My Goals for 2009

Well it has taken about 6 weeks for me to collect data and determine my readiness for accomplishing my goals for 2009. Now it is time to make the plan for meeting these goals. I am going to start with my overall long-term goals and then break them down into more manageable steps.

• I want to lose 5 lbs and maintain that weight loss for 6 months (this means I have 4 months to accomplish this)
• I want to be able to run a mile in 81/2 minutes
• All of my "health" stats will be within normal range, if not, goals will be set to meet these within the course of the year.
• I will get, at minimum, 8 hours of sleep a night 5 out of 7 days per week.
• I will improve both my range of motion, flexibility, and strength (this need to be more specific)

That is probably enough for now. I may add to this or augment it in some way or as I start to make my goals SMART, change them. For the rest of the week, I will develop the SMART goal for each of the above and then move to my intermediate goals.

Try Something New

Today I start my yoga class at the gym. I don't usually participate in group classes but I thought it would be a good idea to do a yoga class at least once a week to help with stretching and range of motion. Going to a class allows me to take a break from being active in the sense that the instructor leads me through the postures and helps identify technique issues. I can then use this information when I am on my own. A class provides some social interaction that I don't normally get when at the gym (I am a serious gym goer, not a social butterfly). Having a class to go to also helps to maintain a commitment to any activity. I am hoping to incorporate different activities to maintain my motivation and interest. I will evaluate today and decide if the class is appropriate for my goals--which I will be determining this week.

Stick To It Tip #7

It may be time to swap out one set of tunes for another. If you are an iPod enthusiast, there are numerous websites that suggest play lists for certain types of activities. If you have changed up your cardio routine (moved from endurance to intervals) now is the time to change your music. Look for music that will help you reach your heart rate target for your session. If you don't listen to music, look for ways to integrate other strategies to keep the cardio session interesting. One suggestion is to deal out five cards from a deck and use those numbers for your intervals (pass on the face cards). So, if I deal out a 2, Ace, 5, 6, and 9 I use these as my minutes for intensity with Ace being 1 (lowest intensity) and 10 (highest intensity). Any mind game will do, just make sure you get in 20-30 minutes.

Oops--I Slipped!

Yesterday was what I call a "food" day. I overate throughout the day and the scale showed it this morning (not to worry--your weight can fluctuate several pounds). Since you can't be perfect with food all the time, you have to take lapses in stride. The most important thing is to bounce back and start eating healthfully again the very next day. Since my indulgence wasn't extensive, it doesn't make sense to drastically reduce my intake today but I can make sure I keep within my normal eating pattern with a slight reduction in portion size. Luckily, I am very consistent with my workout routine so I don't need to make any adjustments there--although I may take an extra walk today if the weather keeps. The key is keeping this as a "lapse" rather than a "relapse" so it doesn't become a continuous chain of unhealthy behavior.

Goal Setting For Success

In order to reach any goal, you need to make sure they are SMART. SMART is an acronym for the following five components:

1. Specific: Make each goal specific and give the reasons for the goal (why it is a priority or has value to you). For example, rather than saying I want to lose weight I would say I want to lose 5 pounds. The reason: I am hoping to maintain or lower some of my health numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.).
2. Measurable: The point of setting "measurable" goals is making sure that you can tell, weekly or monthly, whether you are making progress or whether you need to adjust what you are doing. So with the above goal of losing 5 pounds, if I don't start seeing some progress after a month, then I may have to reassess what I am doing.
3. Action-oriented: There needs to be behaviors or action to reach your goal. So for me to lose 5 pounds I can't just keep doing the same old thing--or I would have already lost the 5 pounds. So my plan is to increase my activity level and lower my calorie intake (this will also need to be more specific and measurable).
4. Realistic: Is losing 5 pounds possible for me or am I over-reaching? Based on my current weight, height, age, and gender it should be possible for me to lose 5 pounds especially if allow for enough time.
   
5. Time stamped: Putting a deadline on your goals helps tie together all the other components and provides an opportunity for establishing a commitment.

In addition to the above 5 components for each goal there are different types of goals to establish as circumstances change--so next time I will develop my goals using the SMART method and then identify the types of goals for the coming year.