Smart People Have S.M.A.R.T. Goals

You hear it all the time- “I want to lose weight!”

That’s great! It’s step one in the right direction.  A healthy weight aids in disease prevention, increases your vitality, and can raise your self-esteem.  Okay, so the goal is set, but there’s something missing. 

How are you going to do it? 

Goals are often long-term and very broad.  When it comes to accomplishing any goal you must have objectives.  Objectives are detailed, specific targets of performance that are S.M.A.R.T.  S.M.A.R.T. refers to specific, measurable, attainable, realistic (yet challenging), and timely.  Let’s look at each one individually for a goal of weight loss. 

Specific

Okay, you want to lose weight. Check.  How much do you want to lose?  Set a specific and realistic short-term goal, like lose 1 pound each week.  Psychologically, losing one pound in a week is a lot less daunting then saying, “I want to lose 50 pounds.”

How are you going to lose weight?  First, you must know the basics. You have to use more calories for energy than you consume. First, examine your diet and eating habits.  I recommend keeping a log and writing down everything you eat, time, and how you felt before and after eating for 3 days.  Examine the data.  Are you eating small meals throughout the day?  Do you go crazy for dessert at night?  Are you having a few too many alcoholic drinks?  Are you stressed and ravenous when you sit down for a meal, which can cause you to overeat?  Notice where changes can be made, implement a plan of action, and stick to it. 

Set a small goal of only eating out once per week or grocery shop every week to make sure you have healthy snacks on hand.  Once you’ve accomplished one objective add another until it becomes habit. 

Next-exercise.  Ask yourself what the best form of exercise is for you. Not everyone loves going to the gym, in fact many people despise gyms, because it’s uncomfortable, they may feel inadequate, or don’t have the time.  Find a form of exercise you enjoy and set an objective of completing an exercise session at least three times per week.  Look at your schedule and determine when you can fit it in.  Treat your workouts like important appointments.  You have to be on time; you can’t cancel at the last minute (if it helps pretend there’s a fee for cancellations). 

Measurable

A weight loss goal is easy to measure, jump on the scale and pray it’s less then it was the last time, but weight loss isn’t the only method of telling whether or not your hard work is paying off.  Use a variety of methods. 

If the scale doesn’t budge for two or three weeks, don’t give up.  Try using an article of clothing to gauge your improvements.  People lose fat at very different rates, and in many different areas when they first begin a weight loss program.  Have a pair of pants that you try on every two weeks and see if they are getting looser.  You may not be dropping weight according to the scale, but you could be losing inches as you tighten and tone. As far as your workouts go, keep track of your improvements by taking note of your increased endurance, strength, or energy levels.  Challenge yourself by setting new objectives like “complete 45 minutes of cardio” rather than your standard half hour session.  Accomplishing these small feats provide confidence and push you to work harder. 

Don’t get in the habit of weighing, measuring, or checking your levels of body fat too often.  Only measure every week or two at the same time of day.  Weight fluctuates on a daily basis.  It’s unhealthy to become obsessive over it.  Even if two weeks isn’t giving the results you want don’t get mad, just re-examine your program.  Were you really working out as intensely and often as you need to?  Were your eating habits as clean as you claim?  If you’re efforts are getting you nowhere it may be time to seek the help of a professional. Get advice from a personal trainer, nutritionist, doctor, or do some research of your own. 

Attainable/Realistic (yet challenging)

Goals have to be realistic for you.  Set goals that YOU are passionate about. Don’t try to do something just because someone else thinks you should.  To accomplish a major goal you must want it for yourself. Don’t over commit.  If you know it’s nearly impossible to workout 6 days a week alter your objectives so it is challenging, but manageable. Also, be honest with yourself.  Don’t compare yourself to others.  Be aware of your abilities and limitations, and improve upon them.

Timely

Don’t let another year go by without achieving your goal or sticking to your resolution.  Make a timeline and mark your calendar.  By working on a weekly schedule it can be easier to stay on track.  Each week plan healthy meals, acknowledge accomplishments, and plan daily workouts according to your schedule that week.  

Don’t let time pass you by while you’re sitting, wishing, and waiting. Get S.M.A.R.T. with your goals!   There’s no time like the present.