It seems like an extra chore, I know, but how are you going to know when you have succeeded if you don’t have goals and ways to measure them?
You will probably have heard of ‘SMART’ goals – Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Time-bound. Goals can only be ‘Agreed’ between you and I if the other 4 criteria are met.
Example of BAD ‘goal setting’: ” I want to lose weight and eat better”
- It’s not SPECIFIC (how much weight? What would you like to reduce/increase in your diet? )
- Without a starting and end weight specified, how to measure it cannot be identified.
- Without knowing the goal , we cannot agree it will be a realistic goal
- AND there is no time-limit set (by End of August/ in 8 weeks)
GOOD Goal setting:
” I would like to lose 2st (SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE) by End of August (TIME BOUND and REALISTIC) , and I would like to reduce my alcohol intake from a glass of wine every night (SPECIFIC) to JUST at the weekend”
How can you measure your success?
Whether it’s losing weight, increasing muscle tone and definition, reducing body fat %, increasing strength, or improving ability to perform everyday tasks and enjoy life…you can set goals and measure your success in one or more of the following ways:
- ‘Before’ and ‘After’ Photos
- Waist, hip, chest measurements
- Body Fat percentage measurements (calipers or Bio Electrical Impedance scales)
- Keep an item of clothing aside which you use as your benchmark (maybe a pair of jeans you would like to wear comfortably again?
- Simply noting in a diary or calendar how much easier it was to get out the bath/get up the stairs/climb the hill to the bus stop/ walk into town.
- Noting weights used/reps each week and tracking the increase
- and more!
Any way you can note your progress can be a great motivator, it can show you if the routine you are following is working, if not – we can tweak it! It can also reassure you of your progress even if you don’t feel particularly good one day.
Set realistic goals and keep focus
