Goal Setting – Fit Simplified

Starting a food and exercise journal doesn’t need to be anything complicated and certainly doesn’t need to be fancy. It only needs to be functional and easy to read when you need to look back at it. Remember that the whole point of this isn’t to add one more hassle to your to-do list. It’s simply to help you figure out what is working (and maybe what isn’t working) in your health and fitness journey. Sometimes we may think we had an okay day, only to look back and see areas that really weren’t quite as good as we “remembered”. To many people, the pen and paper version may seem old school and that is fine. The apps and devices out there now are top-notch and can be extremely helpful (see below for some that my clients love!), but for the few that want to do this the old-fashioned way, grab your tablet and chisel, and let’s get started! And for those of you who are into apps and gadgets, there are some things for you here, too!

First, before you write anything, you need to consider your goals. Your goal(s) need to be front and center at the very beginning. Write them where you can see them first thing. In fact, write them on lots of things and place around your house (the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, closet door, etc.). Keeping this end goal at the front of your mind, will help keep you from becoming distracted when “life happens”…because it will. What is your long-term goal and what are some short-term goals you can achieve on your way to the larger goal? Are your goals realistic and achievable? Can you track them easily or are they vague? Be very specific. If you love setting reminders on your phone, use it! It’s a great idea and extremely helpful for keeping your goals at the front of your mind especially when you can set reminders throughout the day to workout or to meal prep, etc. Reminders help us when we are distracted, and if you are like me, it’s easy to get distracted and off course when life happens (which it tends to do).

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Let’s go over an example of setting goals. Maybe your long-term goal is to lose 100 lbs. This is achievable but not in 90 days. Maybe a short-term, realistic goal would be to lose 15 lbs in 90 days. (Since we’re talking about weight, weight-loss is a great goal if this is something you need to do, but be cautious about stalking the scale. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and think about taking pictures so you can see changes even when the scale may not move at times.) Map out how long you need to lose your 100 lbs. and chart all the smaller goals on the way to your larger goal. The specific ways you need to get to the larger goal need to be written down with intention. Congratulations in advance…your chances of success just skyrocketed by mapping out your complete plan!

Every day, multiple times throughout the day, you are going to look at your goals. You are going to see your plan often, and it will remind you that consistency and persistency is the key to getting where you want to be. After all, you didn’t get where you currently are in your health and fitness overnight. It takes time to get out of shape, and yes, it will take time to get back in shape and hopefully even better than you were before!

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As promised, for you techies out there, here are some fitness gadgets that my clients LOVE and perhaps wonder what they ever did without them… (Feel free to leave in the comments your favs or not-so-favs and why! I’d love to hear!) There are lots of different options within each brand as well. The possibilities seem endless as far as variety and function depending on your budget, so I haven’t listed everything here. Oh, and these are in no particular order…

1) Apple Watch – My clients rave about the Apple Watch. It’s sleek design makes it perfect with any attire, but it’s also extremely functional with lots of features. They find that it’s really user-friendly in tracking activity and heart-rate. In addition, being able to text and receive calls is a bonus.

2) Garmin – My clients who run or do long walks, hang on to their Garmin for those things even if they also have another option they wear for other things. But now Garmin has come out with the Vivosmart 4 and the Vivosport that are sleeker and still offer plenty of options.

3) Samsung Gear S3 Classic – I have one client that has this one, and she absolutely loves it and says she would definitely recommend to anyone. It has lots of bells and whistles including tracking sleep, activity and heart rate. It also has plenty of other features and allows you to text and receive calls.

4) Fit Bit – I’ve had clients in the past that used a Fit Bit, but since I don’t have any clients that use a Fit Bit right now, I don’t have a version preference or suggestions so I’m just giving some basic info. There are various options to fit whatever your needs may be and they range in price as well. The Fitbit Ionic and the Fitbit Versa are considered smartwatches. The Fitbit Charge 3 is waterproof, tracks your activity and heartrate and will set you back around $150 or so. Again, happy to hear any comments/suggestions from real-life applications if you’ve tried one.

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Remember, the most important thing about exercise and nutrition tracking is brutal honesty. If you eat it, it gets tracked. ALL exercise gets tracked. This is the best way you will learn what is working for you and what your shortcomings are so you can improve, and that’s what this is all about anyway!

Again, there are loads of gadgets out there to make this paperless for you, so do some shopping around. Each brand seems to offer various options with various price-ranges as well. Would love to hear your favorites!

Here’s to YOUR health!

Does the idea of goal-setting bore you to tears? Or does it just seem daunting because you’ve done it before and it didn’t work like you thought it should? And beyond just setting your goals, the steps toward their achievement is paramount. AND, beyond that, what will push you to keep moving forward even when frustration sets in or you plateau? Because it’s really this that will be the “make or break” for you, right? You have to have that action plan in place to get you through these valleys in order to find success and crush those goals.

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I work with clients of all ages, shapes and sizes. Each of these individuals trusts me to guide them on the path to a fit life, a healthier life. If they each don’t put in their share of work outside of seeing me, the results will be minimal. We have to find what works for each of us. Goal-setting is an individual process. And it may be something you’ll spend some time trying to get right, and that’s okay. But don’t stick with a process that isn’t working just because you read about it or heard it worked for a friend. Do it for yourself and find what you can live with long-term.

I love analogies. Sometimes you’ll hear a really good one that just makes you say “ah-ha!”. This week, I heard a brilliant one that is applicable for all of us. If we look at our lives and only picture the work that needs to be done to fully complete ourselves, it can be overwhelming, much like the process of building a house. Day after day, contractors are in and out working on the house. Some days, it looks like a lot has been done! Other days, it looks like nothing was done…but it’s not because nothing was done. It’s just that we can’t always see it when the electrical wires are run or some drywall gets hung, especially from the outside. But those pieces that go into building a house are just as important and little by little the house goes up! Each day is another day closer to the completion of the house. So this is the way we need to see ourselves. Physically, mentally, spiritually…each day, we work to make a little more progress to a better self. Others may not always see the progress. In fact, some days we may not see the progress or even feel it, but it’s there as long as we keep “fighting the good fight” and striving to keep pushing ahead. Never, ever give up!

What goals have you set for yourself for 2019? Are they truly achievable? Are you setting both short-term and long-term goals? What about steps toward the realistic completion of those goals? How about little rewards along the way? That always helps! If I have a goal I’ve really worked hard toward, beyond just the feeling of pride I have that I actually made it, a new pair of running shoes is pretty awesome too…or a new shirt to workout in. And don’t set some extreme challenge that you know in your heart won’t work for you! Think of the steps each day toward bettering yourself, because when the new and fuzzy wears off of your shiny new resolution, it’s the day to day grind that you’ll push through that will enable you to find success! Congratulations in advance!

Here’s to YOUR health!