Setting SMART Goals...

Hello Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. I was feeling slightly under the weather unfortunately. However, yah girl still made the best of it. I enjoyed lots of yummy food and spent amazing quality time with my family so I can’t complain. I hope you all did the same. With the new year approaching rather quickly I want you all to start thinking about what you want to accomplish, who you want to be, and any goals you may want to set for yourself this year.

Every year I hear and observe some of the same things:

• “New year, new me”

• “I’ll get back on track after the holidays”

• “I’ll start eating healthier next week”

• “I’ve already eaten crappy today and the entire week, oh well”

These types of statements are rather frustrating. I’m not going to lie, I was one of those people in the past. I used to tell myself I would do better or try harder tomorrow, next week, etc. I finally decided that I was done making excuses. I’ve come a long way. I consistently work on becoming a better me. I eat a well-balanced diet because it makes me feel good and keeps me sane. I exercise because I love the way it makes me feel and the challenge each and every workout brings me. I prioritize my health and fitness because I want to. It brings me happiness and makes my body feel awesome. No more of that, “new year new me” crap.

I get it, believe me. The holidays, vacations, special occasions, etc. usually consist of out of routine stuff. There’s a boatload of different foods, delicious treats, and usually not much opportunity for exercise. All sorts of temptations. Allow yourself to indulge. Allow yourself to enjoy those yummy treats and foods you may not normally get to have. Keep in mind that you can have these treats or foods whenever you want. You can enjoy them at any point in time if you allow yourself to do so! Do not restrict. Do not feel overwhelmed or overthink things. This year focus on being mindful, balanced, and set SMART goals in all aspects of your life.

This leads me into today’s topic of SMART goals. My freshman year of college I had to take a first-year experience/transition class just like many other college students do. Most of the class was spent discussing how to set SMART goals, how to stay motivated, and how to be successful. Everyone has goals and/or things they want to achieve. Some may be big and others may be small. Regardless, I think that people often set unachievable or unattainable goals because they are in a rush or looking for a quick fix. This is a common mistake. Spoiler Alert: There is no quick fix. Restricting, overdoing it, or obsessing over your goals will likely become overwhelming. Setting unattainable goals with only leave you burnt out and unmotivated. Instead, set SMART goals.

What is a SMART goal? This is an acronym I learned in class through our lectures and textbook. I’m going to share it with ya’ll for those who don’t already know the meaning. It’s stuck with me and something I often refer to as a tool when thinking about any short term or long term goals I may have in mind. 

• S – Specific

• M – Measureable

• A – Attainable

• R – Relevant

• T – Timely

I think that all of these phrases are pretty self-explanatory. When setting goals, it is important to first think to yourself and foresee what you specifically want to achieve or accomplish. Write it down. Make it easy to understand and straight to the point. How are you going to keep up with your goals and stay on track? How will you study your progress? If your goal is fitness/health related, you may track your progress through keeping track of calories, progress pictures, weighing yourself, keeping a food diary, etc. Maybe your goal is to save money so you track your progress through budgets, weekly spending, a savings jar, a separate savings account, etc. Whatever the goal may be make sure you can measure your progress accurately and in a consistent way. Next, make sure your goal is attainable. I discussed this a little in an Instagram post a few weeks ago. Do not restrict yourself. It does not need to be all in or all out. You can still eat out and indulge if your goal is to lose weight. You can still treat yourself to a pedicure once in a while even if your goal is to save money. Staying consistent and not obsessing over your goal will likely set you up for successful and healthy habits. You can still enjoy your life. Don’t let your goals become a chore. Relevance. Is the goal going to aid in personal progress? Is the goal going to impact you positively? Make sure your goal is tailored to you. Don’t just set a goal because x,y,z is setting that same goal. Set a goal because it’s something that you personally can’t wait to accomplish. Do it because it sets a fire in you. Lastly, make sure you give yourself adequate time to complete this goal. Remember, no quick fixes. Set a date or time period in which you would like to have met your goal. It’s important to remember life could get in the way, there could be setbacks, and not everything goes as planned. In a perfect world, things would. Everyone would be happy and satisfied. With that in mind, if you don’t reach your goal in the desired amount of time it’s not the end of the world. Keep at it and stay consistent. Don’t give up just because things didn’t go how you initially planned they would.

This year keep all of these things in mind. Stop making excuses and start doing. Make time. Make your goals a priority. Stop saying you can't because you can. Stop letting fear get in the way. Set short term and long term goals. End this year on a good note. Start working towards your goals now. Start planning and setting yourself up for long term success. Write these down. Keep them close and refer to them when you find yourself being doubtful or steering away from your ambitions and goals. Check in with yourself often. Be honest with yourself. Most importantly, don't give up. Be consistent. I can't say it enough. NO QUICK FIXES. Put in the effort. Put in the work.

2017 you were good to me and brought immense growth, realization, and steps towards a better me. You gave me the opportunity to find my people and those who uplift me and support me everyday. 2017 you were one for the books, but 2018 I'm more than ready for you. Bring on the new year. 

My 2018 Goals:

1. Set aside time to stretch and foam roll at least three times a week.

2. Incorporate new exercises in my training and get back into a regular split.

3. Focus on my academics and aim for all A’s.

4. Start setting money aside for a new car.

5. Drink 1-1.5 gallons of water a day.

6. Start studying for my personal training certification.

7. Be present.

8. Upload 2-3 informative blog posts weekly.

9. Keep working towards fully healing my stomach and gut issues.

10. Be unapologetically me & do what makes me happy, always.

These are some of my main focuses in the upcoming year. I have plenty of goals, some of which I’m just not ready to share but stay tuned and keep on following my journey over on my instagram (mik_food_fitness) to learn more, hehe. Let’s do this. What’re your goals?

-Mik