Happy New Year!!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday but now it is time to get focused once again and say no to that extra piece of pie.
This past week I have been sitting down with most of my clients to reassess their goals and make some strides to reach new levels in 2013. As most of you know, I am against the word resolution…mainly because there isn’t a plan to go with it “I want to lose 20lbs” “I will quit smoking” etc. These are all doable things but when you have a goal, you tend to sit down and come up with a game plan.
When making Goals for 2013; follow the SMART Method:
One proven way to set effective goals is using the SMART goal method. This method will allow you to take those vague ideas and transform them into reality.
SPECIFIC: The goals must specifically state what is to be accomplished. They must be easily understood and should not be ambiguous or subject to interpretation. For example, rather than stating you would like to improve your fitness level, set a specific goal to be able to run a mile in 12 minutes.
MEASURABLE: The goals must be measureable so that there is no doubt about whether you achieved them. Measurable goals also allow you to evaluate your progress. Goals can be measured objectively or subjectively (i.e., how you feel and look), or both. For example, you could measure your percent body fat and body weight, but also monitor how your pants fit.
ATTAINABLE: The goals must be attainable—not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals do not motivate, and overly difficult ones may frustrate you and lead to a perception of failure.
RELEVANT: The goals must be relevant or pertinent to your particular interests, needs and abilities. For example, when preparing for a 5K walk, running quarter-mile sprints would not be the best approach.
TIME-BOUND: The goals must be time-bound by specific deadlines for completion. Timelines can be both short-term and long-term and should help you stay focused and on track.
For 2012 my goal was to run the NYCM and I believe the fact that I sat down and came up with a plan, helped me successfully train for it. Unfortunately life had other plans. I am still going over my goals for 2013 but I have decided that training for the marathon this year, is not something I am interested in at the moment. My fitness endeavors have recently changed and I want to dedicate more time to these new challenges.
Here is to a happy and healthy new year!!!!
If you need any tips or advice, please feel free to contact me.
Namaste…
