Be SMART about your New Year Resolution!

Happy New Year Everyone! 

For about a month or two after the New Year starts everyone is all trying to stick to their goals.  As time goes on, people slowly get bored or distracted with their goals and lose track. The most popular one being: I am going to lose weight. This goal is hard to accomplish without a time, how much, and how it is going to be done. Following the SMART goals will make it much easier!

As you write your goals for this year keep in mind that your goals should be SMART:
S-Specific: What exactly are you striving for, who will help, where will it take place, etc? Ex: gain arm strength, run a half-marathon, lose abdominal fat.
M-Measurable: There should be a number involved to know when your goal is achieved. How much? How many? Ex: I want to lose 10 pounds, I want to curl 15 pounds, I want to make sure I eat 3 or more veggies a day.
A-Attainable: Look at where you currently are and ask your self if that is a possible goal, work slowly towards your goal. Finding a goal that means a lot to you will help you work towards it. Ex: Lose weight to get off a type of medicine.
R-Relevant: Is the goal realistic? Are you honest with your self about being able to work hard toward it?  Ex: Go to the gym 3 days a week and slowly increase.
T-Time: There should be a time frame so your unconscious mind will begin working on that goal. It is a good idea to sign up for a race or event that you have to train for. Ex: run the Philly half in September, do yoga in Time Square, lose weight to fit in a bathing suit in May.

Don't be discouraged if you get off track a few days, it happens to everyone.  Just make sure you put those days behind you and focus on the goals, not the past.

Write down your goal and put it somewhere that you look all the time, ex: a mirror, fridge, wallet, etc.

If you set your mind to achieving a SMART goal, it will be much easier to accomplish this goal. Make 2013 the year that your New Year's resolutions will actually be accomplished!

You can do it, just believe in yourself!