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My Fitness Story: Diets and Training

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Fitness Goals: What Is Your Workout And Exercise Goal?

When you decide to create the most effective workout routine possible to reach your specific fitness goal, there is an important question you need to ask yourself first.

That question is… just what the hell is your specific fitness goal?

If I had to guess, I’d say these are the most common answers you’d get to this question:

• To build muscle.
• To lose fat.
• To gain weight.
• To lose weight.
• To get “ toned .”
• To increase strength.
• To improve performance.
• To get “in shape.”
• To be healthier.
• To look great naked.
• Any combination of the items on this list.

And those are just the broad answers. Some people may have much more specific fitness goals in mind. For example, build X pounds of muscle, lose X of fat, get a 6 pack, deadlift 400lbs, fit into a certain piece of clothing, and so on and so on and so on.

Whatever your workout/exercise related goal may be, and no matter how broad or specific it may be, the first key step in creating the workout routine that will work best for you is figuring out what your overall fitness goal is right now.

So, what is your current fitness goal?

Based on your answer, certain aspects of your workout routine will need to be set up a certain way to best accommodate that goal.

Since there’s a million ways this can go and I’m a big fan of simplifying things as much as possible, we’re going to break up all of the possible fitness goals into just 2 groups:

Team “Looks”

Team “performance”.

Let me show you what they include…

The people in this group have the primary goal of improving the way their body looks .

They want to build muscle , lose fat , or do both . This group also includes more generic goals like getting “ toned ,” or getting a 6 pack , or losing weight / gaining weight , or really anything that basically translates into “ I want to look better .”

Granted, there are various differences between the goals I just described, and there are some adjustments that should be made to your workout routine depending on EXACTLY which goal is yours (don’t worry, I’m going to explain all of them).

But, in the most basic sense, anyone whose primary goal is to somehow improve the way their body looks falls into this same top level category.

The people in this group have the primary goal of improving the way their body performs .

They want to get stronger , get faster , get better at a certain sport or activity , or really anything that basically translates into “ I want to perform better .”

Granted, there are again various differences between the goals I just described, and there are some adjustments that should be made to your workout routine depending on EXACTLY what your goal is.

But, in the most basic sense, anyone whose primary goal is to somehow improve the way their body performs falls into this same top level category.

Team “Looks” vs Team “Performance”

So, did you figure out which group your fitness goal fits into best? Good.

Now is a good time to mention that there is a lot of overlap between the groups. Meaning, training for performance will ultimately lead to more muscle and/or less fat in most cases. And, training for looks will ultimately lead to increased strength and/or improved performance in most cases.

However, it will NOT be in a way that is most optimal for those goals. It would be more of a side effect.

That’s why the objective here is to set up a workout routine that is as optimal as possible for your primary fitness goal. That needs to be the sole focus even though it may lead to various secondary goals being reached as well.

Meaning, if your goal is “looks” related, you want to only do the things that will maximize those results. If your goal is “performance” related, you want to only do the things that will maximize those results.

As obvious as that seems, there are plenty of idiots out there on the internet trying to tell you that people on Team Looks should be doing things that work best for Team Performance, and vice-versa.

Why? Because they’re either really ignorant, just trying to sell you something, or plain old stupid.

We will avoid that here.

What’s next?

Now that you have your exact fitness goal in mind, you’re ready to start putting together a workout routine that is aimed at reaching your goal as quickly and effectively as possible.

The next step is to figure out what your training experience level is. Meaning, are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced trainee? Let’s find out…

Do You Need A Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced Workout Routine?

(This article is part of a completely free guide to creating the best workout routine possible for your exact goal. It starts here:  The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine )

Need Help With Your Diet And Workout?

• I Want To Build Muscle If you want to build lean muscle without gaining excess body fat, spending all of your time in the gym, using a diet or workout that isn't customized to you, or doing myth-based nonsense that only works for people with amazing genetics, check out: Superior Muscle Growth
• I Want To Lose Fat If you want to lose body fat without losing muscle, feeling hungry all the time, using stupid restrictive diets, doing 100 hours of cardio, or struggling with plateaus, metabolic slowdown, and everything else that sucks about getting lean, check out: Superior Fat Loss

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SMART Fitness Goals Examples to Motivate You

All you need is the belief that you can get there.

Just about everyone wants to improve or work on something when it comes to their personal physical fitness. From weight loss to eating more nutritious foods to training for a triathlon, each person has their own unique physical activity goals. There are tons of ways to go about making these desired lifestyle, diet, and exercise changes. But often, despite our best intentions, we fail to stick with or reach our fitness goals.

Some people find that they can come up with a plan and a time frame to succeed, but for many, the execution is where they struggle. Know that it is very common to be all-in for your goal at first but then to slowly lose steam. Or to make many grand plans but not follow through at all.

However, it’s not simply about lack of drive or willingness to put in the work seven days a week. Really, it’s about not effectively structuring or understanding your goal—and the process of going after it. This is where setting a SMART fitness goal can help.

Setting up SMART fitness goals for yourself will give you a roadmap for securing your goal, a strategy that optimizes your chances for success. This process will make you accountable and help you see the path forward.

You’ll know exactly what you are committing to do and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether you want to stick to a healthier diet, drop a dress size, improve your overall health and fitness, or walk more steps each day, making SMART fitness goals can help get you there.

Learn what a SMART fitness goal is, see examples of SMART fitness goals, and discover how to use SMART goals to help you reach all the health and fitness aims you desire.

SMART Fitness Goals Examples

One easy way to understand how to use SMART is to look at an example of using a SMART fitness goal. For instance, generally, if you want to lose weight using SMART fitness goals, you pick one area of your diet to make an adjustment for a set amount of time. You might decide to cut sugary sodas out of your diet altogether. Or if you tend to drink three or four of these drinks a day, you might simply decide to drop down to indulging in just one daily for one week straight.

That’s the SMART approach. Essentially, you use the same SMART goal template each time but just swap out the exact thing you are wanting to do for each goal. It’s an easy, concrete approach that helps keep you focused on your aim. You know exactly what you need to do, which makes following through much more likely.

Once you get the hang of setting SMART fitness goals, you will be on your way to achieving your goals and living the lifestyle you truly want. But first, let’s dive into exactly what SMART means.

What are SMART goals?

SMART goal-setting is a technique used to guide goal making and optimize achievement. The word “SMART,” an acronym that was first developed with business goals in mind, represents a method that can be utilized and adapted for the pursuit of any type of activity, including those having to do with fitness and lifestyle.

There are a variety of versions of SMART. But generally, it stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, and Time-bound/Timeframe.

In other words, a SMART goal is something that is distinct and precise. In fact, the specificity of your goal is key to the magic of SMART goal-setting. As in, your goal is the opposite of vague. Rather than broadly deciding that you will eat better or start exercising, you tease out a specific item that you will pursue, such as running two miles per day, eating five servings of fruit daily, or skipping dessert.

Measurable means that your goal has a specific quantifiable aspect. For example, instead of aiming to walk more steps each day, you will determine exactly how many more steps to add, such as 500 more per day. Or you’ll decide to do 100 jumping jacks and 50 burpees three times per week.

The attainable or achievable part of SMART means simply that the fitness goal needs to be something you can actually accomplish. So, don’t decide to run a marathon the first week you begin a running program. You want to challenge yourself, but going overboard is a surefire way to disappointment.

And even if you start off fully committed to an overly ambitious goal, you’re likely to burn out before reaching your final goal. Instead, set a more realistic goal that you really can do and sustain over time, such as adding an extra half mile to your run every three days for a three-week period.

Making sure your lifestyle goal is relevant and realistic is also key. The SMART goal needs to make sense as a part of reaching your ultimate goal. So, if you long to get in shape, you’ll want to pick goals that apply directly to this aim.

For instance, you might decide to ride your bike to and from work. Or instead of walking your dog twice around the block each night, you can up that to five times. But aiming for 50 times around the block most likely won’t be realistic, unless you have unlimited time and energy.

Additionally, the goals need to fit into your fitness plan. So, setting goals to read more or eat less meat aren’t directly relevant to your goal of getting fit. And deciding you’ll workout for three hours a day may be completely unrealistic, so pick a more plausible goal.

Lastly, make sure your goal is time-bound, meaning that you set a specific timeframe in which to pursue and complete your goal. So, rather than deciding to eliminate sugar forever, you want to make your SMART goal to last for one day or one week or one month. Having a set duration gives you a finish line. And having a potential end in sight—and the tangible victory you get from lasting the entire prescribed time—sets you up to stick with the goal until the time is up.

What are SMART fitness goal examples?

Examples of SMART fitness goals include picking a food or drink you want to eat more or less of and then coming up with an exact amount that you will either consume or abstain from eating or drinking over the course of a specific amount of time. You might decide to eliminate dessert or fast food for two weeks or you could choose brown rice over white rice or replace butter with olive oil in your food for a month.

SMART goals for exercise might be to do three sets of 10 push ups each day or to do 100 sit ups and 50 push ups daily for two weeks. Other ideas include swimming 20 laps twice a week or playing basketball with your friends for an hour every Friday night for a month. You might use the stairs instead of the elevator. You might play squash or soccer three times a week. You might decide to read three motivation quotes about health and fitness each day. You could choose to stick to a set bedtime routine and schedule for a week.

Whatever you decide, just make sure it is a specific, achievable goal that makes sense for your ultimate goal. And that you can track your progress over the course of your challenge for an exact period of time.

Your larger fitness and lifestyle goal may be to lose weight, eat better, get in shape, become more physically active, get healthier, sleep better, feel better in your body, or any other health or fitness aim that resonates with you. However, your SMART goal will be a concrete, doable, relevant item that you’ll commit to pursuing for a set duration.

Things to consider before setting your SMART fitness goals

Remember that while you want to challenge yourself, if you start out small, you are more likely to have a realistic and achievable goal. While it’s understandable to want to go for a big dream from the start, such as running 10 miles a day, that’s not likely to happen right away. Nor does it need to!

Making your goal something a bit more modest is a way to set yourself up for success—and protect yourself from getting discouraged. The aim is to pick something that’s just out of reach rather than something that’s still out of sight. That’s not to say that ultimately you can’t get there, just that you take it one step at a time.

That’s the beauty of using SMART goals. You find a specific objective and go after it over a specific amount of time. Once you reach that finish line, you can decide to re-up the goal if it serves you well or you feel it is still needed. You can also choose to abandon or modify the goal. Whatever you decide, if you reach the initial goal, you still have the feeling of success—even if you don’t continue whatever the practice was.

SMART goals are more likely to succeed because they are completely personalized to your wishes, wants, and situation. In other words, instead of trying to jump on the bandwagon of the latest fitness, diet, health, or wellness trend, you tailor your goal to exactly what will work for you.

Another great plus of this approach to time management and goal setting is that you are always in a test phase and have the opportunity to keep refining your methods as each SMART goal comes to a close.

So, if you chose to drink 10 glasses of water daily but found that you were still thirsty you could switch to drinking 12 a day. Or if you end up waking up at night to use the restroom, you might cut back to 8 glasses of water a day or decide only to drink them before 5 pm. Alternatively, if you struggled to drink all that water, you might try flavored water, instead.

Essentially, the SMART approach gives you ample opportunity to keep finetuning your goals to make them more relevant and achievable.

The benefits of setting both long-term and short-term SMART fitness goals

Another great thing about SMART fitness goals is that you can have more than one at a time. In fact, having both long-term and short-term goals can help you stay motivated while also inching your way toward your ultimate fitness aims.

Start small, build big

Short-term goals with a duration of, say, a few days or weeks, are easier to stick to because, well, they are shorter. For example, if you want to give up candy, you might know for sure that you can go a few hours without eating any. But the idea of lasting a week or longer seems overwhelming. So, you might make it your goal to not eat candy for one whole day.

Success builds over time

Then, once you reach that milestone, you can decide either to go again or maybe to up the stakes to two days at a time. In this way, your long-term goal may be to eat candy only once a month or never again. But you can use multiple short-term goals to get you there. Getting that short-term goal success helps to keep you focused on the present and tends to feed the desire and willpower to stay committed to your goal.

Creativity it key

Additionally, having both short- and long-term goals at your disposal can help to facilitate some creativity on your part. And this process can lend your goal-setting into a bit of a game. Making it feel like a game certainly boosts the likelihood that you’ll stick around to play. In other words, piecing together a variety of short-term goals to get to your long-term ones helps to build and sustain your motivation—and sense of success—along the way.

SMART fitness goals examples for absolute beginners

Here are some more examples that may work well for SMART fitness goal beginners:

Take the stairs an extra time every day

Drink two glasses of water with every meal

Only eat dessert on the weekends, do not eat any chips, begin tracking your steps each day, then add 200 more steps each day for a week, walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes a day, bike for 20 minutes three times a week, swim for 30 minutes every other day, instead of fried food, choose baked or steamed.

Skip your afternoon snack

Choose fruit instead of chocolate for an evening treat, switch to 1% milk rather than drinking whole milk, use salad plates rather than dinner plates to reduce portion size, when you go out to eat, skip the appetizer, have one glass of wine with dinner rather than two.

Do a circuit of 10 weights

Do 20 sit-ups each morning, do 10 push-ups before bed, do 30 second planks daily.

Do 60 second wall sits each day

Remember that these fitness goal examples are simply that—examples. You can pick a few to try or you can create your own. The key is to pick a specific goal to pursue within a set timeframe. Make the duration something that seems a little bit hard but not so challenging that it feels impossible. If you think one week is too long to stick to your goal, lower your intent to a few days. Conversely, if you know you can go a week without drinking a soda, you might want to strive for lasting two weeks or even a month.

Then, once you get there, you can opt to extend your goal for another time period. And at a certain point, you might even find that your SMART fitness goal has become a new healthy habit, one that you can sustain much more easily—eventually, even without the SMART goal framework.

Key takeaways

Using the SMART goal management method to reach your health and fitness aims is a great way to set yourself up to reach your goals. The SMART system guides you to select specific, time-sensitive goals that you can actually achieve. And having a clock ticking is sure to boost your motivation and help you stick to your plan.

Plus, even if you have trouble meeting to your goal, instead of getting discouraged, all you need to do is to modify your SMART fitness goal into something you really can stick with. So, look at your SMART goal setting as an experiment as well as a challenge. There is no failure, only information you can use to create better, more realistic goals for yourself in the future. In other words, if you don’t make your SMART goal the first time, try and try again.

As you get the hang of the SMART method, you’ll soon become a whiz at tailoring your goals to fit your particular needs and lifestyle while also picking something that furthers your short- and long-term goals. So, get inspired by the examples of SMART fitness goals. Then, go ahead, tinker, have fun, and create some personal SMART goals that will get you on the path to reaching the health and fitness goals you truly want to achieve. All you need is the belief that you can get there—and the know-how that comes with following the SMART goal-setting plan.

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10 Fitness Goals, Recommended by Personal Trainers

Many people may lose steam when trying to stick to their fitness goals if they are unrealistic. Those goals can lead to discouragement or a lack of accountability in tracking progress .

However, there are goals that are more attainable and easy to maintain, like doing 15-minute stretches after a workout or including dedicated rest days throughout the week. Here's how to make goals you can keep up with, including goals recommended by personal trainers.

Hernandez & Sorokina / Stocksy

Making SMART Goals

The key to succeeding in your fitness goals is devising them with the SMART method in mind. This tried-and-true approach creates goals that are:

• Specific : The goal is clear and defined. For example, " workout three times a week" rather than "exercise more."
• Measurable : There's a way to track your progress, which could be by logging the weights you lift or the distance you run each week.
• Attainable : This goal can be realistically reached within the set time frame. Very few people could train for a marathon in two weeks, but many could over a couple of months.
• Relevant : There's a "why" driving your motivation to reach the goal. Maybe you want to feel stronger, increase flexibility, or manage an underlying condition.
• Timely : The goal has a deadline, whether it's four weeks or six months.

Lindsay Ogden, a NASM-certified personal trainer and digital experience manager at the health club chain Life Time , told Health about a recommendation for adding an "E" for emotion . In other words, what will it feel like to achieve the goal? Will you feel more confident? Empowered?

"Emotion will make it more real," said Ogden.

If you already have a specific goal in mind, that's great. If not, here are 10 fitness goals devised by personal trainers you may want to tackle.

1. Work Out 12 Days in a Month

Consistency is key for building exercise habits and seeing results. Mike Donavanik, an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of the fitness app Sweat Factor , told Health you can set a smaller goal that you know you can stick to, like three workouts a week . To achieve this goal:

• Schedule your sweat sessions in advance. Get a planner and mark at least 12 days next month that you'll have the time to exercise.
• Set phone reminders on those days. You can remember to pack gym clothes or shoes if need be.
• Share your goal with a friend. It adds accountability, and you can even start a challenge to see who can plow through those 12 workouts sooner.

Once the first month is up, Donavanik said you could reassess and adjust your goal, such as increasing the total workouts to 16 per month.

2. Run Continuously for 1 Mile in 6 Weeks

This goal is great for someone who hasn't exercised in a while and is looking to improve their cardiovascular health, Hannah Clausen, NASM-CPT, director of coaching for Macros Inc , told Health . Building cardiovascular endurance improves bone, heart, and immune health while reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

While one mile might seem like a lot, Clausen suggested:

• Focusing initially on shorter distances —like ¼ or ½ mile.
• Gradually increasing the distance each week by ⅛ mile.
• Maintaining an easy, steady pace.
• Tracking your progress by writing down how long you were able to run without stopping.
• Using mental mini-goals like committing to running one more block or until the song you're listening to ends.

3. Try a New Workout a Week Until You Find One You Like

Since the best exercise is the one you can stick to, try different workouts every month until you find what you enjoy. To achieve this goal:

• Create a list of different workouts you would like to try , whether it's yoga, running, kickboxing , or even rebounding (aka trampolining).
• Look into class schedules at local gyms or fitness boutiques , and schedule beforehand. As a bonus, many will offer new student or first-class specials.
• Find a local running group or a free trial for an online fitness app if you would rather stay at home or in the neighborhood.

4. Average 10,000 Steps a Day for a Month

Achieving a strict 10,000 steps a day may seem daunting. Try focusing on an average for the month instead so you can ease some of the pressure. Since daily steps vary from day to day, Clausen recommended:

• Scheduling longer walks ahead of time , such as on weekends, or when you know you have a lighter workload.
• Keeping a pair of sneakers in your work bag, car, or under your desk —you'll then always be prepared to squeeze in lunch break strolls.
• Recording your daily step totals in a fitness journal or app.

5. Do a Set Number of Push-Ups in 4-6 Weeks

If you want to increase upper body strength, think about doing push-ups. Consider setting a goal for how many you want to be able to complete after a month or so, whether that's one no-knee push-up or 10.

If traditional push-ups on your toes are too challenging, Clausen said there are a few beginner variations you can try:

• Incline push-ups against a stable counter, bench, or chair. The more parallel to the floor you are, the harder this variation will be.
• Knee push-ups : This is like a regular push-up, but your knees are on the floor at a 45-degree angle.
• Combo push-ups: If knee push-ups are a bit too easy but you still can't do a traditional one, try starting in the classic position. Then, (slowly) lower yourself to the floor and push back up with your knees on the mat.

Start with whatever modification you can do 10 reps of three sets of, Elizabeth Treese, a NASM-certified personal trainer and fitness director at 425 Fitness , told Health . Switch to a more challenging version once you increase your rep count to 15.

6. Rest for 8 Full Days Monthly

Once you're determined to reach a fitness goal, it can be easy to want to push your body every day—but your muscles need a break. Taking a break allows your body to recover so it's ready for when you do your next exercise session.

Resting for at least two days a week is a good starting point. If you feel good, you can still incorporate light movement into your rest days, like taking a walk or doing some gentle yoga, said Treese.

"Listen to your body," Chris Musser, a certified personal trainer at Crunch West Hollywood , told Health . "When you're feeling really exhausted or sore after a workout, then plan an extra rest day. Exercise tends to release cortisol , a stress hormone, and if you already have a lot of cortisol from other life stressors, you could be wearing your body down even more."

7. Stretch for 15 Minutes After Each Workout

While stretching may not be at the forefront of your mind if your goal is to build muscle, it's still a crucial fitness component. Stretching increases flexibility, improves range of motion, and reduces inflammation—all of which help stave off injury.

Stretch muscles you specifically worked that day and hold each stretch for 15 to 45 seconds, Kollins Ezekh , a NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness in Los Angeles, told Health. For example:

• If you wrapped up a run , stretch your hamstrings by reaching for your toes.
• If you've just finished a core-focused Pilates session , lengthen your abdominals with a cobra or sphinx pose.

Just be sure to breathe deeply during your stretch and never push yourself to the point of pain, added Ezekh.

8. Hold a 1-Minute Plank in 30 Days

Planks are a great full-body exercise for working your core, or your abdominal and back muscles. Theimportance of a strong core goes beyond aesthetics: Planks maintain proper posture, which reduces back pain and other injuries.

While planks may be stationary, that doesn't mean they aren't hard. Hold a plank two to three times a week to work your way up to your one-minute goal. You can do this by:

• Starting with 20 to 30 seconds .
• Upping the duration by 5-second increments.

You can also begin on your knees and work up to a plank on your toes.

9. Drink 2-3 Liters of Water Daily for a Month

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is important so you're already hydrated by the time you start sweating.

How much water a person should drink daily will vary depending on their activity level, diet, body weight, and even the climate where they live. You can also meet your hydration goals with water and fluids from foods.

To ensure you're drinking enough H20, buy a big reusable water bottle you can carry and fill up throughout the day. You may even want to aim to finish one liter by a certain time so you're not guzzling it all right before bed.

10. Complete a 5K Race in 3 Months

While running a 5k is a more advanced fitness goal, it's perfect for someone who may feel more motivated with a race day marked in their calendars. It's also great for those who have always wanted to run a half marathon or marathon but need to work up their endurance and stamina, said Clausen.

The key is to give yourself enough time to train: Find a race at least 12 weeks out and aim to run three times a week, said Clausen. If you can, recruit a running buddy who can lend a sense of accountability and make the experience more social and fun.

Don't Forget to Be Kind to Yourself

If you're struggling to meet a fitness goal, be kind to yourself! Instead of beating yourself up, thank your body for all it has helped you accomplish. Then, reassess whether your current goals are realistic for you or need to be adjusted. This also might be a good time to remind yourself of your "why" that motivated you to tackle this goal in the first place.

Benefits of Setting Fitness Goals

There are advantages to setting fitness goals, such as:

• Controlling how you can progress in the direction of your goals.
• Ensuring you have a way to track progress and stick to your fitness plan.
• Having meaningful and motivating goals.
• Having clear, specific ways to improve your health with better fitness.
• Making goals that fit your abilities and needs.

A Quick Review

If you want to set and meet your fitness goals, creating goals you can realistically achieve is helpful. Goal ideas include attempting several push-ups or workout sessions within a month. Ultimately, you want to make your goals as personalized and clear as possible so you stay motivated.

Lu Y, Yu K, Gan X. Effects of a smart goal setting and 12-week core strength training intervention on physical fitness and exercise attitudes in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial .  IJERPH . 2022;19(13):7715. doi:10.3390/ijerph19137715

National Institute on Aging. Four types of exercise can improve your health and physical ability .

MedlinePlus. Exercise and immunity .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting started with physical activity .

American Heart Association. Start with a step and walk your way to better health .

National Academy of Sports Medicine. 5 huge benefits of stretching: learn the advantages of flexibility .

MedlinePlus. Guide to good posture .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat stress - hydration .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water and healthier drinks .

American Heart Association. Set your fitness goals .

American Academy of Family Physicians. Helping patients set fitness goals .

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Health and Fitness Workout Plan Research Paper

Investigation, taking action.

My goal for this project was to investigate how people plan for their exercising routine and meal plan. I specifically wanted to document a month of my nutrition and exercise goals to inspire others and present an idea of how one can create a new routine. To reach this goal, I needed to look into designing an exercise plan and documenting one’s meals. I have always been interested in fitness since my grandfather has been a high school coach for more than 40 years. He cared about my nutrition and fitness and often shared helpful advice, which I took to heart.

Before starting this project, I gained knowledge about fitness from my granddad and my trainer. For example, I knew that different exercises affect specific body parts. Therefore, to develop a healthy body, a person needs to pay attention to various muscle groups and design a plan that targets legs, arms, back, and other parts. Also, I knew that food groups and their contents played a role in one’s health. Regular meals should contain healthy fats, proteins, and carbs to help the body to build muscle. When I created my blog, I used this information to develop the plan and decide how I would explain my meal choices.

The first source I considered for the blog was an article written on the website of Mayo Clinic , “Fitness Program: 5 Steps to Get Started.” In it, the author talks about the first steps towards creating a personal fitness plan. For example, the text advises assessing one’s fitness level and determining how many repetitions a person can handle from the beginning to avoid health risks (Mayo Clinic Staff). Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit medical center focused on education and research, which makes it a great, credible resource. It is not affected by advertisements or other money-based influences.

For a second source, I chose a blog entry about diet planning for bodybuilding by Julian Shapiro. This is a personal perspective, but it incorporates many sources, including studies, fitness websites, and bodybuilders’ diet records. So, it is reliable as most points made in the blog entry are supported by evidence. Shapiro’s guide gave me a helpful explanation of which foods and how many calories were needed to gain muscle.

To complete my digital publication, I first examined my sources to see which exercise plan I would be introducing to my potential blog readers. I also read through the guide “How to Build an Exercise Plan” on the website Help Guide . While my workout plan was a success, I made a single set of exercises for each day, which could be seen as repetitive for a blog entry. However, I recorded my meals and tried to introduce different foods every day. I decided that I would not only describe my meals daily but also show how my weight changed throughout the month when I undertook this project. This choice allowed me to track my progress and show how small steps can make a difference. When making my blog and creating new entries, I tried to adopt a template so that my readers could easily see all the important information. Sometimes, I struggled to write down my meals, especially if I accidentally skipped one. In these situations, I put “N/A.”

My blog has 26 entries in which I describe my meals for the day and my current weight. One additional post documents my daily fitness plan with specific exercises, repetitions, sets, and off-day ideas. Each entry is designed to deliver the main information to the reader, so it weights the top and meals right under. I used several pictures for meals and exercises so that the audience had a chance to understand which products or movements I was describing.

This digital publication met my expectations, but I have some ideas on how I could improve my blog to make it more interesting to readers. On the one hand, I believe that my blog’s content delivered all the necessary information about my fitness journey for a while. I disclosed my nutrition and exercise plans and reported the results regularly. On the other hand, people are usually attracted to blogs with a particular personality or a unique feature. So, while I achieved my basic goal, I may not have succeeded in explaining why fitness is essential to all people. For example, such blog authors as Shapiro include much more personal and academic information to explain the role of fitness in one’s life. I could do the same in the future to engage the audience and invite readers to enjoy my content.

The completion of this project led me to research more about personal exercising plans. I learned that every person has unique needs and limits. Also, the healthcare website of Mayo Clinic explained to me which tests may help determine how other people and I may start exercising. In the end, I got even more invested in learning about nutrition and exercising. I will continue researching this topic and finding different ways to motivate others.

“How to Build an Exercise Plan: A Guide to Getting Started and Developing a Balanced Plan.” Help Guide. Web.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Fitness Program: 5 Steps to Get Started.” Mayo Clinic , 2019. Web.

Shapiro, Julian. “Bodybuilding Diet Plan.” Julian Shapiro. Web.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Health and Fitness Workout Plan." March 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/health-and-fitness-workout-plan/.

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Here’s Exactly How To Set A Fitness Goal That You Can Actually Achieve

By Alexa Tucker

Having a solid fitness goal is an amazing way to power you towards success, but not all #goals are created equal. While it's great to have an end-game in mind, there are some best practices when it comes to goal setting. Whether you want to lose weight , improve your fitness level, or train for an event , putting the SMART method into action can help you achieve what you set out to do.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely—all of which are important in reaching a fitness objective. SMART goals can help keep you on track and remind you of your priorities, so you're able to follow through with every workout or healthy meal you have planned. "Being accountable to what you set is the only way to maintain real long-term consistency," says Jason Loebig , Nike trainer and ambassador for HI-VIBE , a Chicago-based superfood juicery.

Get SMART and put these five elements into action when you're setting your fitness goal.

"You need something that’s not too arbitrary," says Loebig. "A bad goal would be, say, 'get healthy'. A specific goal would be to lose weight." You'll narrow down that goal even further by using the rest of the method, but whether you want to get stronger, faster, or smaller, having a baseline points you in the right direction.

Here's where you determine exactly how you'll measure your goal. "If you’re going to follow the bad goal, it would be get really healthy," says Loebig. "That's not quantifiable. A measurable goal would be, say, 'lose 10 pounds'. You can quantify your progress, and you can sort of back into a time frame once you have that." Your goal may be to master a pull-up, run five miles, or go to the gym four days a week—whatever it is, you should have a definite way of knowing when you've reached your goal.

While it can be helpful to set big-picture goals in the long-term, says Loebig, you need a more achievable goal on the horizon to keep you on track. "You want to start small and see early wins, which encourages long-term consistency," he says. "If you set something too lofty right off the bat, it might be discouraging to not make progress as fast as you would like." You should also consider the size of your goal—for example, a goal of losing 30 pounds in one month just isn't going to happen, so you're better off setting smaller goals that are in closer reach.

This is where things get a little tricky, says Loebig–finding your "why" is easier said than done. "[Ask yourself], 'is this goal worthwhile, and am I motivated to do it?' Creating a goal with some type of motivation attached to it, like I want to lose 10 pounds in two months to be ready for my wedding , can give a bit of relevancy to your goal." Whether you want to feel confident at a big event or perform better during everyday activities, pinpoint why a goal is important to you.

"You want to be strict about a deadline—doing so creates urgency," says Loebig. It's also important not to set your sights too far out. "If you give yourself four months to lose 10 pounds, that might be too long because you aren’t incentivized to start working at it immediately." Instead, consider setting smaller goals along the way, like "I want to lose three pounds in two weeks." Maybe running a marathon is your long-term goal, but if you've never been a runner, signing up for one that's a month away isn't realistic—instead, set smaller mileage goals for shorter time periods and work your way up.

You should also be honest with yourself about what you're able to accomplish in a given time frame. "If losing 10 pounds is at the top of your list and you’re willing to make sacrifices in your social life and at work, we can attain that more quickly," says Loebig. And if not? That's completely fine, too he says—you just need to adjust your expectations so they're in line with your schedule and commitments.

Once you have your goal in place, it's all about the follow-through. Whether you want to lose one pound a week, be able to do five full push-ups in two weeks, or run a 5K in under 30 minutes in four weeks, you can come up with a plan to help get your where you want to go—but it all starts with deciding what you want. Be accountable to yourself, stay consistent , and the results will follow.

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