As I have shared on this website before, I started using the Kaia Health app after signing up for it through my health insurance. As a reminder, I admittedly don’t know if it is an app that anyone can sign up for (it was free for me), or if you have to have certain health insurance to use it, but I continue to find it useful.
To recap, based on my anecdotal experience, the app seems to recommend four daily tasks. One task is a general overview of the app, one involves exercises specific to the part of your body that you want to work on, one is a mindfulness exercise, and one is a reading activity. The reading activity is how I learned about ‘S.M.A.R.T. goal setting’ and I figured I would post an article about it for others who may be interested.
Setting fitness goals is one thing – staying consistent about pursuing them is a different thing. Incorporating the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting strategy can help people be more intentional about their goal setting, help them craft a solid plan, and thus, boost their chances of achieving their goal(s).
S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for:
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Achievable
- R – Relevant
- T – Time-bound
Fitness goals need to be specific. Make the ‘what/when/how’ of your fitness goal as specific and clear as possible. Fitness goals also need to be measurable. After all, how else will you know that you succeeded? Make your fitness goal something that you can clearly quantify.
The ‘A’ in the S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for achievable – start small so that you can build confidence in what you are doing and not get burned out too quickly. I recommend that you set a series of small sub-goals that build towards a larger goal so that you have victories and milestones to celebrate along the way while building momentum.
Per the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting strategy lesson on the Kaia Health app, fitness goals need to be relevant. “Make sure your goal reflects your needs and values” the app’s lesson states. And lastly, make sure that your fitness goals are time-bound by setting a clear timeframe to reach the goals. Make sure to be realistic about the timeframe when setting it. Many people make the mistake of wanting results in an unreasonably short amount of time, and when they inevitably don’t succeed, they feel deflated. Don’t do that to yourself. Value progress over perfection!
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Disclaimer: The contents of this article and this website are not meant to substitute for the professional advice of a doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer. This content is provided as an educational tool to help people on their fitness journeys. While we strive to research topics as much as possible and provide useful and accurate information to the best of our abilities, we also strongly recommend talking to your doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer before starting any workout, therapeutic, or nutritional regimen, as each individual’s needs and situations vary depending on the person.