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Exercising for Results: SMART Goal Setting
Exercising for Results: SMART Goal SettingPg 1TranscriptNo matter how old you are, no matter how long it’s been since your last workout, your body willbenefit from exercise. But starting an exercise plan, especially if you haven’t been active in a while,can be overwhelming. For best results, make your goals SMART.SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. And setting SMARTgoals will help you take the idea of exercise and turn it into action.First, be specific. How many times in your life have you thought you are ready to exercise more,and made that your goal? How did it go? The idea is great, but without a clear goal you probablyfelt frustrated because there was never really anything to reach.Instead, make a goal that is specific. Do you plan to walk 3 times a week? Maybe you want tofocus on calories burned and plan to burn 900 calories a week through exercise. Or, maybe youwould like to run 1 mile without stopping to walk. Whatever goal you set, make it specific, so youknow what you have to do to reach it.To easily find out if you have reached your goal, it must be measurable. Did you walk 3 times thisweek? Did you burn the number of calories you wanted? Did you run for 1 mile without stopping?Is your goal Attainable? In other words, can you reach that goal?It is important to set goals that are not too easy, because where is the challenge in that? And nottoo difficult, because then you will get frustrated and give up.For example, deciding to run a marathon when you haven’t run in years may not be attainable atthis point. Try running a mile first and then gradually increase the amount you run each time. If amarathon is your long-term goal, you will get there over time.Trying to bench press 200 pounds the first time you add resistance exercises to your exerciseroutine, may not only be hard to achieve, but may also cause injury.Instead, think of a goal that is attainable and work towards it safely.Each goal you set should also be realistic for you. With your busy schedule, can you walk in yourneighborhood 5 nights a week? Maybe 3 nights a week and once at lunch is more realistic for now.If you have a medical condition, meet with your healthcare provider or personal trainer to ensureyour goals won’t increase your risk of injury or make your condition worse. Exercise is for the longterm so do it safely.“When I was 350 pounds, I just would walk for 5 to maybe 7 minutes and that would beenough to where I was sore, I was winded. And I just couldn’t do any more. But I would getup every day and continue to do that. And after maybe a month, I noticed that I was doingtwice as much. After two months I noticed I was doing maybe four times as much.”And finally, every goal you set should be timely. Set an end date, and schedule it into your dailyroutine. Without a timeframe to reach each goal, you may never get there.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10213_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.Exercising for Results: SMART Goal SettingPg 2I will walk 30 minutes 3 times this week.I will do 1 set of repetitions for each muscle group this week.I will join a water aerobics class before my birthday.Starting an exercise plan can be difficult. But seeing results can give you the motivation you needto keep moving. Make your goals SMART. Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.And you will have a plan that fits your life.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10213_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.
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