Reaching Your Goals the SMART Way

One thing that I do with all my clients is set goals. Focusing on specific actions in order to reach that goal whether it be losing a few pounds or completing a 10K. I wanted to share with you the approach that we use at Whole Body Fitness.
One proven way to set effective goals is using the SMART goal method. This method gives me the ability to turn my clients ideas into reality.

SPECIFIC: The goals must specifically state what is to be accomplished. They must be easily understood and should not be ambiguous or subject to interpretation. For example, rather than stating you would like to improve your fitness level, set a specific goal such as being able to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes at a time.

MEASURABLE: The goals must be measureable so that there is no doubt about whether you achieved them. Measurable goals also allow you to evaluate your progress. Goals can be measured objectively or subjectively (i.e., how you feel and look), or both. For example, you could measure your percent body fat and body weight, but also monitor how your pants fit.

ATTAINABLE: The goals must be attainable—not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals do not motivate, and overly difficult ones may frustrate you and lead to a perception of failure. I always try and focus first on the long term goal and then go backwards from there setting mini goals to get us there.
RELEVANT: The goals must be relevant or pertinent to your particular interests, needs and abilities. For example, when preparing for a 5K walk, running quarter-mile sprints would not be the best approach

TIME-BOUND: The goals must be time-bound by specific deadlines for completion. Timelines can be both short-term and long-term and should help you stay focused and on track.

Stay tuned this week for more of my secrets on how you can reach your goals!