goal setting guidelines

Since January 9th I have been setting weekly workout goals!

Crazy – sure, getting results – oh yeah!

Each Sunday I sit down and write a plan for the week. When will I try to run, when will I work out at home and when will I rest. Most weeks have been really good and I have managed to stick to my weekly workout plan. Some weeks were terrible – mainly due to being sick and trying to manage everything on my own.

I like using the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting guidelines:

Specific: Significant, Stretching, Simple. (What do I want to accomplish? Why?)

Each week I set simple goals for working out; and which day I am going to run v.s. working out at home.

Measurable: Meaningful, Motivational and Manageable. (How much, how many ?)

I aim for 5 days working out and 2 days of rest but realize each week may vary from the last and making my workout’s manageable is the way to keep me successful. If I only work out 3 or 4 days … at least I worked out.

Attainable: Appropriate, Action-focused, achievable. (How can the goal be accomplished?)

Being a single parent (only for 1 more week!!!), I have to be realistic about what I can do in a week.

If I am on the road with work all week, then it’s going to be more challenging to work out.

Sometimes I readjust my goals if I had a hard day and it was supposed to be a rest day, then I switch it up and work out and take my rest day the following day.

Relevant: Results oriented, Realistic. (Does this seem worthwhile?)

When I work out, I like to work out hard. Sure I like walking and leisurely activities, but for me, I need a high intensity workout. This is when I get results; I like sweating and feeling exhausted after my workout. Also, I can’t go for a run when my daughter is home napping but I can do a DVD workout when she naps.

Time Bound: Time bound, time specific, Trackable. (When; today, tomorrow, next month)

I don’t have a lot of time since I work full-time and have a toddler so I am very specific when I work out – I am time bound and I make working out a priority each week. I write my goals down so each week I can track what I have done and what I need to do.

Some people add in “E” and “R” for SMARTER goals:

Evaluate: Engaging, Ethical, Enjoyable.

Reevaluate: Reward, Revisit, Recordable.

This is week 10’s goals:

Monday – run at lunch ( I have no meetings that day)

Tuesday – run at lunch (again, no meetings that day)

Wednesday – Workout DVD at night.

Thursday – Rest Day (Grocery shopping night)

Friday – Soccer session at work 🙂 I love when a sport I’ve played my whole life crosses the path with my daily job. Life is Good.

Saturday – Rest Day – Sai will be home and Lilly and I plan to celebrate that!

I’ve also set two specific goals around running in this post here, but to highlight them:

Goal #1: Spring – focus on 5k’s and aim for personal best of under 29:16.

Goal #2: Fall – focus on 10k’s and aim for personal best of under 60 minutes.

This SMART or SMARTER tool is not just for working out – you can apply this to your every day life.

Like right now, Lilly is a sleep and I need to take the compost out, fold laundry, put another load on, clean up the kitchen, work out and shower and then maybe sit for a bit and relax. No SMART goals set but at least I have a list created 🙂

Some exciting new’s for Piper’s Run: It has been nominated for a Fitterati Award: Best Healthy Living Blog from Fitness Magazine! If you like this blog, please vote for Piper’s Run at this Fitness Magazine link. Thanks!

What are your workout/fitness goals ?

When do you set them – once a year, once a month, once a week?

Have you tried setting S.M.A.R.T. goals ?