Well, today I am getting started with the first steps of The Red Jeans Project. Normally, in my initial session with coaching clients, I like to get an idea of why they are seeking health coaching and what they hope to get out of the coaching relationship. This helps us to set goals for our coaching sessions and establish benchmarks to determine if the goals are being met along the way. Goal-setting is important at the outset of any project. If you don't know what your target is, you won't know if you've hit it.
Many times, people come to me for training/coaching with vague desires such as "to lose weight," or "to get healthier," or "to look better." These desires are what motivate the client to make lifestyle changes. Part of my job as a health coach is to help clients take these motivating desires and craft them into actionable goals that can focus their efforts. In my coaching training, I learned about the SMART goal method of goal-setting. According to the SMART method, good goals meet the following criteria:
S - Specific
To be effective, goals must be specific. For example, "To lose weight" is vague. "To lose 10 lbs." is more specific.
M - Measurable
Goals must also be measurable, meaning they have criteria that can be objectively quantified. For example, "To eat healthier" is very difficult to quantify. On the other hand, "to eat five vegetable servings daily" is quantifiable. When a goal is measurable, it is much easier to determine if it has been reached.
A - Attainable
This is one of the hardest aspects of goal-setting. Many people, myself included, set unrealistic goals that are simply unattainable. Making unrealistic, unattainable goals sets people up for discouragement and failure. Nothing can put a damper on making positive lifestyle changes than the proverbial "biting off more than you can chew." Although I would like to lose all the weight I've gained RIGHT NOW, I know that is unrealistic and an unattainable goal. A healthy rate of weight loss is no more than 1-2 lbs. per week. Slower weight loss is healthier for the body, and makes it easier to maintain changes over the long run. Keep goals attainable. Looking like Halle Berry in a month is not an attainable goal. Losing 1-2 lbs. per week over the course of 3-6 months is much more attainable.
R - Relevant
Goals must be relevant. Mountain climbers don't get SCUBA certified to climb Mt. Everest. Following the training regimine of an Iron Man elite athlete would not be appropriate for someone trying to generally improve health or lose a moderate amount of weight. Set goals that are relevant to your particular situation.
T - Time-bound
Goals must be time-bound, meaning they must have a timeframe in which to be completed. Open-ended goals that have no specific ending date are vague and de-motivating. If your goal is never-ending, it can never be achieved. Participating in a project that is ongoing without an end in sight can sap motivation and lead to discouragement and burn-out. Set a timeframe in which your goal can be realistically completed. Once you've completed a goal within a timeframe, you can always set new goals to keep motivating yourself. If you did not reach a goal in a particular timeframe, you can reevaluate it, and perhaps set a more realistic timeframe for its completion.
So, my goal is to fit into my red jeans by my birthday (April 6, 2013).
This goal is specific (I am working toward a particular objective), it is measurable (I will be able to objectively evaluate if I have achieved it by whether or not the jeans fit), it is attainable (I can safely lose the necessary weight and inches by the end date), it is relevant (it is a goal that is important to me), and it is time-bound (the end date is my birthday, a specific date on the calendar).
Although it remains to be seen if I will actually achieve this goal, at least I have a clear target toward which I am aiming. Hope this goal-setting strategy helps you achieve your fitness goals!
Sincerely,
Miss Red Jeans
So, I've got a goal setting question - - How many are too many goals at once? I'm sure that question is somewhat loaded and likely contextual, but I'm curious. I have a number of goals that might be overlapping, I don't think are really conflicting, but are also hard to tackle at once. I just get exhausted working on them all at the same time. I get tired keeping track of that much. So, in terms of setting healthy eating goals, weight loss goals, and exercise goals all at the same time (again overlapping for sure although sometimes competing - - eating "less" while also increasing exercise is hard, although I get less might not be effective as much as eating smart), can it really be done all at once? I think I'm going to follow along with you and play along too on my own blog. I need to find my own "red jeans" though - - literally and figuratively. They're cute!
ReplyDeleteDear Stephanie,
DeleteThat's a great question. I don't think there is a clear-cut answer to the question how many goals are too many. I think it depends upon an individual's situation. Lifestyle change, especially related to health and weight loss, is hard work, requiring planning, time, and commitment. Plus, such lifestyle changes have to be factored into one's existing lifestyle, which include present work, family, and personal commitments. It can be overwhelming, and there is a temptation to try to take on too much at once. I think it is best to start with a few simple goals and master these before tackling bigger ones. It is also helpful to break down large goals into smaller ones. Also, your question, "can it really be done all at once?", is a fair question. Again, it depends upon your circumstances. I would say, start with a few simple things that are doable for you at this time. Work on these until they become habit, and then start to introduce additional changes. Don't underestimate the power of making seemingly small changes. My experience has been that even small changes consistently implemented can make a big difference to one's health. Also, making positive changes in one area of life can spill over into other areas of life. Start small and don't get discouraged. Small changes can make a big impact over time.
Hope this was helpful. Thanks for following my blog. Blessings on your wellness goals.
Sincerely,
Miss Red Jeans
Very helpful. Thanks. I get paralyzed when I can't do all the changes I want to do at the same time. Even making small changes will help. Since just getting started and making the commitment in any given day's schedule is one of the hardest parts for me, I decided I'm going to the gym to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING every day next week. I need to remember that I an fit it into my day somewhere every day and practice that. I'll let you know how it goes.
ReplyDelete