SMART tips to achieve your health goals

If you have decided to improve your health then this is one of the best things you can do for yourself. To make that happen, you need to have a plan, which should include real goals.

Setting of short term and long term goals are an important part of improving and maintaining your health. Having a vision of where you want to go with your diet and exercise will help you stay on the path toward your goals. The trick is finding ways to keep you going. In extrinsic motivation, rewards or other incentives — like praise, fame, or money.

Intrinsic motivation-

You do it because it's enjoyable and interesting, rather than because of an outside pressure to do it,

Extrinsic motivation-

It driven by external factors like praise, fame, or money

The first thing you want to do to achieve your health goals is to take a good look at those goals. Have goals that are

SMART

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-bound

The SMART approach ensures you've defined your goals clearly and can attain them. "It also gives you accountability, which helps you stay focused and committed," says Flashner-Fineman.

Specific:

When you’re setting health and fitness goals, make sure you are crystal clear with what it is that you want to achieve. Goals need to be clear and detailed. Writing down your goals and looking at them regularly also helps you stay committed and motivated to stick to them. The more specific your goals are, the easier it becomes to take the proper actions toward achieving them.

Measurable:

As the saying goes, “what gets measured, gets managed”.If you have no way to measure a goal, it's tough to know when you've met it. "I'm going to lose weight" is a popular goal that works better with a measurable outcome, such as "I'm going to lose 15 pounds by December."

Attainable:

Your goal also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful. An achievable goal is based upon the availability of resources and zeal to complete it. Short term goals should be included to maintain the interest in achieving the success.

Relevant:

This step is about ensuring that your goal matters to you, and that it also aligns with other relevant goals. Is your goal important to your life right now? "You don't want to set goals just to have a goal," says Flashner-Fineman. "It needs to have a purpose, or you may find it difficult to stick with.

Time-bound:

Every goal needs a target date, so that you have a deadline to focus on and something to work toward. Is your goal something that you can take on right now — or is it best for later.

Health goals are a journey. Enjoy each step, relish the fact that you are working to improve yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Success with your goals doesn’t have to be a stressful, seemingly impossible life decision. In fact, achieving your health and fitness goals can be simple and even fun when approached correctly. SMART is an effective tool that provides the clarity, focus and motivation you need to achieve your goals. It can also improve your ability to reach them by encouraging you to define your objectives and set a completion date. SMART goals are also easy to use by anyone, anywhere, without the need for specialist tools or training.

Try setting SMART goals to help make your health plans specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. You might find that the real reason you haven't achieve your health goal is because your plans have been too vague or unrealistic. Taking one day at a time, staying consistent, and following a proper diet and workout plan will almost guarantee that you reach your health goals in no time!