Get Smart About your Body

2014 is here and with a new year comes new and exciting goals! I am sure you have already set some goals, but have you put aspecific plan into action? Are you losing steam or not making the progress you have hoped? As you hone your list of resolutions, remember that the key to success is to ensure your goals areS.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely). It’s pretty easy to set a goal, but setting S.M.A.R.T. goals takes work.

You see, goal setting should not be taken lightly, because your success directly depends on your goal setting process. Your personal goals and achievements should be based on what you really want out of your life, your interests, your capabilities and the time and money you are willing to invest into achieving your goals. A great way to set up your goals is to take the S.M.A.R.T. approach. I am sure you have heard that acronym before, but do you know what it is and how to apply it? Here’s a crash course:

S = Specific – Goals need to be straightforward and definitive. You need to know what you want so you can focus on how we are going to accomplish our goal! Instead of, “I want to get in the best shape of my life,” be specific and define what that means. Example: I want to go to the gym 4x/week, no excuses!

M = Measurable – If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. How do you know if you have accomplished your goal if there is nothing to measure it against? Ex: I want to do 20 minutes of cardio 3x/week vs. I want to do more cardio. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates and experience the feeling of success and achievement that keeps you going to achieve your ultimate goal.

A = Attainable – If goals are too far out of your reach, you probably won’t commit to doing them. Although you may start with the best of intentions, if it is not attainable, you can get discouraged, frustrated and quit. A goal of going to the gym 4x/week many sound attainable, but when the closest gym is an hour away, you have a full time job and kids to take care of, this may not be the most attainable goal. Rather than committing to commuting to the gym multiple times per week, wake up early to do an exercise video in the comfort of your own home where no commuting is necessary. Ex: I am going to wake up before the kids and get in 30 minutes Tae-Bo or P-90X exercise video 4x/week.

R = Realistic – In this case, realistic means “do-able” NOT “easy.” If you are new to running and decide to set a goal to complete your first marathon in 3 months, you are probably setting yourself up to get frustrated and even injured. Rather than setting your goal to run a full marathon, maybe you set a goal to start with a 5K in a few months and a full marathon after several months of training. Starting with a 5K still won’t be an easy task, but it is much more doable and realistic than starting with a marathon! Ex: I am going to run my first 5K race in 3 months and set a goal to run a marathon within a year.

T = Timely – Set a timeframe for the goal: next week, in three months, by the end of the year? Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards.

Now that you have these S.M.A.R.T tools, you have to decide what it is you want to achieve and make a game plan to do it! Once you have a focus and plan, all you have to do is take the initial steps!

My Ultimate Shred Challenge

Now, if getting into the best shape of your life in 2014 is your goal, my Ultimate Shred Challenge is the perfect SMART solution!

S: Specifies exactly what to eat, how much cardio to do and what your workouts should look like for an entire year!
M: 12 weeks or 3 months is the length of the challenge so you can measure your success!
A: Attainable for life because you will never feel like you are on a restrictive diet!
R: Realistic and doable, allowing you to have your chocolate AND reach your goals at the same time! (not kidding)
T: 3 months for the challenge and a full year plan to keep you on track throughout all of 2014!