Setting SMART Fitness Goals!

Many people make New Years fitness goals. However, a majority of these goals end up falling short because not all goals are created equal.

Putting the SMART method of goals setting into action can help you achieve what you set out to do, whether that’s losing weight, improving strength, or training for an event.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely—all of which are important in reaching a fitness objective.

1. Specific: You need something that is not too broad. An example of a non-specific goal would be “to get healthy”. A more specific goal would be “to lose weight”.

2. Measurable: Here’s where you’ll determine exactly how you’ll measure your goal. A poor example would be “lose a LOT of weight”. That’s not quantifiable. A measurable goal would be “to lose 10 pounds”.

3. Attainable: While having a long-term goal is good, you want to start with something small and short-term, which will encourage long-term consistency. At this point in the method, you should also consider the size of your goal. A goal of losing 30 pounds in one month just isn't going to happen, so you're better off setting smaller goals that are closer to reach, such as losing 10 pounds in 2 months.

4. Relevant: So you want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months, but why? Finding your “why” is often the hardest part of the method. Creating a goal with some type of motivation attached to it, like “I want to lose 10 pounds in two months to look better at my wedding,” can give a bit of relevancy to your goal."

5. Timely: You want to be strict about your deadline. If your goals is to lose 10 pounds in 4 months, you may have given yourself too much time to achieve the goal, therefore lacking the urgency to get started.

Once you’ve set your goal, it's all about the follow-through. Be accountable to yourself, stay consistent, and the results will follow! Watch this video for a further explaination of the SMART method: