Planning to kickstart your fitness journey in the New Year? Dive into this guest article by Poul Nielsen, President and Owner of Nielsen Fitness, to learn key strategies for setting achievable fitness resolutions that will last beyond the holiday season.
How to set a smart fitness goal
A goal is a dream with a plan, as they say. But setting a goal isn’t as simple as you may think – if you want to achieve it, that is. Here’s our formula for setting fitness goals that stick. It is based upon the widely-used SMART goals model, and we use it with our clients all the time.
A SMART fitness goal is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Action-oriented
- Realistic, and
- Timeline-based
Specific
Not vague. ‘I want to be fitter’ isn’t going to cut it. Think about how you want to look and feel, and what you want to be able to do.
Measurable
Figure out how you’re going to measure it. Body measurements, number of workouts per week, how long you can hold a plank, or how many push-ups you can do.
Action-oriented
What steps (actions) are you going to take to reach your goal? In this case, how often will you work out? What will you do? What other dietary or lifestyle habits will you implement to support your fitness goal?
Realistic
In terms of timing and what’s possible. Be realistic – but that doesn’t mean don’t be ambitious! Don’t be afraid to have a big goal! You CAN see big results, but be realistic about the timing (next point). At the same time, doing too much too fast, or in an unsafe way is a no-go. If you need clarity on what’s realistic for you, we’re happy to help you figure that out.
Timeline-based
Set a deadline. One of the reasons we check-in with clients for assessments on a regular basis is to evaluate progress towards goals and set new ones. Even if you have one big overarching goal, it works really well to set smaller ones and build upon them.
The SMART Goal Setter is the perfect tool for setting measurable and realistic goals. This tool is meant to be printed and used daily to help you stay on track – and motivated – as you move towards a new, healthier you.
So there you go. Using this formula will give you a much higher likelihood of success – and it works just as well for non-fitness related goals so use it freely!
Poul Nielsen is the President and Owner of Nielsen Fitness, Toronto’s leading provider of in-home personal training. Visit www.nielsenfitness.com for more information or to book a complimentary consultation and fitness assessment.
