by Samantha Montpetit-Huynh
I have never been a fan of resolutions because too many negative cogitations are associated with it. Like the fact that about 80% of gym memberships fall by the wayside after just 8 weeks and every year the weight loss industry makes billions of dollars relying on peoples beliefs that “this time it’s going to work!”.
And here we are again. Another year to try again to get it right. But has anyone really told you how to get there? Have you thought about what it is that you really want and what is required to get it?
I have been working with a business coach lately who uses the same creative plan that I do with my clients. What is it I want and what are the steps needed to succeed?
It’s great to have a goal of “eating healthy”, “losing 20lbs” or “exercising 4 days a week”, but unless you use S.M.A.R.T goals, you could be starting off on the wrong foot.
S – Be SPECIFIC.
What is it that you want? Just saying ‘I want to lose weight” isn’t enough. How much weight and why?
M – Measureable.
How are you going to measure your Success? If it’s 50 lbs you want to lose, break it down. 1-2 lbs per week is safe FAT loss. Any more than that is usually muscle and water and you need that for an efficient metabolism!
A – Attainable.
Can you do what is required? Do you have all the systems in place to lose weight? Have you created an exercise plan to support the weight loss and put it in (not just your calendar) but your family calendar so everyone know and can support you? Have you gone through your cupboards? Maybe you need the help of a certified nutritionist?
R – Realistic.
Don’t ask yourself for big changes to soon. If you really want to change your life, just think about it. You can’t change the way you have been living over night so this will be a daily challenge that you will have top be prepared for. You may fall off the wagon so be prepared for that. Have a back up plan and get back on.
T – Timely.
How long will it take to reach that goal? Or what time commitment will you need to create on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? Again…having a support system (friend, spouse, family) will make it easier for you to make the changes that are required so you don’t have to feel guilty that you are making time for yourself, for a change.
Remember, 2013 is going to be a great year for everyone! We made it through the universal shift of 2012 so take advantage and make this one the best year yet!
Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is the mother of two beautiful girls and the founder of Core Expectations, Toronto’s only full services wellness team that delivers personal training, abdominal rehabilitation and other support services to the homes and offices of pregnant women and new moms across the GTA.
2 Comments
When it comes to getting fit, it helps to pin down the specific goals you want to achieve—then keep those goals at the top of your mind every time you hit the gym or exercise at home.
Hi Samantha,
There is a little technique you can use, if you have the courage that will almost guarantee the achievement of fitness goals or other goals. It is based on the idea of “social pressure”.
Think about this; let’s say you have a goal to lose a certain amount of weight or achieve some desired level of fitness. You can set the goal privately and tell yourself, “I am going to achieve this goal by August 1.” On the other hand, you can make the goal public by telling all of your friends and family what you intend to do and even give a date for your desired completion.
As soon as you take that goal public, you move into a different state of mind. No longer are you at the mercy of your own self-discipline. Now you have a much more powerful force dictating your day to day actions and decisions.
Studies have shown publicizing goals with another person make them more likely to be achieved. For example, Researchers at the University of South Carolina found the support and accountability provided by posting to a social networking site made a difference in how much weight people lost.