SMART goals

I haven't talked much about setting goals.  It's SO important to do just that whether you are at the "GET fit," "BE fit," or "STAY fit" part of your health/fitness journey.  The key is to set appropriate goals that will lead to success and not failure.  We've all tried and failed at things in our lives and although we learn from those experiences, it's so rewarding to actually meet a goal.  

The key things here are deciding (a)What you want and (b)How to get there successfully.  I think you already know what you want, but you need to break it down into smaller steps before you move forward.  I want you to read this and memorize it.....maybe even make it a mantra on a tough day: 
CHANGE ONE THING AT A TIME.

What happens if you try to go "all out" and change everything from workouts to cooking to eating?  You fail and you fail BIG.  It's too much at once.  Here are some suggestions for you-- go back and read over my "PS-Don't Say DIET" post and pick one thing from that list that you feel confident that you could do for 2 weeks.  It could be drinking more water or taking a fish oil supplement each day.  Pick an easy one to start with.  When you've mastered it, pick another from the list and so on.  For exercise, work up to 5 hours per week of activity combining cardio with strength training.  Not 5 hours immediately if you are a beginner, but maybe 1 hour, then 1.5, then 2, and so on.  If you are at 5 hours already, just put more volume into it.  Just get started!   When you meet a goal, SET A NEW ONE!!

Below is a form that I use to set goals with clients.  Take a look....

PART 1:  

Questions that I want you to consider when setting goals. (Both long and short term)

- What do I want to accomplish in 6 months?

- What do I want to accomplish in the next year?

- What do I want to accomplish in the next 5 years?

- What is my dream accomplishment?

Goals should be:

S= Specific (What, when, and how)

M= Measurable (How will we measure the success?)

A=Attainable (Challenging, but not extreme)

R=Realistic (You are both willing AND able to work toward it, and you believe it can be accomplished)

T=Timely (How long to reach this particular goal? Choose a specific date.)

Example:  "I want to reduce body fat by 5% in 12 weeks," not just "I want to look better."

SHORT TERM GOAL (in next 6 months):

LONG TERM GOAL (in the next year and beyond):

PART 2:

Action Plan-  

1) What resources are needed to accomplish my goals? (money, time, equipment, people, etc)

2) What do I need to do each day to reach my goals?

3) What are some obstacles or difficulties I may have to overcome to reach my objective?