Tips for Setting Effective Fitness Goals
So you've decided to do something about your fitness. That's great. Better fitness can help you look better, feel better and most importantly, improve your health. The first step to getting more fit is by setting fitness goals. For beginners, however, this can be a challenge. If you don't know the first thing about how to set fitness goals, your first step should be to think SMART.
What Is the SMART Approach to Setting Fitness Goals?
SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely, and it's a way to set realistic fitness goals that are clear and simple enough to give you a real chance of actually achieving them. Here's what it means:
Specific: It's not enough to say you want to have better fitness. You need to decide what specifically you want to achieve. Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle tone? Eat healthier? You can have multiple goals, but for each one, you should understand exactly what you are working toward.
Measurable: Say you decide you want to lose weight. People's weight can fluctuate a few pounds from week to week. Some days, you may look in the mirror and feel like you're doing well, and some days you may not be so sure. The only way to really know if you are making progress toward a goal is if you can measure it. For example, your goal may be to lose 20 pounds or to take 3 inches off your waist. This way, you can see exactly how much progress you are making over time and know when you have achieved your goal.
Attainable: It's important to set reasonable goals. If you decide you're going to lose 50 pounds in a month, you are doomed to failure. Pick something sensible but meaningful, like losing 10 percent of your body weight. It will require a meaningful effort to achieve, but not be so hard you will feel overwhelmed and give up.
Relevant: You also want to set a goal that's meaningful to you. If you aren't ready to lose weight, it will be much harder to be successful. You need to decide for yourself what your most important fitness goal is and set it.
Time Bound: You should set a time limit on your goal, for example, lose 10 percent of your body weight in three months. That is not to say you should quit if you don't achieve your goal in the given time limit, but setting up a timeframe will help you stay on track and be honest with yourself about whether or not you are really making enough progress.
Contact Excellence In Fitness Personal Training Studios and Meet Your Fitness Goals Now!
When you're ready to set fitness goals and achieve them, contact Excellence In Fitness Personal Training Studios. We will pair you with a dedicated, highly skilled personal trainer who will help you with techniques and motivation in order to facilitate meeting your fitness goals and making new ones. To get started, get in touch with us online today.