Do you have SMART goals?

There's only 6 weeks until spring, which means that it will be time to bare our arms and legs a bit more as the weather gets warmer. This has started me thinking again as I have still not yet decided whether or not I will be setting a new goal to work towards.      

What do I want to achieve?
Am I going to be super committed to achieving this goal?
How am I going to measure my goal?
How will I know when I have achieved my goal?
Do you feel the same way sometimes too?  Too many questions!!

In an effort to give me a bit of focus with my training, and balance my life, I am going to spend the next few days thinking and breaking down my thoughts into something that might actually resemble a plan.  You've probably seen this before, but it really is a great way to put some focus and clarity into your thinking and planning to achieve your next goal or working your way to your next big event.  

S. M. A. R. T  Is your goal SMART?  I'm going to work through this acronym to help me plan how to move forward with my training and focus.  You can do the same .. grab yourself a nice notebook ( I'm a bit of a stationery tragic, so I always choose those pretty ones that I'm really keen to write in .. ) and start writing down your thoughts.  Base them around the SMART principle and you are on your way to creating a plan to achieve your next goal!

So what is SMART? 

Specific   .. this means just that be specific with what you want.  No wishy washy nonsense like "Oh, maybe I need to lose a few kilos and tone up a bit".  Does that sound strong, assertive, positive? Your goal needs to state exactly what you want to achieve, be, feel .. make sure it's in the present tense so you are able to keep telling yourself what you are achieving NOW!  

Measurable  .. how are you going to know you are on track to achieving your goal or that you have reached it.  Take some starting measurements ie weight, girth measurements, body fat, take a picture, time trials, fitness tests ... Retake these measurements on a regular basis ( no, not DAILY! ) so that you can track your progress.  Changes in the direction of your goal are super motivating and you will know you are on the right track.

Achievable ... make sure that your goal is achievable within the time frame that you have decided upon.  If you only have 6 weeks, don't expect to lose 20kg .. unless of course you have been weighing yourself holding one of your children .. in which case, put them down now!  

Realistic ...  this one is kind of the same as the above.  Keep it real!  Setting unrealistic goals is setting yourself up for failure .. don't do this to yourself, you have much more respect for yourself than that!

Time frame ...  decide on your time frame, be it 6 weeks, 12 weeks or 6 months.  You need to plan your training and nutrition into manageable chunks .. for example, set yourself a weekly or monthly goal.  You might decide you need to lose 1 - 1.5kg each week to achieve your goal .. plan your training and nutrition each week so that you are fully prepared to excel.   


Once you have written this down into your new notebook ( I am assuming you have edited everything a few times just to get it right! ) make another list on a fresh page of the tools that you will need and use to achieve your goal.  These are a few tools that might come in handy ... 

• Calorie counter ( ie calorie king. com.au, myfitnesspal etc )
• Nutrition and training diary
• Support people ie friends, family, trainer
• Starting point info .. weight, measurements, pictures
• Gym bag, towel, water bottle
• Exercise wear, shoes ... good bra ( sorry girls, it just has to be said )
• Meal options .. note down 3 or 4 different options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks so that you can have a little variety.  Make sure that you always have at least 2 of these choices on hand in the pantry.

I thought I might also list down some of the other stuff that I find comes in handy from time to time as I'm training or trying to build back my motivation!

• A motto / quote for when times when it gets a bit tough.  Something positive that you feel that really reaches out to you.  It has to pump you up and get you going again.
• I've mentioned it before .. a notebook to record everything in .. not just food and exercise, but how you feel at what times and on what days. 
• Notes to yourself to remind you of what you are here to do ... sticky notes work well on the fridge, computer, or bathroom mirror.  Even a business card size note that you can keep in your purse, gym bag etc that you can look to for inspiration and a reminder.
• Recipe binder / folder ... when you find a recipe that is simple, quick, healthy and you love it then keep it here.  Refer to this often when you are planning your week's meals.

I'm going to wrap it up here.  This is where I need to put my thinking cap on and come up with some SMART goals for myself!  I hope that some of this gets you thinking and helps you decide and plan what you want to achieve with your health and fitness ( and business, career etc ) in the next few months.

Let me know how you go with deciding on your new goals and plans, I would love to hear about them!  I'll certainly let you know how I'm going with mine!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x