How to make your goals happen.

We've all said it at some point......I want to lose weight! Is this statement supposed to resemble a goal? A goal without a plan is nothing more than a wish or a dream. As lovely as dreams and wishes are, they seldom come true. So lets focus on the planning part and make sure you've got a good shot at getting some sweet results this year.

Most of you will have heard of SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, Time Framed. As great a tool as this is I like to break it down a little further. I consider Achievable and Relevant/Realistic to be one of the same in the context of body composition goals, I'm going to explain each one in a little more detail and give some real life examples. The examples will be from my own goal setting for the upcoming months. If you're not at all interested in my plans then just imagine I'm referring to Jeans' plans as I'm sure they'd be similar for the same outcome. ; )

Is your goal......

SPECIFIC - Yes. I will lose 13lb of body fat over a 16 week period, whilst maintaining as much strength/muscle mass as possible, to compete in a bodybuilding competition. This should be written down or recorded. It may help to tell someone, whether it be your coach, friend or partner, as this makes it feel more like a binding contract than a wish or hope.

MEASURABLE - Yes. I will weigh myself at the start of the 16 weeks and take progress pictures. Repeating this process at regular intervals will enable me to track progress.  I could also use the body scanner at my gym to give me a breakdown of my body composition. Although, I'm not a fan of this method as I personally find it inaccurate and unreliable. More difficult to come by, but with much more accuracy, are methods such as DEXA Scans and Hydrostatic Weighing. I could also use Skin Calipers to monitor body fat changes or take circumference measurements of set areas of my body.

To monitor muscle mass/strength I will follow a structured training programme and record all of my sessions. By ensuring that the volume/intensity in my sessions stays consistent I'll know that I'm preserving lean tissue during the diet.

ACHIEVABLE/REALISIC - Yes. 13lb over 16 weeks equates to 0.8lb per week. Some of you may think this is a piece of cake, yes it's realistic, no it won't be easy. Remember, my goal is to lose fat, not water, stored glycogen, and precious muscle tissue. I want to look like I've lost 13lb of fat, not just see 13lb less on the scales. The judges don't give a damn how much I weigh and neither do I.

A 3500 calorie deficit per week is required to lose 1lb of fat per week, again this is a big task, but with a structured plan in place and a committed attitude it's achievable.

TIME FRAMED - Yes. My time frame is 16 weeks. Saying I want to lose 13lb is not enough, I need to stipulate by when. Without this my goal resembles more of a dream or a wish. In cases where someone has several stone to loose it me be difficult to time frame the whole processs. Thats why we should break longterm goals down into short term goals as these most definitely can be given a time line. This makes the goal real and adds commitment to the process.

Following this process will give you much greater chance of making progress and heres a few additional tips to help you along the way.

1. Be sure your internal motivation is powerful enough. YOU have to want this. If you're doing it to fit in or to please someone else then you're likely to fail at the first obstacle. 

2. Be prepared to turn to discipline when your motivation lets you down, as at times it will. Motivation is a feeling, discipline is an action. 

3. Set daily goals. Focus on the plan that today holds. Worrying about having a good week is pointless as unless you nail each individual day the weekly progress won't happen. All that matters is today. Consider today as a crucial stepping stone bringing you closer towards your goal. As I ask of 

my clients, do something today that your future self will thank you for.

4. Make sure that your nearest and dearest understand how important this is to you. Even better, get them on board. Peer pressure to fit in with family/social situations can be very difficult. It's important that others know, and if possible support and respect, your lifestyle choices.

5. Be prepared to slip up along the way. No human being is perfect and EVERYONE makes mistakes. Setbacks are part of the process and are important learning tools. Ask yourself what went wrong and why. What can you do differently next time you face the same obstacle? Most importantly, pick yourself up and keep going.

I hope this has been a useful wee read for you. Why not grab a pen and paper and give it a go? Replace your goal with my goal and apply the same process. It might just be the missing link between what you want and what you get. Have a great weekend and thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

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