Considerations for Goal Setting

Resolutions are popular in the health and fitness industry.  Guess what!  The majority of them fail.  There are a lot of factors involved when attempting to make lasting and impactful change.  Set yourself up for success by considering these three essentials:

1. Your Motivation:  Give yourself some time to honestly reflect on what is important to you.  Motivation can come in many forms, so think about what is yours.  Major life events like weddings or graduations are great to get in shape for.  Getting involved in a fundraiser that uses exercise as a platform for donations to a greater cause are another example.  Perhaps you have a doctors appointment coming up and you want to lose weight and lower your blood pressure naturally.  Reflect and think of where you are in your life and where you want to be.  Find motivation for yourself, your career, your family and loved ones.
2. Be Specific:  If you are hanging your hat on phrases like “I’m going to exercise more” and “I’m going to eat healthier” the odds are you won’t succeed.  To accomplish your goals, be very specific with what you plan on doing.  Create an achievable map for your exercise goals by identifying EXACTLY what you are going to do.  For example: “I”m going to walk 30 minutes every single day at lunch and strength train for 45 minutes three times a week.”  If you are making dietary changes, here’s an example:  “I’m not going to eat between meals and will have a vegetable with every meal I eat.”  By nailing it down it’s harder to let yourself off the hook (and easier to make adjustments if you overshot).
3. Track Them:  Holding yourself accountable can have a huge impact on whether or not you meet your goals.  There are more ways to do this now than ever before.  Even the basic health and fitness apps on our phones allow for tracking for food, steps taken, and heart rate ranges.  Tracking your food for a few weeks is a powerful exercise, giving you honest insight to how your eating habits are shaping your health.  Teaming up with a friend is great for accountability.  If you need to, hire a trainer or experienced health coach to help keep you on track.  It takes about a month for new habits to stick, so do it the right way!