Are you looking forward to losing some weight this year? When the year starts, most of us set a resolution to lose weight and improve our health. When you decide to exercise for weight loss, you should have a plan. Know how much weight you intend to lose and what duration you want it to take.
Setting goals when you choose a fitness program is the best you can do to lose weight. In this article, we let you know why it is important to set SMART goals when you are out to lose some pounds.
Why set a goal?
Just like in life, we need goals to keep us moving. Without a goal, you are not likely to work hard and live your dreams. When you set goals to lose weight, you can work out every day to target losing weight.
It won’t be easy to succeed with your weight loss program if you don’t have goals to guide you. A smart goal serves as a guide and roadmap for your weight loss journey.
If you want to keep your fitness program on the right track, you should set a goal. So, how can you set a goal as a beginner in exercise? Most fitness coaches and trainers use the SMART criteria to help their trainees to set goals for training.
This method is used mainly in the employment sector to help workers define their strategies for success at work. You can use this system to set weight loss goals and succeed in the end.
How to set a SMART Goal for weight loss?
How do you set a smart goal and ensure you succeed in your fitness program as a beginner? It all begins with deciding to exercise. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
Specific
When you decide to set goals for your fitness, always ensure they are specific. Set a milestone and accomplishment that you can easily reach. Sometimes it is important to start small and realize your goals as you progress. `
By reducing your BMI, you can reduce your risk of dependence on medication.
If you’ve gained some weight over the holidays, you can work out to lose some weight and regain your slim body. The best approach to losing weight is to set behavioural goals like changing your diet and making changes to your daily routine.
Example: I want to get my optimal weight this year by running 15-30 minutes every morning or jogging in the evening.
Measurable
The weight loss goals you set should be measurable if you want to keep track of your progress. You should decide on how you are going to measure your success throughout your fitness journey. Start by thinking of items you want to drop off your list.
Everyone has his way of measuring how hard they are working out. Perhaps you’ve been tracking your progress and realized you are only walking 1,000 steps a day. Instead of saying you will walk more, you can be specific and state that you will be walking 3,000 steps a day. Come up with measurable goals that you can write down and stick to it.
Example: I will drop 10 pounds in four months by exercising five days a week and eating a balanced diet.
Attainable
It is important to evaluate your history and behavioural changes to make your weight loss goals achievable. For instance, if you have never lost 5 pounds on your weight loss plan, saying you will lose 20 pounds in three months is not attainable. Again, if you set a goal that you will be working out every day and haven’t met that in a week, your goal is not attainable.
The trick here is to set a goal you can easily attain. Once you set an achievable goal, you can easily move to the next step and set a new goal. Set a goal that is not that overwhelming to you. Start small when developing a fitness goal and once you achieve the small things, you can always set some ‘hard’ goals and work towards them.
Example: I will drop 20 pounds in five months. I will accomplish this goal by applying a 52-week healthy eating challenge.
Relevant
Being relevant is the most critical part of setting your goals. When setting your goals, you should make them more relevant to your fitness program. The idea here is to ensure your goals fit well with your priorities. The fitness goals you set should be relevant to the things you consider more important to you.
You should ask yourself why meeting the goal you have set is that important to you. Do you want to gain more energy to do the things you love or simply want to become a role model to your kids? Always think of those priorities in life and how setting this goal will help you meet them.
When you are tempted to quit working out, you can always remind yourself of the reasons you started exercising in the first place. It will keep you on the right track to achieving your fitness goals.
Example: Working out by walking uphill for 20-30 minutes every day will help me lose weight in three months. I will be able to move comfortably and get up to play with my kids.
Time-Bound
When it comes to realizing your fitness goal, you should give yourself some time. Time limit is an essential factor you should always consider when working out and setting your goal. You should decide on the amount of time it will take you to achieve your goals.
When setting your weight loss goals, you should always consider that losing 1-2 pounds per week is healthy. At the start of a weight loss program, most people tend to lose weight quickly.
If you choose behavioural change as a way of losing weight, you should set a specific date that you will check to find out if you’re making any progress.
Example: I will re-evaluate my weight loss progress after eight weeks of exercise. I will also make adjustments to my fitness routine so that I am able to achieve my goals in time.
