How To Set a New Fitness Goal You Can Stick With

Do you have a fitness goal you have been thinking about?  Perhaps you want to start a regular exercise routine? Maybe you want to hit a personal best in your deadlift? Or maybe you want to start training for a race in the spring?

Whatever your fitness goal, you need to make sure you take the right steps to reach it and goals are usually more achievable when they’re split into small steps. Creating actionable steps or goals that you can work towards makes your larger goals seem less daunting. One of the best ways to ensure that you reach any fitness goal you have is to follow the SMART goal strategy.

The SMART framework describes the key components of any goal that makes it achievable. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed. Consider each of these sections when you are thinking of your next fitness goal. If you can make sure that your goal satisfies each component, you’re much more likely to reach it.

For example, if you have a goal to reach a new personal best  in the near future, here is how you could make your goal fit the SMART criteria:

S - I want to be able to run for 30 minutes

M - I can measure this by recording the length of my weekly runs

A - I can currently run for 15 minutes, making my goal attainable but also challenging.

R - I will increase my run times by 10% each week

T - I want to reach my goal in 2 months