Friday's Top Five - Fitness Goals for 2013 & Beyond!

This is my truth!

Hello faithful readers of five,

It's spring-time the late stages of winter up her in the hinterland. Winter has been harsh, both weather-wise, and on my ass. I have improved on creating safe spaces. I have improved on establishing food-related routines. I have started tracking regularly. I am eating better. I am doing all the right things. I am seeing results of those changes. However, when it comes to excercize, I am lazy. Sloths are more active than me. If there is an excuse-train running, I'm hitching a ride.

It's time for me to set some fitness-related goals. I know from the experience of the last two years of being on Weight Watchers™ (plus a side-stint in the Weight Wise Clinic™) that when it comes to goal-setting, I need to be SMART:

For my fitness objectives, I asked myself these questions:

1. What excuse do I have that would prevent me from acheiving my goal?
2. What specific, measureable, attainable, relevent and time-bound technique will I use to achieve this goal?
3. What potential barrier exists that could potentially derail my efforts?
4. What is the hidden reward (the unintendend postive consequence) that could come out of my efforts?
5. What do I ultimately hope to achieve (long-term) by setting this goal?

Ahem. Truth.

 Here are my fitness goals for 2013 and beyond!

5) Find activities that I enjoy.

Aqua-Zumba

• Excuses: activity is boring; I've hurt myself trying some activities; it's too hard.
• SMART Goal: sign-up/try-out the variety of classes offered at the YMCA/larger community.
• Potential Barrier: cost or conflicts with schedule may limit the kinds of activity I could try; the potential for actual injury by doing something more advanced than my ability.
• Hidden Reward: enjoying my activity makes it effortless; easier to plan my week around activity if I know there is *something* I can do.
• Ultimate Goal: that activity becomes exciting, enjoyable, and a regular routine of my life.

4) Track my activity accurately (& honestly reflect my effort).


Body Fit Media™

• Excuses: activity doesn't make a difference anways in "the big scheme of things"; it's not worth the effort (litte reward); the little bit I do counts (it all adds up).
• SMART goal: to use my BoydFit Media™ armband to count my caloric burn, and track my activity honestly in my Weight Watchers™ tracker.
• Potential barrier: coulda fall into a trap of "eating because I earned it" mentality to justify bad food choices.
• Hidden reward: become a better tracker of what I consume & burn; a greater self-awareness of my choices; accelerate my weight-loss efforts.
• Ultimate goal: that tracking become second nature, like brushing my teeth or riding my bike.

We've all been there. The circle of dishonesty....

3) Plan daily/weekly/monthly/vaction-time/yearly activity...and commit to those plans.

 

• Excuses: I don't have time to write everything; I can't plan for the unexpected (weather/illness..); I have to plan around other people's schedule (husband/family); activity comflicts with family time.
• SMART goal: schedule 3-4 activity times for two-weeks at a time (to coordinate around husband schedule/other events/14-day weather forcasts). Plan vacations to incorporate some activity (walking, swimming, hiking). Sign-up for a charity event that involves activity (walk for the ___).
• Potential barrier: there is never a "good time"; I use external reasons as a crutch for not doing something; I plan but don't follow through; vacations don't provide activity opportunities.
• Hidden reward: feeling of accomplishment by meeting goals; improving goal-setting techniques.
• Ultimate goal: that activity becomes a priority like other events/people.

2) Keep working hard, every day, and don't give up.

• Excuses: I am not seeing results so why am I trying?; this is too much work; success happens to others but never to me; I am not worthy of success.
• SMART goal: create a non-food reward system for recognizing my accomplishments, goals, and milestones.
• Potential barrier: loss of motivation (especially if results don't reflect effort); my mental doesn't match my physical changes; reward system is not meaningful.
• Hidden reward: the growth in self-esteem; success in my athleticism & weightloss efforts; personal growth; new wardrobe!
• Ultimate goal: to feel successful, & have that reflect in my exterior and interior -self.

1) Don't let self-doubt be a barrier to the journey towards my authentic self. Go easy on myself when I fall, and let the process unfold. Don't put-up obstacles out of fear. Stop all-or-nothing thinking.

• Excuses: I can't do this; I am not capable of doing this activity; my fear of _____ prevents me from pushing harder; I fell off the wagon, so I my as well stop being active this week.
• SMART goal: take monthly pictures showing my progress; use other ways of recording progress (such as measuring inches, clothing size, activity progression, etc...). Blog my journey, recording my emotions and progress, so I have something tangible to reflect back about.
• Potential barrier: all-or-nothing thinking.
• Hidden reward: Everything I dreamed of being comes true.
• Ultimate goal:  Living the life I want to live and know I am capable of living. Being an "athlete."

Well, I got to head out to the gym. Check Joanne's blog for her five fitness goals.

xo.