Original post written by Houston Personal Trainer Tori Hudson, Health & Fitness Lifestyle Coach

How often do we hear people say (or say ourselves) that we want to get into better shape, but with no real idea of what this process is going to look like? Reaching a new fitness level requires setting a specific goal and tracking your progress along the way.  If we decide we want to improve our health, but don’t set any standards for what this entails, we will be setting ourselves up for failure. In this post, I want to share some tips on how to set your goals and track your progress along the way in order to constantly achieve new heights along your fitness journey!

When setting a new goal for yourself, make sure that it meets the S.M.A.R.T. standards.

Specific

Instead of setting a general goal such as “workout more often,” set a goal such as “attend fitness classes 4 times a week.” You will have a much better chance of attaining a goal with clear standards!

Find a Personal Trainer in the Houston area to take your fitness to the next level.

Measurable

The goal should be something you can measure. Instead of setting a goal such as “get healthier,” set your goal to something such as “reduce my cholesterol and blood pressure by improving my diet and increasing my exercise.” This can be easily measured, and each improvement will motivate you to keep going!

Attainable 

You should always be striving towards a goal that is within reach. If you have never followed an exercise plan, your first goal shouldn’t be to enter a fitness competition. Start smaller and keep raising the bar as you improve!

Realistic 

Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting at goal that is nearly impossible to reach. Losing 30 pounds in one month and doubling your squat weight after three leg workouts aren’t realistic goals. Setting a far-fetched goal just causes us to become discouraged when it isn’t reached. However, if you start with something simple and realistic, you will be more motivated to keep pushing yourself once you see the progress you are making!

Timely 

Always set a time frame for your goal. As mentioned above, make sure that the time frame is realistic and not too far off. If you are looking to reach a specific goal over a long period of time, you will likely lose focus several times before you reach it. Even if your overall goal is to lose 100 pounds, start by setting a short-term goal, such as losing 5 pounds in one month.  Over time, those months and pounds add up! Those small victories are what keep us going on to reach our big achievements!

Once you have set your S.M.A.R.T. goal, you need to monitor your progress. If you decided that you are going to start eating healthier or follow a specific diet, you will need to track your food intake to ensure that you are on track. If you want to get stronger, you need log your weight and repetitions in order to see your progress. If you want to lose weight, you must assign dates for weigh-ins or measurements and record your numbers.  

Tracking your progress helps you stay accountable and keep clear eye on where you are in relation to your goal. Without this monitoring, it is too easy to get distracted from your goal, delay your progress, and get discouraged. Keeping a clear picture of where you are on your fitness journey will help you keep moving forward!  

---

Contact Tori today to schedule a risk-free personal training session.  If you are looking to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your overall quality of life, a RightFit Personal Trainer will help you set and achieve your health and fitness goals.