SMART Goals

Goals are undoubtably the key to achieving that which you want to achieve.

You set them in a work context all the time I imagine.

How can we apply them to physical activity and exercise?

Let’s look at SMART goals as an example

Specific: what exactly do you want to achieve, let’s say you want to lose weight or run 10k

Measureable: Track your progress, what’s your speed in Zones 1, 2 & 3 each week (more on training zones in a future post). Record your data, and compare it with previous weeks.

Attainable: A goal must be challenging yet achievable. It can’t be too easy yet it can’t be too hard. Either way you’re going to lose motivation and become discouraged.

Realistic: Align your goals to your lifestyle. You can’t commit to physical activity twice a day if you have a busy work schedule or other commitments that are hard to move. Manage expectations accordingly and be realistic about how long it will take to achieve your goals.

Timely: Set specific timeframes which should be as challenging and realistic as the intended outcome. It’s unlikely that you’ll complete a 10k in a month if you’re new to exercise.

Monday’s a great day for setting new goals and making plans to get to Know Motion.