Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins
Goals are very important to have when embarking on a health, wellness and fitness journey. The types of goals you set and how you structure them have the ability to make or break your results.
As an experienced coach, what I’ve noticed is, that the clients that make the most progress are the ones that set concrete goals and make their goals SMART. In order for a person to set SMART goals, an individual must have a clear vision of where he/she is going and or what they want to accomplish in the short and longterm.
It is important to note that goals can be a great motivator for some, yet can also be overwhelming for others especially if they are set in away that does not align with where that person is at the moment. Some people might want to do too much too soon and others never put a deadline and take longer than potentially necessary to reach those goals.
SMART goals are ideal for people, with desires to lose weight, run a race, improve their nutrition, increase their strength, increase daily energy, manage long term stress, and increase daily movement habits and improve overall lifestyle.
SMART goals stand for:
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relatable & Time bound/Timely
Specific: Vague goals create vague results. When it comes to goal setting, the more specific the better. It is easy to say, I want to “eat better” or “I want to run more”,”I want be more active” however, by being specific, your goals become more clear. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, “specific goals produce higher levels of task performance than no goals or general “do your best” goals. I would recommend to go from “I want to eat better” to potentially “I want to increase my vegetable intake for breakfast, lunch and or dinner by having my favorite vegetables” or “I want to be able to run 4.5 miles, in the park by December, 2024” or “ I want to increase the number of 1 hour walks from two to five times per week” The more specific, the higher the chances of you accomplishing what you truly desire.
Measurable: Without a way for you to gage results, it is and will be very challenging for any individual to make progress. For a
person wanting to lose inches off their waist or decrease body fat percentage, you must hold yourself accountable by having a way to measure whether or not you are reaching those goals. Some people use a scale at home or a more sophisticated machine at their local gym such as an Inbody or Fit3d. There are many ways to measure results when it comes to weight loss that does not involve a scale, such as taking before and after pictures, or using an old or new piece of clothing that you will like to fit in for you to gage whether what you are doing is working or not.
Attainable: It is tough to see people set unrealistic goals, meaning, it’s not a problem to shoot for the moon however, if you are currently sedentary and are wanting to lose 30 lbs in 30 days. You may be hit with a rude awakening as you attempt to reach those goals. There are many variables that affect weight loss, such as hormone imbalance, medications, stress, lack of sleep, improper training or lack of training and more. Goals need to be realistic and safe, especially when it comes to your health and wellness. Typically it is ideal to lose 1 lbs to 1.5 a week for health reasons. Some people can lose a little more however, for long lasting results an attainable goal is 4 lbs a month and or shoot for 12-15 lbs in 3 months.
Relatable: I’ve noticed that when people set goals that have meaning, they work harder, show more self compassion, dedicate themselves to the process and when they hit challenges, find ways stay on course. It is important to find a strong why, a true reason as to why you are putting yourself through potential discomfort and exerting energy. A strong purpose or why, creates a fire to pursue your goals and allows you to keeps that fire lit for a longer time. So a goal that is dear to you may support you more than a goal that you believe you should have or set by another person for you.
An example of a strong why looks like: “I want to lose 50 lbs so that I can be emotionally, physically and readily available to my children or family” or “ I want to improve my nutrition by eating healthier because I want to live a long life so that I can experience spending time with my grandchildren” or “I want to be physically fit so that I can climb mount Everest before the age of 45 years old.”
Lastly, Time Bound/Timely: Deadlines are important, they are objective along the way that assist us to know you are on the right track. When setting health and fitness goals. Saying “I want to lose weight”, let’s say 30 lbs and a deadline was not set, you may be striving at this goal for more than necessary to reach the objective. Even if you set the goal to a year, it is better than leaving it to chance. You may push yourself and strategies much more efficiently if you know that you want to reach a certain milestone by a particular time.
If you would like to work on your personal health and wellness goals focused, on Nutrition, Health, Fitness, Sleep & Stress Management, Increased Energy Levels and overall Life goals. Book a 30 minute Complimentary discovery call today, and see how we can potentially assist you in your journey.
