Personal trainer Allison Chopra encourages clients to break their ambiguous goals of feeling better or dropping a few dress sizes into smaller, bite-size chunks.

The fitness expert at Indiana University discourages weight-oriented goals because dropping pounds is a long-term process and everyone loses weight at different rates. Instead, she wants to know how her clients feel.

"I ask them, are you feeling better? How's your confidence, your energy level? Are you feeling better about yourself?" says Chopra, personal-training coordinator for the university’s Division of Campus Recreational Sports in Bloomington, Ind. "But these are harder to track."

Never underestimate

Chopra offers the following tips concerning goal-setting:

•  Don’t underestimate your wellness goals should not be underestimated. You can feel great satisfaction in meeting them and build momentum for other goals.

"One goal I set for some of my clients is to get eight hours of sleep each night for a week," Chopra says.

•  Set attainable and realistic goals. Challenging yourself to eat no fat for a week could set you up for failure. Chopra encourages her clients to eat breakfast every morning, or at least do so for a week.

•  Set fitness goals that include performing some form of physical activity for a certain number of days each week or a certain number of minutes.

•  Be specific. A goal of "eating better" is an example of a worthwhile, but ambiguous, goal. A more effective or specific goal: limit sweets to one a day for the next week or limit cookies to the weekend.

•  Don’t exercise too much, which could be counter-productive. Adequate rest can result in better workouts, Chopra says. 

"Our muscles need time to rest and repair themselves,” she adds. “For a normal exerciser, not an athlete, three to five days a week is good. When people start missing days, they can become disappointed and start missing more."

•  Keep track. Write down your goals and progress in a journal or notebook. Put goals in a visible spot. Energy—in other words, how do you feel?—can be measured on a scale of one to 10 each day. Pedometers can be used to count steps, increasing the number over time.

Meanwhile, Chopra is a big fan of small steps and a forgiving temperament. If a goal is not met, reassess it to make sure it's reasonable and something you shouldn’t forget—after a brief break.
 
"Getting fit or feeling well is a long process," Chopra says. "It doesn't happen overnight."

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.