How to Achieve Results with the SMART Goal Method?

You will learn all about what a SMART goal is, how to create a goal and find out why it is beneficial no matter what the level of activity you are doing.

Why bother with setting a SMART goal?

Setting goals will allow you to take control of you short term and long term plans more effectively. A goal can give you long term direction and short term motivation. A SMART goal will give you a greater level of focus whilst also giving you accountability for your own progression. A goal should never prevent you from achieving but instead help you take your training, weight loss or anything else you desire to the next level!

What does SMART stand for?

• SPECIFIC: Your goal needs to be specific to what you want to achieve. Try to answer the 5 W’s when developing your goals. What do I want to accomplish? Why is this goal important? Who is involved? Where is it located? Which resources or limits are involved? Your goal doesn’t have to purely be set on exercise and fitness, it could simply be a way of planning your days or weeks.
• MEASURABLE: Quantify your progress by making the goal measurable. How much weight have you lost? How has your BMI changed? Measuring your progress can help you to be motivated throughout.
• ACHIEVABLE: You want to create a goal that is going to be attainable but not too easy that it is completed immediately. Your goals should be hard to achieve but not impossible. You are never going to achieve a goal that cuts your bodyweight in half within two weeks so set something you can be proud to achieve.
• RELEVANT: Make sure your SMART goal is relevant to what you want to achieve. For example if you want to lose body weight your relevant goal could be to reduce your calorific intake to hit the goal our calorie calculator outlines.
• TIME-BOUND: Give your goal a time that you want to complete it by. Doing this will enable you to plan, develop new skills to achieve the goal and ultimately push you to succeed.

Where is the best place to start with goal setting?

To start with think about what you really want to accomplish within a certain timeframe that you set. First thing to do is sit down and try to write down what your target is. Then with this target in mind try to answer all of the SMART goal words. Take your time in the planning of your goals, don’t rush through the goal setting stage. A poorly created goal can produce less than likeable results leading to a loss in motivation. You don’t have to just create a goal for a long term create several goals over a timeline. Set yourself a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goal. This will really help you with your accountability too.

What are some good examples of a SMART goal?

So lets say the main goal you want to achieve is to lose a stone in body weight. Therefore go through the SMART concept creating smaller sub-goals to help you to hit the main goal of weight loss.

1. S – A specific sub-goal to our main goal will be along the lines of ‘I will aim to consume a 1800 calories a day’
2. M – To make this goal measurable you can set a sub-goal of ‘I will weigh my self every morning before I have my breakfast so the results are consistent’. (If this is you check out the FitTrack Dara Scales, these are honestly fantastic!)
3. A – To make this achievable I would add a sub-goal for exercise per day. ‘I will exercise for a minimum of 30mins a day’.
4. R – Aim to have all of your sub-goals answer two simple questions; is this worthwhile for me? Can I do it? Answer yes, set your goals and achieve. Believe in yourself!
5. T – Your time bound goal needs to be achievable but not too easy. So for this particular goal of 1 stone weight loss the goal could be ‘I will lose a stone in 1 month’.

Alternatively if you don’t know where to start, drop us a message on the live chat or email us at info@yourhealthcalculator.com and we will be happy to help you.