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Home » Fitness » How to Set Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve – Entrepreneur

In any aspect of life, settinggoals is necessary to achieve success. In the 1960s, pioneering goal-setting researcher Dr. Edwin Locke found that employees were much more likely to be both productive and motivated when they were given a clear objective. Goal-setting increases a persons desire to achieve, and the same can be said of fitness ambitions. Follow these steps and set clear, concise goals for yourself. Once you do, youll be well on your way to a healthier routine.

SMART is an acronym championed by everyone from the University of Virginia to MIT to Fortune 500 companies for how to set actionable goals. Objectives should beSpecific,Measurable,Accountable,Realistic and have aTimeframe.Specific goals will keep you accountable. Lose weight is too vague. Lose 15 pounds in six months gives you much more directionand allows you to have a way to measure your progress.

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Accountability is important in goal-setting. Studies are torn on whether you should tell people your intentions -- some say it will make you more accountable; others say it opens you up for judgement, making you less likely to follow through. Decide what method of accountability works best for you -- whether thats telling a friend so that he or she can become a workout partneror keeping to yourself and setting a phone calendar alarm to remind yourself to exercise -- and stick to it.

Regardless of which option you choose, you should writedown your goals. Place your fitness objectives in a place you can see them -- on a bulletin board oryour computer desktop -- to constantly remind yourself to work toward them.

Once youve set your goal, you need to come up with a plan that emphasizes consistent effort. The idea of goal-setting is to challenge yourself each time you set out to work toward your larger goal. Setting up smaller, intermediate check points will help you track your progress and keep you motivated to work out on a regular basis. Remember: slow and steady wins the race.Small wins equate to big results. When people set out to run a marathon, they dont immediately run 26.2 miles. They increase their mileage every week. Channel that same mentality as you set up a plan that allows you to realistically achieve your goal.

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Be mindful of how your body feels as you work toward your objective. Its important to realize when you need to scale your efforts --up or down. For example, if your resting heart rate rises, this could be a sign that youre exerting yourself too much and could use a less stressfulworkload. If youre never sore, or you dont notice changes in your body after a few weeks, that could indicate that your goal isnt challenging you enough.

A time-tested way to stay accountableis to track your progress. So, you could include your days fitness achievements in your planner. Or, maybe it works better for you to download apps that track your fitness for youRun Keeper and Nike+ Run Club both save your fitness progress, whether that be running, jogging or cycling. Consider investing in wearable technology that gives you a better idea of your overall health.

However you do it, monitoring your fitness will help you stay on track to achieve your goal.

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You cant control what the future will hold, so delaying your goals may render them unachievable one day. Theres no time like the present to start living a healthier life.

Setting specific fitness goals will ensureyoull jumpstart your routine and achieve a lifestylethats right for you. Follow the above tips to keep yourself on track as you work toward creating a healthier life.

Jennifer is the CEO and founder of No Gym Required, a company that helps individuals and organizations create simple strategies to increase their productivity and success through health and wellness. Sheis also the author of both Best...

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How to Set Fitness Goals You'll Actually Achieve - Entrepreneur

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Home » Fitness » How to Set Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve – Entrepreneur