Setting Smart Goals

In my last blog, I stated the reason for either doing cardio or weights first depends on your goal.  That got me thinking about goals in general.  As a personal trainer, I help my clients determine their fitness goals.  Then, put them on a path towards achieving those goals.  The number one goal I hear is related to losing weight.  And, it’s a good reason to hire a personal trainer!  But, here’s how to set meaningful goals on your own.

Setting SMART goals is an easy way to stay on track.  You can apply the SMART method to any goal you set whether it be fitness-, financially-, or career-related.  SMART is an acronym:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A- Attainable

R- Reward-Based

T – Time-Bound

Specific – Saying “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be fit” is very broad.  What does “being fit” mean to you?  To set a specific goal, associate a number with the goal.  For example, “I want to lose 20 pounds” is specific.  Or, “I want to be able to do 10 pushups without stopping.” Or, “I am going to BodyPump on Mondays at 6pm.”

Measurable – Once you’ve set a specific amount of weight you’d like to lose, you can measure that on a scale.  So, it’s a measurable goal.  Having more energy is not a measurable goal.  You may feel like you have more energy when you regularly exercise, but it’s subjective.  Identify what about the exercise is giving you more energy.  Is it walking 3 times per week?  Lifting weights every other day?  Then, you can measure if you’re doing the amount of workouts per week you need to have more energy.

Attainable – Make sure you set a goal that you are capable of achieving.  This sounds simple, but it’s easy to have unrealistic expectations of ourselves.  Losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks is not only unsafe, but also unlikely.  That’s an example of an unattainable goal.

Reward-Based – It’s very satisfying to achieve a goal.  But, along the way, it’s helps to have something to look forward to.  That’s why before starting on your goal, you should decide what your reward will be when you reach your goal.  Make it something that will motivate you!  Maybe it’s buying a new bathing suit or maybe it’s going to your favorite restaurant and ordering whatever you want!

Time-Bound – Set a deadline to achieve your goal by.  “I want to lose 10 pounds in the next 5 weeks.”  Or, “I want to lose 15 pounds by December 1.”  Just keep in mind that if your deadline is a long way out, you may want to set some shorter goals along the way to keep you on track.

Here’s to your goals!  Leave a comment on this post about how SMART your fitness goals are and I will take 40% off your purchase of a customized fitness program.  Regularly $60 – you’ll get a 20-30 minute phone call with me and a 1-month exercise program!  Act now: offer good until August 31, 2009.