Smart Goal Setting for the New Year

According to intelligence studies, the tendency to set goals is the #1 predictor of success.  Your fitness program is based on a goal. Increase your chance of reaching it by using these 5 smart goal-setting techniques.

#1. Change Your Mindset:  Before you can ever hope to make fitness a long term lifestyle change, you have to change your mind set and deal with the emotional challenges that are impeding progress.  Once you make up your mind that health and fitness is a priority, you’ll be more determined to do what it takes to reach your goals.

#2. Set a Long-Term Goal.  Determine your ultimate fitness goal(s).  Do you want to exercise more? Eat healthier meals? Or just feel better and healthier? This goal determines what exercise and nutrition plan you should follow.  Before you do anything else, write that goal down. Memory studies indicate that the brain forgets 80% of detail within 24 hours and 99% within two weeks. Writing it down keeps you focused on what’s important.

#3. Set a Timeline. This begins with a start date and an end date.  Ultimately, health and fitness is a journey, not a destination.  However, setting a deadline for reaching your goals enables you to set short-term steps to reach that goal. Set weekly or monthly goals to keep you motivated and on track.

#4. Develop an Action Plan that includes the type of exercise, frequency and duration.  Will you strength train in addition to cardio?  (Which I highly recommend by they way).  Choose activities that are effective but also that you will enjoy doing.  Exercise should be challenging, not a chore. Finally, where will you turn for accountability when you need that extra push?  These are your daily and weekly nutrition and fitness goals. This is how doing just a little bit every day can help you reach even your biggest goal. By doing these actions, you stay on track to making a permanent healthier lifestyle change.

#5. Find Accountability.  Being accountable to someone other than yourself can be a huge motivator.  Just think of the commitments you make at work, to your kids, or at church.  Find an external accountability partner or accountability group (like my Jiggle Free Crew Community accessible to members of the Crew!) to connect with like minded women all striving for the same goal.

Overall, your health goals should be:

• Realistic: Start off with a realistic goal that’s somewhat easy to reach so you feel some level of success early on.  Then set more long term and challenging goals that will keep you motivated to stick to exercise.   My Hit Every Muscle in 15 Minutes workout is a great place to start!

• Specific: Your goals should be specific and measurable so you can track your progress (and success!) 

• Clear: Find a picture of what you want to achieve or how you want to look.  It will help you stay focused.

• Valuable: Remind yourself why you want to get fit and healthy.

• Rewarded: Every little bit of positive reinforcement helps.

Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality.  If it moves your spirit, you can make it happen! 😘

~ Coach MaShelle