S.M.A.R.T. Fitness Goals

Let’s talk about setting your goal. It seems like that would be easy enough, but remember we’re not losing weight anymore.. We’re gaining wellness, so our goal has to reflect the wellness goal we hope to achieve. And we’re all about setting up for success. To set S.M.A.R.T. Goals, you have to start with your most basic goal statement… are you fighting diabetes? Blood pressure? Do you just want to be able to do a pull up? Are you looking to have a six pack? Have you plateau-ed? There are a million different wellness goals that you have based around your quality of life, and your needs.
S- Specific: My goal was to be fit. But specifically my goal was to be able to do a pull-up. I wanted to be better at calisthenics, and made my goal about building muscles. But specifically I wanted to be able to do pull—ups.
M – Measurable: I want you to know that not only is a pull up obviously measurable – you can do it or you can’t… the ability to do a pull-up happens in increments. So your goal has to me something you can measure. If it’s to lower your cholesterol, then you need to consider how many points you plan on lowering it. Measurable

also means that you are going to be taking a starting measure. This is an excellent place to tell you that next we will be taking starting metrics, and pictures. You have to be able to properly gauge progress, and you need to be able to have as many metrics available to gauge your success, it will give you detailed feedback on what you’re doing.
A – Attainable – is it possible? In our cases is it physically possible? It seems like something that would be obvious, but I’ve heard crazy weight loss goals that required a loss of 4-6 lbs a week to achieve, I just wonder how realistic some of our size and weight expectations are. Don’t look in a magazine, look at your family, and look at what your health is reflecting. Attainable is so important to the self esteem of it all.
R- Realistic – Ties in with attainable – but adjusts to your specific life circumstances. SO – something might be attainable, but you know yourself, this might be a better journey at a pound a week in sustainable weight loss. You know what is crazy for you to ask of yourself in a sustainable way. Keep your goal in mind with what is realistic. You didn’t get here overnight, so it’s unrealistic to think you’re going to do anything overnight. But if you stick with it, I promise you once you get to your goal you’ll FEEL like it was overnight.
T- Timely – What is your time goal? You might need to set time goals within your plan. I had goals to do x amount of push-ups… which helped me on my way to my pull up goal. I gave myself 90 days with which to execute the pull up goal. You can make big time commitments, but I would suggest making smaller ones and allowing yourself to succeed in increments. Make monthly goals that eventually lead up to your 90 day goal… it helps to break your mountain of a problem into mini manageable molehills. If your goal is to run a mile without stopping in 90 days – then in 45 days you should be able to run around the standard track twice without stopping. “Timely” can also totally de-rail your Realistic… even if your goal is attainable.
And to make a goal SMART-E.R. – don’t be afraid to E-Evaluate and R-Reassess. The key to any plan’s success is its flexibility. Feel free to leave a comment below with your wellness goal to help motivate others.