Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution and been all in on January 1, only to break it by the middle of the month? Most people have. Let’s make this year different.
In 2019, we want to help you smash through your fitness goals so you look and feel healthier than you’ve ever been in your life. Often, that requires a new way of thinking. Grab a pencil and paper or open a note-taking app on your phone. We’re going to walk you through a plan that will work. Use the acronym SMART to set your goals and redefine your thought patterns.
Make your fitness goals clear and easy to understand. Don’t just say you want to exercise more or eat healthier. Let’s look at examples of SPECIFIC statements for diet and exercise.
Take a minute to write down a specific statement for your 2019 New Year’s resolution. Don’t skip this step, this is where you commit to success!
A goal to eat better or exercise more is great, but measurement gives you a way to measure progress. This one isn’t hard, just add a number and a measuring tool.
For the nutrition statement examples, print a calendar and put it in your kitchen. Plan out a month or a week in advance, then once the time frame is over, go back through and circle all the times you were successful. Then, try to beat your performance the next time.
If you have a fitness device, that’s a great tool for tracking progress. Use the info you track to see how many calories you’ve burned, how many hours you slept and so on.
If your goal is weight loss, choose an attainable percentage and measure at set intervals. Keep written records. We can help you with this, get in touch through our contact form or ask at the front desk.
Right now, go back to your notes. Write down how you will measure and how frequently you will do it.
Be realistic. Choose goals that are achievable. People are often capable of more than they realize, and we always encourage members to push limits, but if you choose a goal that’s too extreme, you’ll just frustrate yourself.
For example, an attainable goal might be to burn 1,000 calories a week through exercise. Use your fitness tracker to evaluate your achievement. Burning 5,000 calories a week is going to be tough for most people.
Look back at what you’ve written. Is your goal attainable?
If your goal is to eat healthier, your plan should all relate to nutrition. If it’s to exercise more, same thing. For people targeting weight loss, both exercise and healthy eating are relevant.
Your resolution might be for the entire year, but commit to check-ins at specific intervals. If you’re working on weight loss, set a (specific, measurable, attainable and relevant) goal to meet weekly or monthly. Right now, add dates to your plan and set reminders to check your progress.
This time next year, where do you want to be? You really can achieve your fitness goals, and we’re here to help.