It's been quite a while since I dusted off my laptop and even longer since I last sat down to write a blog post! This may well end up being a long post so grab a cup of tea and get comfortable.
Last night, I was thinking about some short term goals that I wanted to achieve and put together a little picture of what they are and some incentives for achieving them.
I posted this to my various social media sites and was met with such a positive response that it inspired me to write this blog post.
Goal setting is a rewarding practice to engage in on a regular basis. It gives you something to work towards, enhances motivation and gives that feel good factor when you achieve it. However, it is important to make sure you aren't setting the bar too high and that your goals are achievable.
When setting goals, I always recommend following the SMART principles: That is, the goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound.
With this in mind, I set out to invest in a new notebook...
And got to writing.
My goals have been split into three separate categories: Weight Loss Goals, Strength Goals and Lifestyle Goals. Each goal has a reward incentive that is not based around food and I made sure that all rewards were something that I really want. It's not essential to incentivize your goals but I find it adds a little extra motivation.
Using the SMART principles listed above, I'll share my goals with you and how I plan to achieve them.
WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
SPECIFIC
What?: To lose 5, 10, 14lb in bodyweight
How I plan to achieve it:
I will create a moderate caloric deficit. I shall do this by restricting my daily calorie intake and increasing levels of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). I will also track my food intake accurately by weighing and measuring food and drinks and logging my daily intake using the MyFitnessPal app.
MEASURABLE
I will measure and track my goals by weighing myself daily and taking a weekly average. This will help to balance out any daily fluctuations.
I will also take bi-weekly progress photos, using the same clothing, posing and light conditions (weather permitting).
I will track my daily step count to ensure NEAT levels are at the required level.
ATTAINABLE
Items I need in order to achieve this:
MyFitnessPal app on my phone
Food scale
Bodyweight scale
Camera for progress photos
Gym membership
Daily steps tracker
Things I need to learn to achieve my goal:
Not to blow my own trumpet but I know all I need to know in order to lose body fat. It's applying it that is the hardest part for me. I don't believe in fad diets and will follow a flexible style of dieting which means that the majority of calories will be used on nutritiously dense foods, with a little room to include small treats. I also practice daily fasting using the 16/8 regime (6.5 years and counting!) so my calories will be back-loaded into the second half of the day, usually split into two large meals and a pre workout snack.
How will I make time to achieve my goal?:
I will ensure regular food planning and will prep all food for the day the night before. I'm already used to doing this.
People I can talk to for support:
Emz & my friends
RELEVANT
Why do I want to achieve this goal?:
As vain as it sounds, one of my biggest reasons is for aesthetic appearance. However, it will also enable me to reach my bodyweight exercise goals quicker as less bodyweight means less weight I need to move. Losing fat will help me to feel more confident as my clothes will fit better. It will also mean less strain on my body. Although I may not look "overweight", any excess bodyweight, whether it comes from fat or muscle, puts extra and unnecessary strain on the body.
TIMELY
I will reach my goal of 14lb weight loss by 25th November 2017. I aim to be halfway towards my goal (7lb) by 30th September.
Usually, I would only allocate 12 weeks to dieting before taking a diet break. However, I have 3 major social events coming up during this time (a hen party, a wedding and a family birthday celebration). In order to ensure I don't set myself up for failure, I have extended this period to 16 weeks in order to allow a little flexibility during these occasions.
STRENGTH GOALS
SPECIFIC
What?:
To complete 5 unassisted, consecutive bodyweight chin ups
To complete 8 unassisted, consecutive bodyweight chin ups
How I plan to achieve this:
Reduce excess bodyweight by creating a caloric deficit. Having less bodyweight to lift means I will reach my goal quicker. I will also include a variety of chin up exercises in my workouts - AMRAP reps, negative reps and band assisted chin ups. I will also continue to strength train at least three times per week to improve overall strength, especially in the accessory muscles.
MEASURABLE
I will measure/track my goal progress by logging my training sessions in my workout log, which I carry with me to every gym session without fail. Every single weight and rep is listed for each exercise I perform and I also make notes depending on how I felt during each exercise.
ATTAINABLE
Items I need in order to achieve this:
A chinning bar (which is present in my gym)
Resistance bands
Time - I need to ensure I allocate sufficient time during each workout
Things I need to learn to achieve my goal:
Read up on correct technique. A lot of what makes bodyweight exercises easier is ensuring you are using the correct technique and engaging the correct muscles. I find I often use too much bicep when trying to pull rather than using my back. Incorporating band assisted reps should help me to engage my back muscles properly.
People I can talk to for support:
Emz - he has excellent chin up technique and will be able to watch my form and advise where necessary.
RELEVANT
Why do I want to achieve this goal?
Bodyweight exercises are a great way to strength train, especially when you are short of equipment, eg. on holiday. They are also a great display of physical strength and let's face it, chicks knocking out multiple reps of chin ups look freaking badass! Plus they develop the back muscles and who doesn't love a sexy back?!
TIMELY
I will reach my 5 rep goal by Christmas.
I will reach my 8 rep goal in time for my next birthday (26th March)
SPECIFIC
What?:
I will perform a one-handed handstand whilst using a wall for support
How I plan to achieve this:
I will practice regular, two handed handstands at least twice per week. I will allocate ten minutes at the end of my training sessions to accommodate this. I will also reduce my bodyweight which will ensure less strain is put through my joints and should therefore make the exercise easier to complete. I will also continue to strength train at least three times per week in order to strengthen all required muscle groups.
MEASURABLE
I will measure/track my progress by logging each session in my gym log book, which comes with me to every gym session.
ATTAINABLE
Items I need in order to achieve this:
A sturdy wall to handstand against (gym)
Wrist wraps to give extra support to my wrists
Things I need to learn to achieve my goal:
I need to do some reading to learn the correct technique. I also want to read about how to progress from regular handstands as confidence is a real issue for me.
People I can talk to for support:
Online friends who can already perform this exercise.
RELEVANT
Why do I want to achieve this goal?:
Single handed handstands are a spectacular display of strength and balance. My main reason for wanting to learn this is purely for bragging rights. And I also think it will make a kickass photo for Instagram!
TIMELY
I will achieve this goal in time for my birthday (26th March).
As well as my fitness goals, I wanted to incorporate some smaller, day to day lifestyle goals. These are things that I achieve about 80% of the time but am always striving to improve. As these are goals that I am already mostly achieving, I won't go into the SMART principle for each one. However, please note that I still followed these principles when planning out how I would achieve them.
LIFESTYLE GOALS
Remove make-up before bed
Eat at least 5 portions of fruit & vegetables every day
Drink at least 2L water every day
Increase daily NEAT to at least 30 minutes per day
The above goals are pretty much self explanatory, as should the reasons behind each one be. It's very rare that I will eat less than 5 portions of F&V per day but it does happen on occasion. During my working day, I always drink at least 3L of water per day. However, it's when I'm at home that this falls down and I often forget to drink, which leads to me getting a fuzzy head and feeling lethargic.
Removing my make-up before bed is something I often struggle with. After work, I'm in the gym and then I'm coming home, making food, playing with Phoebe (oh yeah - Phoebe is my kitten - isn't she gorgeous??)
Anyway, I digress. As I was saying, by the time I get home and do everything I have to do, I'm so exhausted that it's just too easy to fall into bed still wearing my make-up. It's not like I even wear very much - I gave up wearing foundation 18 months ago so my skin isn't suffering, but I often sleep in my mascara which leaves me with gritty feeling eyes the next morning. My lashes are also suffering and becoming really dry and brittle.
Incorporating NEAT into my day has been covered in my goals above. Again, it's something I do most days but sometimes, it's too tempting to sit at my desk and read the internet during my lunch break rather than getting away from my desk and getting some fresh air.
I have downloaded an app to my phone which I have set up my lifestyle goals on. I can then check in daily when I have achieved each goal. If I manage to complete all 4 lifestyle goals daily for 30 days, I will reward myself with a beauty treat, eg. manicure, pedicure, eyelash treatment, etc. If I don't manage to complete them all, there will be no reward. Yes, I'm a cruel and harsh mistress!
That is the end of this blog post. If you're still with me - well done and thank you so much for reading :)
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