SMART Goals- part 2

(This is Part 2 of a 5 part post on setting goals.)  Click here for Part 1.
 
When it comes to health, setting goals is very important.  However, it is easy to make goals and then slowly (or even quickly sometimes) watch them fizzle out.  Let's talk about how we can make more effective goals!

SMART

S- Specific
M- Measureable
A- Attainable
R- Realistic
T- Time-Oriented

Measurable:  Establish specific criteria to measure your progress toward your goal.

For my half-marathon example, I kept track of my daily and weekly mileage.  Increasing my mileage each week helped me stay motivated to do my workouts throughout the week.  I knew if I missed a workout, I would be  in trouble when the next week rolled around and the mileage would be more.

Here are some other ways you could measure your health related goals

• have your blood pressure measured weekly
• have your cholesterol levels measured 
• weigh yourself (although be careful with this one and don't do it too often)
• have your body composition analyzed
• keep track of miles, the amount of time exercised, or the amount of resistance used for strength exercises
• track calories
• keep track of the number of fruits and veggies you eat each day
• keep track of fiber grams
• keep track of saturated fat

Just make sure what you measure connects to the purpose of your goal.  Good luck with making your SMART goals!