GOAL-SETTING FOR EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS

Exercise and weight loss are two perfect paradigms for the process of setting goals.  Do you want to run your first 5K, lose 10 pounds, get in shape?  Setting goals creates the action plan you need to pursue your ultimate reward.

1.  Choose realistic goals

Realistic goals are achievable goals, so success will build on itself.  In contrast, if you set unreasonable goals  (“I’m a running newbie, but I want to run my first 5K race in 2 weeks” or “I want to lose 10 pounds in one week”), you’ve set yourself up to fail.  Failure leads to discouragement, which leads to quitting.  Before you know it, you’ve talked yourself out of trying.

2.  Set goals based upon accepted standards

They already have a track record of success. For example, reputable 5K training plans build your time, miles, and pace gradually, over a 10-12 week period.  This strategy results in the fewest injuries, and the greatest number of enthusiastic finishers!  Similarly, credible weight loss experts advise losing a maximum of one to two pounds a week.  This results in the highest rate of success for permanent weight loss.

3.  Be specific when you state your goals

You can’t reach your goals unless you know exactly what they are.  State your goal in concrete terms:  I want to run the Susan G. Komen 5K race in July.  I want to weigh between 130-135 pounds.  “I want to get in shape” or “I want to lose weight” is simply too vague.

4.  Write down your goals

If you write down your goals, they become real, and no longer a hodgepodge of vague thoughts.  If you see your goals in print every single day (put them on the fridge!), you’ll be far more invested in achieving them.

5.  Expect the Unexpected a.k.a. Life Happens!

Plan ahead for life’s little emergencies, so you won’t become flustered when you swerve off-track.  What if bad weather threatens your weekend run?  Locate a gym for a treadmill workout.  You have a big office party tonight; how do you deal with the overwhelming array of food? Pump up your workout in the morning, and eat an apple before you go so you arrive slightly full.  Planning for obstacles transforms them into minor challenges.

6.  Re-evaluate your strategy

We all have lapses – days we blow off a workout; times when we overindulge; weeks when you’re ill, on vacation, or have a family emergency. Slip-ups and minor setbacks are part of the process; they offer you the opportunity to re-evaluate your strategy.  Avoid all-or-nothing thinking:  “I blew it today (or this week), so I might as well give up.”  A few skipped workouts or an ice cream binge is not a fiasco.  Success in reaching your goals depends on your ability to quickly rebound, return to your plan, and slough off any feelings of failure.