How to Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Proven Fitness Success
Goal setting is an important part of ANY fitness journey. Goals help keep you motivated and stay on track to make improvements EVERY day. A proven strategy for setting effective goals is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals – goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.
Specific: A specific goal is one that clearly states what you want to accomplish. Instead of a goal to “get in shape” which is somewhat ambiguous, you might set a goal to run a 5K.
Measurable: You want your fitness goal to be something that can be measured so you know whether or not you are making progress towards your goal. Setting a goal of “I want to lose 5lbs” is better than “I want to lose weight” because there is a measurable aspect to it.
Attainable: You want to make sure the goal you set is attainable. For example a goal to lose 50 lbs in 1 month would not be realistically attainable, especially not with a healthy sustainable plan.
Relevant: The goal you set should be relevant to your interests, needs and longer term fitness goals. If you need to improve cardio vascular health, your goals should be related to this need.
Time-Bound: Goals should have a timeline or estimated deadline for completion. The timeline can be long or short, but having an end point helps you stay focused on your goal and accountable. “I want to lose 5 lbs in a month” for example.
No matter how big or small your goals are – setting SMART goals can help you make progress and continually improve to reach your goals every day! Try writing down a few SMART goals and get started changing your fitness life!