Goal Setting

Goal / Action Plan
So first – pick a goal. Try to put some feelings behind it to make it real. For example, “I want to lose weight to be healthy and to be a role model for my children.” This is an overall goal.

This an example of how you might reach your overall goal:  I will do this by preparing healthy meals for myself and my family 5 to 6 times a week.

These may be weekly goals:

  1. Once a week I will sit down and plan the family meals for the up coming week.
  2. I will then create my shopping list from the meals I’ve decided on.
  3. This menu will include 3 meals and 2-3 healthy snacks a day in order to keep my metabolism stable, and keep me from binging on things that are not healthy.
  4.  I will not buy any thing that is not on my list.

Daily Goals:

  1. Saturday – Plan Meals for week / and create shopping list
  2. Sunday – Go food shopping / pre-prepare

This is an example of how you might reach your overall goal:  I will do this by committing to getting in five workouts a week.

Daily Goals:

  1. Monday – 3 to 4 mile walk outside at 7:00 AM after kids get on the bus.
  2. Tuesday – appointment with personal trainer at 12 PM on lunch break
  3. Wednesday – Tennis with the girls 10:00 AM before Dr’s appt.
  4. Thursday – Walk after dinner with Family.
  5. Friday – $30 treadmill by Valerie Waters – anytime / anywhere!
  6. Etc, etc.

Of course the planning is the easy part. The follow through is the harder part. Life gets busy, things come up, yada, yada, yada … It’s true – things do come up. Sometimes we will miss a workout, sometimes we will eat something that wasn’t planned, but the key is to get right back to it! Get back to your workout the very next day, get back to you meal plan the very next meal, and oh by the way, don’t beat yourself up for it. We are all human. However, if you find yourself doing this more often than not, then this is where you really need to dig in and make yourself accountable. Make yourself accountable by finding a support system. Maybe it is a few of your friends on the same journey, maybe it’s a forum, or maybe it’s a health and fitness coach like me. Find what works for you and stick to it.

Remember – one day, one meal at a time; decide and focus on a goal; keep your goals realistic and do-able; put things in perspective – the weight didn’t come on it a week, it’s not going to come off in a week; and celebrate small victories – any accomplishment that is a step toward your goal, is a step in the right direction!