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Fitness for Mommies: Be S.M.A.R.T.
Topics: fitness, new moms, new year's resolution, Life, Bakersfield, Moms
Posted by strollergirl Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:39:31 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Have you decided what your New Year’s resolution will be this year? Haven’t you made this same resolution before?

Most of us set unrealistic goals that are too hard and expect too much, too fast. In this way, we tend to set ourselves up for failure.

Now that you have a baby at home, achieving your health and fitness goals is more important than ever. Not only do you need to be healthy enough to care for yourself and your family, but you are also a health and fitness role model to your child or children.

Let’s set ourselves up for success by considering a few tried-and-true points when formulating New Year’s goals.
 
In order to see results, you must plan out a S.M.A.R.T. goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Saying “I will lose weight” is not specific enough, nor can you easily measure success by it. Get specific! What do you mean when you say you want to lose weight? How are you going to measure that? Do you want to see a specific number on your scale or on your measurements? Perhaps it is a certain size you want to fit into more comfortably?

You must set goals that are achievable and realistic for you. Maybe Angelina Jolie can get back to pre-baby weight in a few weeks, but for those of us without personal chefs and trainers, that’s not quite as realistic.

You want to drop four dress sizes? That is achievable in the long term, but perhaps not realistic for the short term. You will likely stay more motivated and dedicated if you set several smaller benchmarks along the way to that ultimate goal.

Set a goal to drop one size. That is both realistic and achievable. Once you achieve that goal, set a new goal. You may continue all the way down to that original goal of dropping four sizes, or you may find that you’re much happier and able to maintain your weight loss more easily only two sizes smaller than you were.

Your goal should also be timely. Saying “I will lose 25 pounds by next December” certainly gives you a timeline, but it also gives you far more room to stray from the course because you will convince yourself that you have 12 months to get it done!  Give yourself a smaller timeline, such as “I will lose 10 pounds by Valentine’s Day,” so you are more likely to stay focused.
 
While planning out your S.M.A.R.T. goal, make sure it is something powerful and emotional to you. Will achieving your goal make you feel great pleasure and personal success? Have you set up a healthy, non-food related reward (such as a manicure, massage, or mini-vacation) for when you achieve your goal? If so, you are much more likely to stick with it!
 
Finally, consider focusing your goals on your health instead of weight. Pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing require our bodies to make changes. Sometimes it takes months or years to get our old shape back. Give yourself time! Instead of focusing on your pre-baby weight, set a S.M.A.R.T. health-related goal, such as becoming more physically active, including more fruits and veggies in your diet, or dining out less. You will be healthier, provide a better example for your family, and you will also see some of that weight drop off as an added bonus!

Be S.M.A.R.T. and you will make this your most successful year ever for achieving your New Year’s resolutions!

–– Michelle Garner is the franchise owner of Stroller Strides of Bakersfield.

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