Smart Goal Setting can't be Dumb for Successful Weight loss

Smart goal setting capitalizes on the acronym SMART meaning it dictates that goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive. HOW are you going to measure your weight progress? How far are you prepared to go? How bad do you want to slim down and how fast do you want it? Smart goal setting can make or break your success.

Take action! Pull out your calendar and decide when you will take action on your first goal. No point setting a goal unless there’s an action plan to go with it. Make a list of things you’re going to do to attain your goal, both – long and short-term. In the past whenever I had aspirations of losing weight I would fail to prepare.  Like the saying goes “If you fail to prepare then you’re preparing to fail. It’s an absolutely true statement.  Think about it, what have you failed at? Or better yet what goal have you set that you didn’t complete for lack of preparation?  I prove my point.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Smart goal setting is the key to any goal you may have. I always recommend following the acronym SMART, it dictates that goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive.

S = be specific what size you’d like to be, what you would like to be able to accomplish

M = measurable and defined in such a way that we can evaluate progress

A = achievable; i.e., challenging, but not impossible

R = realistic; a reasonable and attainable measure you can accomplish

Specific –As in, not vague, as in not ambiguous, as in stating your exact expectations. Because when you’re vague and ambiguous or you make a dense goal, you waste valuable time and money. You lose your motivation because your goal has not been clearly defined.

Measureable – make sure you can measure your progress and Know what you’re working towards. (i.e. – you wouldn’t want to put that your goal is to be a smaller dress size, you need to specify what size you want to be).

Achievable – ensure that you have the skill and the tools to attain your goal. You want to perform or carry out your goal with success, don’t set unattainable measures that you know are impossible. The point of all this is to make sure we are successful so that we can achieve our next goal.

Realistic – everybody’s body responds differently to different programs and exercises. The TV show Biggest Loser may have lost 50 pounds in 3 months because they exercise 4 hours a day 5 days a week and have a cook (their job is to lose weight); however, this significant of a change in your body is not realistic in the real world. Safe weight loss is generally 1-2 pounds per week so remember that. With some truly realistic smart goal setting strategies you can lose weight just like someone on the biggest loser.

Time sensitive – specify when you will reach your goals; if there is no time limit, you will not be held accountable to reach the goal. Create your weight loss goals for short periods of time, such as ( I want to lose 5 pounds in 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months periods).  The key is to help yourself to be successful in attaining your goal.

Writing down your smart goal setting plan

Writing it down and making your vision plain will give you a higher success rate of achieving your goals. Documenting your smart goal setting plan and everything you put in your body and even your feelings will help you with this whole process. Writing helps you to measure your progress, your mistakes and it will even allow you to see your successes as you accomplish your goals.  Write down what you want to look like and how you imagine your new life to be...in your new healthy body

I keep a small journal.  I carry it with me as often as I can.  I may keep it in my purse, my car or on my desk at work.  The point is, I write down my goals and by doing that I can see if I’m on track or if I’m deviating off of my plan.  You’ll be amazed at how writing things down really helps you to stay on track.

Here’s one example of what the beginning of a Smart goal setting plan may look like:

My SMART Goals

*Goals should be coupled with a plan of action. Your plan of action defines what you plan to do to achieve your goals. Your plan of action should also be SMART.

My SMART Plan -I want to be 165 lbs in 6 months

1. I will exercise 30 min a day 3 days a week.
2. If I can’t get to the gym I will do some exercises at home, walk or jog for at least 30 minutes
3. I will drink a full glass of water every two hours (set cell phone alarm).
4. I will remove refined sugar from the house; a zero-calorie substitute will be used from now on.
5. I will download a weight training app on my cell phone and plan to commit to training according to that plan.
6. I will eat more vegetables and drink more water instead of soda.
7. I will plan and prepare my meals each week.

…and so on and so forth. THE KEY TO STARTING A GOAL AND STICKING WITH A GOAL IS TO MAKE A PLAN AND PUT IT INTO ACTION . If you would like me to help you with other examples for smart goal setting just contact me, details to reach me can be found on the contact me link.

Related Articles

Reasonable weight loss goals

How to lose Stomach fat

Foods that burn belly fat

how to detox your body

Return from Smart Goal Setting Can’t Be Dumb For successful Weight loss back to the destroybellyfat.com

home page