliptical-ize.

Do what you love. Do what you want. Make a goal that works for you and stick with it. You'll be glad you did.

Related Reading:

Ciara suggests How to Keep Your Fitness Goals for the Year.

Barbara Schwartz says "one of the reasons why my fitness goals always fail is time," but she's been inspired by the incoming President's regular dedication to working out.

Karen Jashinsky at CityMommy says two of her personal fitness goals this year are “to start swimming again and complete a triathlon.”

BlogHer’s Deb Roby listed her fitness goals for 2009.

(Contributing editor Zandria recently listed all the books she read in 2008. She blogs regularly at Zandria.us.)