Learn to Set SMART Exercise Goals

“I can crush my goals one step at a time and one sit up at a time.”

A regular exercise program with S.M.A.R.T.  goals is important for overall health and is important for losing weight and keeping it off.   Many people want to be “fit and trim” and understand the importance of exercise, but do not want to do the work to get there.  Being fit and trim is a desire, not a goal.

Sharon is 20 pounds overweight and  wants to go down three dress sizes.  She doesn’t want to be skinny; she wants to be “fit and thick” with not too much jiggling.  However, she hates to exercise.  She bought a gym membership as part of her New Year’s resolution, but only went twice in January.  She gives a list of reason for not exercising regularly.

• “I don’t have anyone to exercise with.”
• “I work full time and don’t have the time.”
• “I don’t have the energy at the end of the day.”
• “I am busy with family and church on the weekends.”
• “I spend a lot of money on my hair and I don’t want to mess up my hair.”
• “I don’t like to sweat.”
• “I am just too lazy.”

Do any of these reasons (excuses) sound familiar?

Sharon needs to go beyond a desire to be “fit and thick” and set goals for success.  A goal is an intention that is followed by a plan of action.  To be physically fit, look your best, and achieve your overall health goals, you need to set goals.  Goals provide focus, prevent procrastination, and allow you to measure progress.

S.M.A.R.T. Exercise Goals

Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals will help you stay on track by providing guidance and structure.  The acronym S.M.A.R.T stands for:

S—Specific

Your goal must be very specific. I recommend that you start with a small goal like increasing the amount of time and number of days you will exercise.  You can always reset the goal once you’ve achieved your small goal.

Examples:

• “I plan to walk more often.”
• “I plan to do sit ups or crunches regularly.”
• “I plan to lift light weights.”

M—Measurable

To track you progress, your goals must be measurable.  What gets measured gets managed.

Example: “I plan to walk more often, do sit ups/crunches regularly, and lift light weights.  To reach my goals, I will write record my activity daily in my journal or enter it in my Fitbit app.   

A—Attainable

Take a few minutes to reflect on your exercise habits and your overall health and wellness journey.  How many times have you started an exercise program over the past few years? How much money have spent on gym memberships? How much exercise equipment have you bought but do not use?

So, if you’ve never exercised more than two days a week, setting a goal to run a breast cancer marathon in the next three months is unrealistic. I recommend that you set a series of small goals. Once you have been exercising consistently for a few weeks, you can reset your goals.

Example: “I plan to walk more often, do sit ups/crunches regularly, and lift light weights.  To reach my goals, I will write record my activity daily in my journal or enter it in my Fitbit app.   Once I can walk more than 20 minutes a day without getting tired, do more than 20 sit ups/crunches a day, and lift heavier weights, I will re-evaluate my successes and challenges and set some new goals for continued success.

 R—Relevant

Your exercise and fitness goals need to be connected to your life and the things that matter most to you. Understand why you want to be physically fit. It is OK if you just want to look great, but you should also try and connect it to some other deeper issues such as improving your health and how you relate to others.  Do you want to prevent or reverse a health condition? Do you want to manage stress or have more energy?  Defining how exercising regularly is relevant to your life will keep you motivated when you’re feeling lazy or tempted to quit.

Example: “I plan to walk more often, do sit ups/crunches regularly, and lift light weights.  To reach my goals, I will write record my activity daily in my journal or enter it in my Fitbit app.   Once I can walk more than 20 minutes a day without getting tired, do more than 20 sit ups/crunches a day, and lift heavier weights, I will re-evaluate my successes and challenges and set some new goals for continued success. Being physically fit and having a regular exercise program is important to me because it will help to lose weight, lower my high blood pressure, help me with my back pain, and give me more energy.”

Include a timeline for your goals

T—Time

You must set a reasonable amount of time to reach your goal.  Health professionals recommend a safe weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week.  Weight loss needs to be slow and steady.  Remember, you’re trying to change your lifestyle, not just lose weight.

Example: “I plan on starting a regular exercise program next week.  I plan to walk three days a week for 20 minutes, do 20 sit ups/crunches a day, and lift weights 3 days a week.  So, to reach my goals, I will write record my activity in my journal or enter it in my Fitbit app.  Once I can walk more than 20 minutes a day without getting tired, do more than 20 sit ups/crunches a day, and lift heavier weights, I will re-evaluate my successes and challenges and set some new goals for continued success.  Being physically fit and having a regular exercise program is important to me because it will help to lose weight, lower my high blood pressure, help me with my back pain, and give me more energy.”

 I will show you how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals to change your eating habits in a future post.  In the meantime, review how to set S.M.A.R.T. weight management goals, and then set your S.M.A.R.T.  goals for exercise program.

Reflection

1. List 5 reasons that prevent you from exercising regularly.
2. List 5 health benefits that you want from a regular exercise program.

Please share your experience in the comment section of this blog. Or you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.

Keep It Tight Sisters.

Eat. Move. Breathe.