Right now there’s plenty of (rubbish) advice out there saying we need to basically starve ourselves and workout until we pass out in order to achieve our goals.
So I’ve decided to create a blog series of healthy lifestyle tips. I want to help you make informed decisions for your health and fitness goals (instead of resorting to fad diets, etc).
Each week I’ll be writing a blog post with some general advice to help get you started. I’ll also link some of my other relevant blog posts at the bottom (for if you want to find out more).
Part 1 is all about GOAL SETTING.
You’ve probably got a goal in your head right now, or at least a vague idea of a goal. It’s probably half exciting you and half scaring the crap out of you. And that’s ok. In fact, that’s good!
But something many people don’t realise is that for a goal to be achievable it’s important to check it’s SMART. Yep, I’m going full-blown PT on you right now:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time-bound
Specific = It should be very clear to you what your goal is. Once you’ve defined it, figure out the important ‘what, why and how’ parts of it.
So what is your goal, and why do you have that goal?
By the way, if the only reason you can come up with is because it’s what [insert celebrity’s name here] is doing, change the goal. Seriously, choose a goal for YOU. Not just because it’s what’s ‘in fashion’ right now.
And lastly, how are you going to achieve your goal? Create a plan because you are far more likely to achieve your goal if you make a plan of action.
Measureable = There should be a way for you to measure your progress towards your goal. Obviously, a lot of people will have goals based on dress size or weight, which is easy to keep an eye on progress. But try thinking about adding another goal that isn’t just based on how you look. So maybe set yourself a goal to be able to do a push up, or a pull up, for example.
Ensuring that your goal is measurable means you’ll be able to track your progress.
Achievable = Your goal should challenge you, but be planned clearly in your mind (and on paper) so you know exactly what you need to do to achieve it.
This is why it’s important to plan your steps wisely and establish a suitable timeframe which will allow you to carry out those steps.
Realistic = It is obviously important to challenge yourself, but it’s no good thinking you want to lose a stone within a week or anything silly like that, because it’s not safe.
It’s also important to remember that we all have certain genetic factors that will affect how realistic our goals are. For example, I’m 5′ 3″(ish) and have pretty big thighs, so it wouldn’t be realistic for me to set a goal to have legs like Cara Delevingne (who is way taller than me).
Make sure your goal is physically possible without putting yourself at risk. No stretching tables needed.
Time-bound = Set a date that you want to achieve your goal by. And if your goal date is something pretty far away, set yourself mini goals on the way to keep yourself motivated.
Otherwise, let’s be honest, there’s a high chance you’ll just put it off as though it were a year 9 maths project. You know what I’m talking about…you’ll forget all about it and then go crazy as the time approaches.
Have fun setting your goal(s) and I’ll be back next week with part 2 of my Healthy Lifestyle Tips.
Nat xx
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