Lofty goals or SMART ones?

-

 With the start of a new year, chances are more likely that you've set some goals for yourself.  Eating healthier, working out more, and losing weight come to mind as typical "New Year, new me" type resolutions.  We've all done this and made these proclamations without fully coming up with a strategy or gameplan to achieve our goals (no matter what they are).

Let's take the "I want to work out more" goal for example.  What exactly is the goal?  What is the endgame?  How long are you giving yourself to achieve this goal?  Without specific criteria like these, the chances of attaining this "goal" plummet.

Enter the SMART goal.  Smart goals create accountability and help guide you to accomplishment.  They help you zero in on what exactly you wish to do, and create an outline to get you to it.

When you create a goal, apply the SMART criteria to help you answer these questions.

Is your goal....

S: Specific?  What exactly are you trying to do?  

M: Measurable?  How will you determine your progress towards meeting this goal?

A: Achievable?  Is this goal attainable?

R: Realistic?  Are you able to make changes to make this goal a reality?

T: Time-bound?  When do you want to attain this goal?

Using this format can turn a nondescript goal such as "I want to work out more" into a well thought plan of action such as.....

"I will walk/run 3-5 miles per week, using my Apple Watch to track my progress.  I already walk some so this is not new to me and I have access to a walking path and a treadmill if necessary.  I would like to make this a long term habit so I can see how many miles I rack up each month and for the year.

Big difference right?  It's kind of hard to not achieve a goal when you customize a plan and look at the reality of the goal in order to make it a SMARTer one.

Happy goal-setting!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Juicing

-
The best diet comes from the things that are most commonly passed by: fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain all of the calories, vitamins, and nutrients that the body needs to survive.  The key is how you take them in.  When cooking or steaming vegetables, most, if not all, of the nutrients are lost in the process.  Fruit and vegetable juices available at the store contain added sugars, flavoring, and refined ingredients to cause more harm than benefit. The answer is juicing.  Why juice and not just eat them?  Chances are, you WON'T eat them!  And if you do, you will probably get real full real fast or real tired of it immediately.  Juicing adds convenience and variety to your day, not to mention color.  The nutrients will detoxify your body, the calories will create energy, and the cost will make you smile.  There are no set recipes, you add what you see fit, mix and match, and expose yourself to things you haven't before....
Read more

Pre-workout nutrition

-
It's best to not go heavy with the meals prior to your workout.  Eating too much or eating the wrong thing prior to exercise can be possibly detrimental to your workout.  Imagine putting diesel fuel in your vehicle when it takes regular gasoline; there is misfiring, sputtering, and stalling.  Of course your body will not "misfire" but it could feel heavy, sluggish, you may have a stomachache, and your joints could even hurt.  Light snacks are great for workouts that are less than one hour.  Fruit and watered-down sports drinks offer quick digesting carbohydrates that break down and become available in the bloodstream immediately after consumption.  This creates a seamless production in energy and little distress on the gastrointestinal system.  Bagels, Clif Bars, and peanut butter will sit in the stomach and not break down or convert into energy as quickly due to their complex nature.  Trying to exercise with these things not properly digested wil...
Read more

2nd Annual Walk for TM

-
If you know me well, then you know my advocacy for personal health and well being.  I owe a lot of this to a rare neurological disorder that blindsided my mother in 2004.  She was left paralyzed from waist down on her left side that day; bedridden at first, reliant on a wheelchair for quite some time, and now more mobile with assistive devices.  She has come a long way from that day but the phenomenon known as Transverse Myelitis still lingers. TM is described as a  a neurological disorder caused by an inflammatory process of the spinal cord. It comes on suddenly, affecting people of all ages and walks of life. While many are able to walk after being affected by this disorder, there are many who cannot.  My mother became involved with a small group of people in New Jersey last year that all share the same questions and concerns surrounding this mystery.  On April 13th, 2013, there will be a walk at Cooper River to promote fundraising for more research and...
Read more