fitword of the day

Having trouble setting goals?  Use the  S.M.A.R.T structured guidelines of setting a goal and map out the processes of achieving attainable accomplishments.  Its important to be as specific as possible when setting goals.  This will allow you to visualize each step and move  from one small achievement to the next until the big picture is painted. Follow the 5 guidelines below to increase your chances of reaching your goals.

Specific: Ask yourself who, where, what, when, and why.   Who all will be involved in achieving your goal?  What are the physical locations needed to accomplish this goal? What is my goal? When will this goal take place? Establish a time frame. Why are you setting this goal? What are your motives? What benefits will you reap? How are you going to feel once you accomplish this goal?

Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring your goal and record each step. Record tangible factors such as weight, body fat %, skin fold, body measurements, minutes on treadmill, days exercised per week, amount of calories allowed each day are all tangible measurements.  When you measure your progress, you will stay on track and attain a bunch of mini goals, until the big one is met.

Attainable: Institute many small consecutive goals that are each attainable within a reasonable time frame. Organize each step so they build on one another until the big goal is met. Take time to reward yourself and celebrate each mini accomplishment.

Realistic: To be realistic, each goal set must personify an objective for which you are both willing and capable of producing.  You are the only one who can decide how high each goal should be.  Shoot for the stars, but make sure to include many small goals.

Timely: Each goal should be structured around a specific time frame.  There is no sense of urgency when a time frame does not exist.  Whether its an hour, a day, a week, three months or a year, establish a date and fixate it to each specific goal.