S.M.A.R.T.

Every person should have goals, especially when starting a weight loss regimen. Studies have shown the best way to make a goal is by using the S.M.A.R.T. method.

I am a huge fan of health and fitness magazines. (You'll know the importance of me telling you this soon.)
Some of my favorites are:

• Woman's Health
• Fitness Rx
• Runners
• Muscle&Fitness-Hers

In this months issue of Woman's Health Magazine, There was an article about "Total-Body Transformation". In the article it gave an EXCELLENT description of making a S.M.A.R.T. goal.

Here is what it said:

S. M. A. R. T.

Specific- "Set out to just 'be healthy' and you're selling yourself short. Vague goals give people too much leeway and can lower their motivation to push themselves. So be precise (i.e. you want to lower your body fat by 10 percent or be able to run a 10-k)."

Measurable- "You should be able to gauge and quantify your progress, both in the short-term and long-term. Set micro (weekly) and macro (monthly) goals to keep yourself on track."

Attainable- "If you can barely find 20 free minutes in your day, don't set yourself up for failure by saying you'll run for 50 minutes 3 days a week."

Realistic- "Even with the smartest plan and the strongest determination, your body can only handle so much. Sure, fast weight loss is possible, but if you drop more than about a pound and a half a week, you're most likely looking at muscle and water loss--not fat."

Time Sensitive: Deadlines create a sense of urgency and make your goal a priority. Give yourself a year to drop 75 to 100 lbs., four to six months to train for a marathon (if you're a new runner), and two months to lose 10 percent to 12 percent of your body fat."

With this being said, here is my S.M.A.R.T. goal (my overall goal):

GOAL: to lose 50 lbs. by January 1, 2013.
HOW: I will do this by working out 3-5 days each week for at least 30 minutes. I will also commit to a healthy diet.