Goals

Today’s contribution is by Pam Wells, B.S., NETA – Program Manager at Pulse Fitness.

Goals: What are they and how do we set them?
We all set goals throughout life – relating to many different aspects. But how do we know the goals we’re setting for ourselves are working for us or against us? Are you adjusting your goals as your life changes or as circumstances change during the phases of your life?

A goal is something you want to achieve and the process of thinking about where you would like your future self to go. It is a plan to help you get closer each day to that ultimate big picture. Without having goals, reaching that future self may seem to be a challenge and unattainable.

Let’s get into setting goals.

Many of us have heard about setting SMART goals, have no fear if you have not. What is a SMART goal? Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound. How many of you reading this said your goal is to lose weight? Well, that is a great goal to have, and acknowledging you want to make that life change is getting on the right track. As you can see, that goal has no plan to help you get there. Think about making this goal a little SMARTer:

“I would like to lose 12 pounds of fat during my 12 weeks of FitTrip.”
Specific: Losing 12 pounds of fat during the 12 weeks of FitTrip
Measurable: 12 pounds of fat
Attainable: This is a safe and healthy amount of fat to lose per week. (Talk with your Travel Agent or Good Measure Meals Registered Dietitian for more information about this)
Relevant: If you signed up for FitTrip, this is extremely relevant to what you are looking to accomplish
Time-bound: 12 weeks

Now, that you have thought of the big picture for these 12 weeks, it’s time to make SMART goals to help you reach that ultimate larger goal.
“I will workout for a minimum of 30 minutes at least 3x per week throughout FitTrip” “I will schedule my 30 minute workouts on my calendar for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the 12 weeks for FitTrip” “I will take 2 hours each Sunday, during FitTrip, to prepare my breakfast, lunch and snacks to make sure I am fueling properly”.

As you meet with your Travel Agent, you can discuss how to set goals related to your FitTrip experience. Writing them down and keeping them somewhere visible will help you on the right track!