We would never say, “my goal for my newborn baby is to have him/her walking before they are six months old.” But, of course, many of you would say that is unrealistic and impossible. 

However, we can often do the same thing regarding our fitness journey. We set an unrealistic goal and get discouraged when we don’t meet that goal, then give up on the journey.

Goals are a tool we use to move us forward on our journey. Setting goals should aid in our success, not failure. To do that, they should be what we call “SMART.”

Specific- Set a goal (I want to lose 10lbs) instead of “I want to lose weight.”

Measurable- you should be able to track this goal with data over time. Not just subjective. For example, weigh in every two weeks and log your results. Instead of saying, “my clothes fit bigger this week.”

Attainable- Your goal should be challenging yet achievable. Don’t undershoot that you don’t try, and don’t overshoot that it’s out of reach.

Realistic- meaning it is relevant to your life or lifestyle. If it does not fit into your current life or lifestyle, you will not adhere to the plan. For example, a single mom with two kids working 45 hours a week may not be able to get to the gym for an hour every day. 

Timely- Goals should be set within a time frame that is a challenge yet realistic. To attain them, we must track our progress with frequent check-ins, keeping accountable for our goals. 

So next time you are setting a goal for yourself, ask….Is this a SMART GOAL? And take the time to adjust them as you see fit.