SMART goals - setting yourself up for success

Hi all!  This is something that I did for the first month before I tried to count calories or add exercise.  I found it really helpful!  Actually, I think that I would probably have failed if I tried calorie counting right away - I was addicted to caffeine and bread and couldn't imagine eating a lot of fruit and veges!

SMART GOALS - Setting yourself up for success!

I read that making a resolution such as "Eat healthy in 2008!" was almost certainly doomed to failure.  Why?  Not specific enough!   The idea is to make S>M>A>R>T> goals (an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely).

So instead of saying "Eat healthy", the idea is to make a S>M>A>R>T> goal, eg. I'll eat 2 pieces of fruit every day, ticking them off on a chart, and reward myself by going to the movies if I get 50 ticks within 4 weeks (in 4 weeks, you could actually tick off 56 if you never missed a fruit snack!).  That's a good goal because it is very specific, you can measure it, -  it is achievable (provided you can afford the fruit), it is realistic (you can maintain it) and it is timely. 

The idea of doing it for four weeks is that research shows that it takes at least 21 days to form a habit.  So after your fruit challenge you should be so used to adding fruit to your shopping trolley and snacking on it, it will be a habit that stays with you!

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what to do - post your goal here and check in to let us know how you are going!  Be very specific and realistic - that way you set yourself up for success.

Walks - now 7/16 :-)

Looks like I might just make it :-D

Ok, here's my progress:

walking to/from work, gym workouts

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4 

[edited for update]

I like the smilies...great way to keep track if you don't wanna do the sticker thing. :)

Well I did it...this week I've started strength training. :/ So far so good I guess...just doesn't seem to have made too much of a difference. I get so impatient with this process! *sigh* But looking on the bright side I'm off to a good start. And this time I know it will last. You know I think in the past my attitude is well...if it comes off it comes off. This time I'm much more determined to do it! Yay! It's exciting. :)

So...to show my progress I'm gonna copy y'all with the smilies. ;)

Wk 1  

I'm also going to make another SMART goal. I'd like to eat at least 4 salads for dinner a week. It feels good to eat healthy...and eating salads as good as it gets! I had one last night so I'll start my chart today.

Wk 1  (to show what an angel I was for eating healthy) LOL!

Okey doke. Thank you all...your an inspiration to me! It's good to have goals and friends to be accountable to. God bless you.

You guys are doing GREAT!!!!

I'm only checking in...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My foot still has me unable to do my SMART goals-- but I'm Not quitting, lol!!! Just waiting....!!!

Carry on, SMART GALS!!!!! I'll root fer' ya'll, while  I can't...!!!

I'm halfway there! 8/16 walks by May 8th (the 7th is the last day my walk counts) - fingers crossed...

You are Doing GOOD!!!!

Thanks :-D

Another walk ticked off this morning :-)  I think I'm just going to make this one!

The good news is - the exercise habit does seem to be getting ingrained, along with staying to my (Weight Watcher) points AND not drinking alcohol Monday to Thursday.  I didn't even have SMART goals for them because I didn't want to pressure myself too much!

And another :-)  That's 10 walks achieved!

I'm sooooo envious, lol!!!! Gotta' quit, "Eating your dust," and cartch up...!!!!

Just bought a Nordic Trac Treadmill yesterday, from a friend who is moving... it is scary with all the options on it's console!!! It was VERY inexpensive, so I'm very happy with it-- gonna' try to use it today, carefully with my grouchy left foot...!!!! Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm Waaayyyy behind on my SMART goals...!!!!

That will change sooooonnnnnn... You are Inspiring me!!!!!

Way to go shrinking Caro! Sounds lke you are going to make it afterall! I managed to make it to the end of my four week challenge - JUST - not a day to spare up my sleeve!  20 lunch salads and 20 walk/runs.  I had hoped that my running would be extended to 5 minute intervals by the end of the challenge but I only got up to 2.5 minutes at a time.  I found that I was getting a lot of pain in my shins due to jogging on the hard surface of the road  so I didn't push myself too far. 

I am going to repeat the exact same challenges for the next 4 weeks, and adding in a challenge to condition my tummy muscles!  I figur that the other two behaviours (salad lunches and morning walks) are just about habits now - so it souldn't take too much will power for me to continue - i can use most of my will power on getting down and crunching.

So...

Challenge 1 - 20 walks in 4 weeks

Challenge 2 - 20 salad lunches in 4 weeks

Challenge 3 - 20 strength workouts focussing on abs in 4 weeks.

Bought myself a gym ball - wonder if crunches are easier and more fun on the floor or the ball...  I'm betting that they're not fun anywhere!

Well done also to Chris and to Ladytrekker!!!

2BB - have you finished nursing your sore foot yet?  Your new exercise machine sounds great!  Much more highteck then the latest exercise tool I bought - a skipping rope!

Well, I'm sorry to say I didn't quite make either of my goals for April.

I missed my walking goal by a hair, I didn't account for cold rain this week. I think as I formulate my next goals I will try and make it more flexible for that sort of problem. Between April 8 & the 30th I did walk to work and back at least 10 days. Since it's a mile each way and I go home at lunch, that's 40 miles of walking I slipped in. I'm pretty happy with that dispite not making my goal of 2x per week (i.e. April 27-30th, 0 times).

I missed my gym goal by a mile! I only went three times instead of 7. Hmmm. Gonna have to give some thought to that. I now have a really nice treadmill at the house so I may just use it and hand weights and save the gym membership money for other things. Still thinkin...

Hearty congrats to those of you who did make your goal. Be sure and tell us about your rewards. I hope those of you who didn't earn a gold star (like me!) feel that you at least did better because of the attempt. I know I did.

Original Post by jella:

Well done also to Chris and to Ladytrekker!!!

2BB - have you finished nursing your sore foot yet?  Your new exercise machine sounds great!  Much more highteck then the latest exercise tool I bought - a skipping rope!

 Thanks jella... :) I've been wanting to get one of those jump ropes. I saw this one and am seriously thinking of buying one.

I put my SMART goals in my journal so I can update that daily and give a report here once a week or so. A friend, longway2go likes your idea! She's started some goals of her own. Isn't that what this forum is all about? Encouraging and helping one another along. It sure does help me!

My 1st SMART goal; Strength training at least twice a week:

1. Week 1 -
2. Week 2 -

My 2nd SMART goal; Eat at least four salads a week:

1. Week 1 (started it April 24th) -   
2. Week 2 -   

Oh my God, ladytrekki!  My skipping rope is just a piece of rainbow coloured rope with tow plastic handles!  I never thought that something as high tech as that one you've been looking at could ever exist!  It doesn't even have a rope - less likely to fall flat on your face!  Looks like fun though!

It's great to hear that your friend finds the Smart idea useful.  I get a lot of personal mail about it - though most don't post their goals in this forum, they are using it in their daily planning - the idea is helping a lot of people out. 

I've had a UTI infection this week so haven't tried any ab exercises yet - as today is day three of my challenge, I'd better start or I'll have to push myself very hard at the end to meet my goal.  Eating salads is easy peasy!  I've walked two out of three mornings so far.  I think that I am going to have to give up the idea of running - it's really hurting along the front of my shins.  I do heaps of stretches but they don't help much.  So brisk walking will have to be my thing!  I'll take my skipping rope with me to jump on the grass at the park - less hard on the knees...

Hey, Chris!

Oh, well!  If you only missed your walking goal by a whisker there's still plenty of reason to celebrate.  This goal has been successful - it's made you more active and aware of the need to incorporate exercise into your weekly plan!  Try the same goal again - you'll probably find that it's easier than when you first started as walking is beginning to become routine.  Bad weather really puts a dampener on the plans and can't be helped - that's where making the goal more realistic really helps.

I made my goals without a day to spare!  This time, I hope to lift the game and achieve over my goal whenever possible.  Just eating a lunch salad on the weekend will push me up to 24 salads - 4 above my goal.....that'll be a nice feeling! 

You're lucky that you have some home gym equipment!  Use it, girl! did you know that there are weekly exercise programs that you can follow on this site?  I'm using them to help me learn to do strength exercises.

* waves to everybody! *

Just checking in... my head cold turned into a rare-for-me fever... been unable to do what I wanted!!! My new Nordic Treadmill is still waiting for me, lol!!! Going on a small trip tomorrow, so I'll be away a bit, but I'm not giving up...!!!

Keep going, I need the Inspiration while I moan and whine and feel pitiful, lol!!!

Oh poor 2bb! There's nothing worse than getting sick and having it ruin your wonderful plans.  Take it easy and enjoy your trip - hopefully you will return invigorated and feeling healthier.

I've decided to retain my walking to work goal for the month of May, I'll just adjust it to ten times in the month. That's averaging three times a week but allowing for the week I'll be away in New Orleans*.

I think I'm going to drop my gym goal and add a crunch goal. I REALLY want to get into a HABIT of doing crunches and push-ups everyday. I think doing them at least 15 days in May is probably a reasonable goal (there are only 18 days left when I subtract out the third week*). I hope to be able to slip them in while I'm away but it's just hard to tell. 15 sound ok?

Original Post by jella:

Hey, Chris!

Oh, well!  If you only missed your walking goal by a whisker there's still plenty of reason to celebrate.  This goal has been successful - it's made you more active and aware of the need to incorporate exercise into your weekly plan!  Try the same goal again - you'll probably find that it's easier than when you first started as walking is beginning to become routine.  Bad weather really puts a dampener on the plans and can't be helped - that's where making the goal more realistic really helps.

I made my goals without a day to spare!  This time, I hope to lift the game and achieve over my goal whenever possible.  Just eating a lunch salad on the weekend will push me up to 24 salads - 4 above my goal.....that'll be a nice feeling! 

You're lucky that you have some home gym equipment!  Use it, girl! did you know that there are weekly exercise programs that you can follow on this site?  I'm using them to help me learn to do strength exercises.

 Congratulations on meeting your goals jella! :)

Weekly exercise programs? Where? I'd be interested in that. Right now I'm just wingin it on my strength training.

Great idea for a SMART goal Chris. *thumbsup* I'd like to get into a habit of doing sit ups every day too. They are super hard for me right now...but getting easier as I do them. :)

I'm tryin to remember if I posted my progress here yet. Guess I'll do it again just in case I forgot.

My 1st SMART goal; Strength training at least twice a week:

1. Week 1 -
2. Week 2 -
3. Week 3 -

My 2nd SMART goal; Eat at least four salads a week:

1. Week 1 (started it April 24th) -   
2. Week 2 -   
3. Week 3 -

Original Post by jella:

Oh my God, ladytrekki!  My skipping rope is just a piece of rainbow coloured rope with tow plastic handles!  I never thought that something as high tech as that one you've been looking at could ever exist!  It doesn't even have a rope - less likely to fall flat on your face!  Looks like fun though!

It's great to hear that your friend finds the Smart idea useful.  I get a lot of personal mail about it - though most don't post their goals in this forum, they are using it in their daily planning - the idea is helping a lot of people out. 

I've had a UTI infection this week so haven't tried any ab exercises yet - as today is day three of my challenge, I'd better start or I'll have to push myself very hard at the end to meet my goal.  Eating salads is easy peasy!  I've walked two out of three mornings so far.  I think that I am going to have to give up the idea of running - it's really hurting along the front of my shins.  I do heaps of stretches but they don't help much.  So brisk walking will have to be my thing!  I'll take my skipping rope with me to jump on the grass at the park - less hard on the knees...

 I know! Isn't that an awesome looking piece of technology? I'm still seriously thinking of getting one. It would give me another option for my cardio...trying to do something different every once in awhile so my body doesn't get too comfortable and stop burning fat. Also, I heard doing your strength training first is best because it burns up the carbs so when you do your cardio you will burn your fat. Makes it a little longer...but I did it that way last night and I felt like I worked twice as hard when I did my cardio. Guess it's good when you feel the burn huh?

I know what you mean about salads. I never used to like them but once I started eating them...I started to get hungry for them. There's so much you can do with salad...so many toppings and ways to be creative. :)