Focusing on health and fitness is a great thing to do, and you probably have a goal in mind…but how realistic is your goal? Planning to lose 5 stone in a week, or to run a marathon without any training, are both dramatized and unrealistic goals. Setting a SMART goal is the best way to guarantee success. A SMART goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.
Be Specific About What You Want
Whether your goal is to lose body fat, gain muscle mass, or to run 5k, you need to be specific about it. There’s no use saying ‘a few pounds’ or ‘to be able to go for a run’, as these aren’t specific goals, and they don’t provide you with the target in mind that you are aiming to work towards.
Measurable Goals
Again, it’s not about a few pounds, a percentage of something or just a generic goal. Having a measurable goal will not only give you a clear target, it will also show you the progress you make along the way. Let’s say you are a size 18 and you want to get to a size 10. When your size 18 clothes start to feel baggy, you know you’ve got past the first hurdle.
Achievable
Think about what is going to happen during the time that you are working towards your goal. For instance, if you plan to lose weight over the next few months, take into account that Christmas comes into that time frame, and we all like to indulge. That doesn’t mean that you should aim lower, you just need to work harder and expect to get a sweat on all through January!
Realistic
Is your goal realistic? Can you commit to it? You know what you are capable of , so be honest with yourself. If you haven’t been into fitness for a while, or maybe it’s a new lifestyle completely, you need to start from the basics. Realistically, you won’t be able to put in the same amount of work as a keen gym-goers does, so your goals will be different to theirs.
Have a Timely Goal
Goals are great, and working towards them is an amazing feeling, but if you don’t have a start and finish date, then you’re just doing it when you feel like it. Set a sensible goal and a target date, this helps you to plan, and also makes you stick to it. Make the commitment and reap the benefits!
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