Sprout’s Guide to Goal Setting

Mar 30

I’ll say it once again: It’s SPRING! A time for blooming flowers, growth, and setting some fitness goals!

But we won’t be setting just any goal here. Today, we’re focusing on SMART goals!

First Thing’s First

Not everyone needs to set goals. I had a hard time understanding this concept when I first became a trainer. Setting goals (and doing so properly) is heavily emphasized in many fitness education courses and programs. But, similar to how not everyone needs to like the gym, some people don’t need or want exercise goals.

If simply moving is enough for you and you’ve got the motivation to do it yourself (or a personal trainer to do the work for you,) it’s okay not to strive for more specific fitness goals.

Not everyone needs the structure or discipline that setting strong goals can provide, and that’s okay!

However, if you’re not satisfied with your level of activity and want to make some changes, let’s do it properly!

If You’re Going to Set Goals, do it Right

Saying “I really want to be healthy” is great, but we’re left with no clear idea of what it means, how it’s going to happen, a timeline, or any specific detail. We can keep repeating this phrase over and over, but without setting a more concrete definition of the changes we want to make, it’s unlikely much will happen.

Enter SMART goals! SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMART goals aren’t just for fitness, they can be used in many areas of life, from work to hobbies that require discipline!

I’m going to use hiking as an example of this process!

Specific

As I said above, having a clear idea is essential for setting a practical, possible goal. Get specific about your needs and desires. What does healthy look like to you? What specifically do you imagine a “healthy” version of yourself doing?

When trying to set a specific goal, here are some questions to ask yourself:

What do you want to accomplish?
Where are you doing it?
What tools will it take?
Are you going solo or do you have a partner in this goal?

I’m going to focus on setting a goal around hiking. Specifically, I want to improve my hiking endurance and recovery time.

Measurable

There has to be some way to objectively measure your progress and success and stay motivated.

Since we’re specifically talking about fitness goals, some ways to measure your progress could be:

How long it takes you to walk/run a certain distance
Your heart rate during a walk/run
The amount of weight you lift
The number of reps you do

I don’t like to use or recommend body weight, circumference, or clothing size as ways to measure progress and success because I think they add to weight stigma and body image issues.

Back to my goal! Since I want to improve my hiking endurance and recovery time, I’m going to use a local trail to measure my progress. I want to be able to finish the hike in 20 minutes without needing to stop for a break and keeping my heart rate in or below the aerobic zone (up to 80% of my max heart rate).

Attainable

Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Even SMART goals can fail if we aren’t picking attainable challenges!

Your goal shouldn’t be easy, but it should be achievable.

This isn’t just a matter of “is it physically possible for me to complete this task.” We must consider all aspects of our daily life, obstacles we might face, and other potential barriers that might require us to shift around or change our goal.

For example, I would love to focus on a longer, more strenuous hike. However, I don’t currently have the ability to commit the time or effort to this goal. This might be a good next step, but if I try to complete it now, I’ll be left unaccomplished and disappointed.

I’ve picked a trail that’s close to me because I don’t have too much free time to spend driving around. The trail is challenging but not outrageous; I’ve hiked it before but never with the limits I want to set for myself. I’m using measurements that are safe for my body and being reasonable about the amount of time it will take.

Realistic

Attainable and realistic might seem like almost the same thing, but just because a goal is possible doesn’t mean it’s realistic.

Some SMART goal-setters use the term “Relevant” rather than realistic, and I think it’s a good substitute!

Is this goal relevant to your needs and wants? What are you striving for? Is now the best time to start working toward this goal?

I love hiking and would do it more often if it didn't take so much energy, so a goal of reducing my energy output during hiking makes sense! It’s spring and I’m not more busy than usual, so the timing works. I’m striving for a body that moves with ease and minimum pain, so this physical activity is relevant to my needs and wants!

Time-Bound

Not setting a timeline can be detrimental to actually accomplishing a goal. If we say “it’ll happen when it happens,” what’s the likelihood that it really will? Yet giving ourselves too much time, or not enough, can hold us back too.

A deadline is a call to action and gives us something to focus on and work toward. Remember to be realistic about how much time you’re giving yourself!

Based on my current level of fitness and the time I can commit to preparing for this goal, two months feels like an appropriate amount of time. I’ve set this date in my calendar and feel motivated by the deadline I’ve given myself.

Putting it All Together

Once you’ve identified each element of your SMART goal, put them all together!

According to what I’ve said above, here’s what I’ve got: In two months, I will be able to hike my local trail from trailhead to the peak in 20 minutes without stopping to catch my break and keeping my heart rate under 156.

Now that I know what I want to do and when I want to do it, I can work on the how!

Once you’ve got a SMART goal in mind, it’s time to make an action plan that will create your steps to success. We know the what and the why, so the last thing to do before getting started is the how!

My “how” involves a lot of walking, a lot of inclines, and some cross-training for strength as well as injury prevention. It will take time and hard work but I’m excited to see this goal through!

Still Need Some Guidance?

That’s what I’m here for! If you know you want to make changes but aren’t sure what you want that to look like, let’s chat! Your goal doesn’t have to be hiking up a big hill.

It’s important to set goals that make sense for where you are in life and where you specifically want to be. Don’t worry about the things other people are doing or the goals they’re setting.

And remember, though I’m highlighting fitness and wellness goals, you can set SMART goals for anything!

Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

Katie Szymanski