It’s that time of year when we all resolve to make changes in our lives. It’s a time to renew ourselves, refresh our routines and make positive changes. And every journey needs a map! Let me help you learn how to set realistic and doable fitness goals to start off the year. The key is to set your fitness goals and then review and adjust the course along the way. You’ll need to steer clear of “road hazards” and “distractions” and stay focused on the road just like you do when we’re behind the wheel. There will be times when your regimen goes off course. You’ll catch a cold or get overwhelmed by a demanding project at work. I call these parking spots. They’re just places where we stop for a bit. We don’t stay there. When you hit a parking spot, just tell yourself you’ll learn from it and avoid it in the future! To stay out of parking spots, or at least keep them to a minimum, get out your journal and spend a few minutes exercising your mind. You need to set up S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific: What kind of exercise will I do? When will I do it? Measurable: How many minutes? What’s my target heart rate? Attainable: Is my body up to these challenges? Realistic: Have I created a schedule I can stick to? Time Frame: What will I do each week? Each month! Next, make sure to write down these SMART steps. Keep them where you can see them. Then keep track of your progress each day, week, etc. Set up a reward system for reaching weekly fitness goals and monthly fitness goals. Maybe each week you treat yourself to a movie if you did well. Maybe each month you treat yourself to a massage if you achieved your goals. The bottom line is it’s up to you. I am excited for you to get a fresh start this year and be SMART about it. Now, ready, set, GOALS! (Posted January 2007)
