How to Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals to Make Your Exercise Resolution a Reality!
It’s here! The start of the new year! The holiday celebrations have come to an end and we are left with our annual to-do list of resolutions. It is so invigorating to start a new year with a sense of renewed energy, a vision for your future, goals, and…a plan? The distance between our goals and the “how” of actually getting there can look like Mount Everest as we stare up at our lofty ambitions from below, imagining all of the hard work we will have to do to get there. Exercise-related New Year’s resolutions seem to top everyone’s list around this time of year. However, up to 80 percent of health-related resolutions- including ones to add in more exercise- are abandoned as early as February. Why is this? We all know that exercise is good for us, that it is something we need for lasting health and longevity. So why do we put off getting more exercise, or a better question might be: Why do we start exercising but then can’t seem to maintain consistency?
The health benefits of exercise have been extensively studied and the research has been in for decades showing us that even a minimal amount of exercise provides exponential health benefits. Exercise promotes greater overall bodily function at a cellular level: everything from sleep regulation, insulin sensitivity, to our mental health and brain function are so greatly improved from regular exercise! We even know how much exercise we need in order to get and stay healthy: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Mayo Clinic, the American Heart Association, and all other medical science organizations recommend adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (think: a brisk walk) per week- that’s 30 minutes a day. AND we now know that those 30 minutes don’t need to be consecutive: we can get exercise in increments as low as 2 minutes! As long as our bouts of exercise adds up to 30 minutes, we are getting our daily dose. We know all this, and yet still 80 percent of Americans will fall short of their 2020 goal of getting more exercise. But why?
Think back to a major achievement in your life. It could be buying your first home, or getting your college degree, or getting a big promotion at work. Did any of those achievements in your life just…happen? No, of course not! You set intentions probably on a daily basis that would ensure your daily actions towards the accomplishment of that goal. If your goal is to get more exercise, the process for accomplishing that goal will look remarkably similar to other efforts you have made in your life. And if you pursue a goal of getting more exercise with the same degree of tenacity that you did with any other achievement, you can get there! But how?
You may have heard of the S.M.A.R.T. acronym as it pertains to goal setting. S.M.A.R.T. stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Let’s break that down here:
Specific: your goal should be as specific as possible. For instance, instead of setting a goal to exercise more (that’s pretty vague, right?) try writing down in your day planner or online calendar the time of day and the exact form of exercise you will be doing. Setting aside a clear-cut time and a place, as well as exactly what form of exercise you’ll be doing, will help hold you accountable.
Measurable: you goal should be something that can be assessed and evaluated. An example of a measurable exercise goal would be to write in your day planner, “going for a 30 minute brisk walk around Thompson Lake.” If you have a performance-related exercise goal, such as training for a road run, keeping a log of your training (such as recording your daily mileage, or which set of weights you used for a particular workout) is recommended so that you can measure your training progress.
Achievable: your goal should be something you can in fact achieve. This principal has more to do with our psychology than with physical ability. Let me create a scenario for you: your cousin, let’s call her Susie, woke up January 1 and registered to climb Mount Everest next week. Susie’s super excited, is telling everyone she knows about her epic plans to summit this world-class peak, she bought her plane tickets and is ready to go! BUT. Susie’s never hiked a day in her life. Susie has a bad knee (old soccer injury from college, ended her career, don’t bring it up, it’s still a tough subject for her). Susie is also just recovering from a bad bout of asthma that left her in the hospital over her winter break. Bottom line: Susie is not ready for this climb. Susie has bitten off way more than she can chew and, once she flies all the way across the world to attempt her New Year’s goal of planting her flag on that summit, she cannot even make it the first mile up the mountain. Susie is devastated. Susie now hates hiking, and vows to never try new things again. Don’t be like Susie. Ok this may be a bit hyperbolic but I stand by my (fake) example. When starting down the path towards accomplishing a new goal, start small. If you’ve never hiked before but are interested in trying, lace up your walking shoes and get out for a nice 30 minute walk in a pretty park (if one is available to you). After your walk you will feel great! You will have accomplished your first goal which will boost your confidence and get you pumped to keep going!
Realistic: your goals should be within your (current) ability. See the above case study of Susie. It is also helpful that your goals be of personal value to you. We all have the experience of undertaking duties that others have imposed upon us, or of doing things because we have been told that we “should.” However, studies have shown that when our goals are related to our own personal values- rather than the values of others- we are more likely to stick to and accomplish those goals. For more on discovering your deeper motivations behind change and how to make positive changes last for you, read on here.
Time-bound: goals should have a specific time frame. For instance, if you are training for that run it will be important to get started with your training several months in advance of your race. Another way to interpret this principle is to select activities for exercise that fit within your time-frame, or your daily schedule. Can you fit in an exercise class before work? Perhaps after your workday is more convenient for you? Or, on your busiest days you could plan to fit in a walk on your lunch break? These are all examples of how to keep you goals within a set time frame.
If you are feeling ready to hit the ground running (no fitness pun intended, I swear!) with your New Year’s resolution to get more exercise, that is awesome! Keep that positive energy and let it motivate you to take action! Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting as a guide, set small daily goals to keep that spark alive and try not to get discouraged when you encounter the inevitable setback. With exercise, it is really true that something is always better than nothing. So start where you are: for many of us, that’s walking. Looking for a goal to get started? Start your year by taking two 15-minute walks each day for the rest of this week. Chances are, you’ll reap the positive feel-good benefits of exercise on day one and you will want to go back for more!
About the author:
As an independent health and fitness coach, Vera has worked with over 200 individuals and several corporations to implement strategies to create sustainable health-positive behavior modifications. Through earning a Master of Public Health degree and becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®), Vera is uniquely prepared to help clients work towards their health goals.
Vera educates clients on all aspects of creating and maintaining healthy lifestyle behavior modifications. As a qualified and highly educated health coach Vera is an effective agent of change, helping clients to create sustainable, lasting lifestyle modifications.