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How to Set SMART Goals and Achieve Them

smart goalsAs a lifestyle coach, I often hear people complain about how they have been working on their health goals, but not getting anywhere. Most times, they aren’t able to achieve that “perfect target” is because they are either confused about the target they want to set or don’t know how to plan a strategy to achieve that goal. The simple solution is to plan SMART goals.

What are SMART Goals?  

SMART is an acronym which was first used by George Doran in a Management Review Magazine in 1981. It gained popularity not just in companies but, also in other relevant fields including health and fitness.

SMART stands for:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time bound

In essence, a SMART goal is a simple formula which helps you define your goal clearly, focus your efforts, and utilize your time and resources productively to increase your chances of achieving a particular goal successfully.

How Do We Achieve It?

1. Specific
Your goal should be clear and specific! It is crucial to focus your effort towards one point and feel truly motivated to achieve it. When planning the goal, ask the five “W” questions, namely:

  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • Why is it important to me?
  • When do I want to achieve this goal?
  • How will I achieve this goal?
  • Which resources will help me in achieving them?

For example, a general goal would be ‘I want to get a toned body’. While a SMART goal would be ‘I want to join a Zumba class near my house and I will go there 4 days a week to improve flexibility and muscle strength’.

2. Measurable
It is important to measure your goals in order to track your progress regularly and feel motivated. Assessing your progress with specific indicators at regular intervals helps you stay focused and feel the thrill of getting closer to your goals. In fact, it even helps you change your strategy if needed. To make a goal measurable, ask:

  • How many/much?
  • How will I know when it is accomplished?
  • What is the indicator of my progress?

For example, building on a specific goal, we will add, ‘I will join the Zumba class near my house for 4 days a week to improve flexibility and muscle strength. I will aim to lose 1kg of body fat weight every 15 days’.

3. Achievable
Ensure that your goal is achievable. While it should stretch your abilities enough to make you feel challenged, it should also be possible to achieve. An achievable goal should answer the following questions:

  • How can I achieve it?
  • Do I have the proper resources and capabilities to achieve the goal? If not, what am I missing?
  • Is the goal approved by experts in that field?

For example, setting a goal of reducing 4-5kg weight in one month may not be achievable and neither advisable by health professionals because of its harmful effects on the body. It can also demotivate you if you don’t achieve that goal.

4. Realistic
Keep your goals realistic! It should be practically achievable, given the resources and time available to you! A realistic goal should fulfil the following criteria:

  • Is the goal realistic and within reach?
  • Is the goal reachable given the time and resources?
  • Am I able to commit to achieving the goal?

For example, setting a specific goal of attending Zumba classes seven days a week may not be realistic if you have other commitments towards your family or professional life!

5. Time-Bound
Your goal should also have a specific deadline. This is to ensure that you have a well-defined duration to work towards it. Making your goal time-bound can also prevent the goal from slipping down your priority list.

A time-bound goal should answer the following questions:

  • When?
  • What can I achieve from six months now?
  • What can I achieve from six weeks now?
  • What can I achieve today?

For example, building on our goal above: ‘I will join a Zumba class from October 1 near my home. In order to improve muscle flexibility and strength, I will workout 4 days a week. Every 15 days I will target 1kg weight loss! By the end of October, I will have realised my goal if I lose 2kg of fat weight over the course of the month’.

As Bill Copeland has quoted, ”The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score!” So choose your goals SMARTly and get set to hit the bull’s eye!

What are some of your long-term and short-term health and fitness goals? Are they smart goals? Let us know in the comments below!

For more on goal setting and healthy living, check out Healthy Reads. To get started on your resolutions, sign up for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching and let our experts guide and motivate you!

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Tips to Get Rid of The Winter Itch

Winter Itch

Do you experience this sudden itching sensation during winter? There’s in fact, a term for it – it’s called the Winter Itch! Generally, it is more prominent on your lower legs, arms, hands, abdomen and areas of friction like the soles and ankles. It is caused by dryness of the skin due to cold weather. When humidity levels drop, the dry and cold weather cause loss of water from the superficial layer of the skin (epidermis).

Itching is the key symptom of dryness. If left untreated, the Winter Itch may lead to scratching which can cause a breakdown of the skin layer, creating complications such as Eczema, Bacterial Dermatitis, Cellulitis, etc. Fortunately, the Winter Itch is just a beginning and can be prevented and treated with some simple measures.

Tips to Reduce the Winter Itch

  1. Coconut Oil: The saturated fatty acids present in coconut oil are natural emollients which moisturize the skin by filling the gaps in dry skin, making it smooth. It significantly improves skin hydration and increases the lipid layer in the epidermis. It is one of the safest moisturizers which can even be applied to sensitive areas of skin like underneath the eyes or around the mouth.
  2. Oatmeal Bath is an age-old remedy which has found its scientific backup from various research studies. Colloidal oatmeal is anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. It helps in reducing inflammation, soothes the skin and binds with it to make a protective barrier. Make sure the water is warm and not too hot so that it doesn’t make the skin drier. You can make your own colloidal oatmeal at home by blending raw oatmeal finely in a food processor. Do apply a moisturizer after taking the bath to lock the protective barrier.
  3. Peppermint Oil: Peppermint, the essential oil, contains menthol and is found to be quite effective in treating itchy skin. Its cooling effect instantly soothes the skin and reduces the urge to scratch.
  4. Aloe Vera Gel: Aloe Vera is a natural coolant and moisturizer which you can easily grow in your kitchen garden! Clean and wash the Aloe Vera before applying to avoid any pollutants and dust particles. Aloe Vera’s wound healing property may help in quickening the healing of broken, rough patches of skin. You can mix it with essential oils like mint oil, jojoba oil and coconut oil as well to enhance its effectiveness!
  5. Honey: Because of its anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and healing properties, honey is found to be quite effective in reducing skin itching and irritation. You can directly apply it on the affected part, keep it for a few minutes and wash thoroughly!
  6. Apple Cider Vinegar: According to some studies, taking a bath with Apple Cider Vinegar mixed warm water has been found to be very soothing and hydrating for the skin. It is particularly helpful in relieving an itchy scalp. Dilute the Apple cider vinegar in water with 1:1 ratio, apply to the scalp and rinse thoroughly after drying with warm water. The acetic acid present in it makes it a natural wound healer and disinfectant.
  7. Consume Antioxidants and Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Winter Itch is more prominent on damaged and unhealthy skin. Foods rich in antioxidants can minimize the damage from toxins and help the body make more healthy cells! Antioxidants are abundantly present in seasonal fruits and vegetables available during the winter season. Some of them include berries, carrots, beans, peas, tomatoes, lentils, etc. Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids like fish, seeds and nuts contribute to healthy and glowing skin!

Some additional measures you can take include:

  • Avoid hot and long baths
  • Use a gentle soap and mild cleanser
  • Avoid direct contact of the skin with certain materials which can irritate the skin. For instance, woollen cloths and nylon among others. Instead, wear natural, breathable material like cotton
  • Try using a humidifier at home
  • Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking a good amount of water

We hope these tips help you relieve the Winter Itch and keep your skin glowing and healthy! How do you deal with the Winter Itch? Let us know in the comments below.

For more tips for the winter, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert directly by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Health Benefits of Weight Lifting You Might Not Know

weight lifting

Whenever I advise my players to include weight lifting in their workout regimes, their reactions range from, “It’s too complicated or difficult for me,” to “No! I don’t want to bulk up”. These are the misconceptions engraved in our minds from the glossy images of sculpted and chiseled bodies of men and women appearing in fitness websites and magazines!

Apart from the fact that many of these photographs are Photoshopped or Edited, they unanimously promote the sole purpose of weight lifting as ‘body building’, which defers many people who want to actually stay fit and active, from it. Weight lifting, in essence, is not just about getting toned and sculpted! The benefits of weight lifting are numerous, ranging from improving your body composition, burning fat, strengthening your bones and joints and increasing your happiness quotient as well!

Health Benefits of Weight Lifting

  1. Get Stronger and More Active: Weight lifting stimulates the growth and development of the slow twitching muscle fibers (type2 muscle fibers) which improves agility, endurance, and builds up your stamina and strength, thus, boosting your performance in doing activities of daily livings (ADLs).
  2. Boosts Resting Metabolism: When the muscles are stimulated after strength training, they need to work harder to rebuild. Hence, they utilize more calories for redevelopment and growth! Muscles are metabolically active tissues which keep burning calories even during the resting phase known as the Afterburn Effect!
  3. Strengthens Your Bones and Joints: Weight training not only strengthens your muscles and ligaments but also improves bone density. The way muscles start developing under stress, the bones also adapt by increasing deposition after consistent weight lifting. This becomes more important as one reaches the age of early 40s when we are prone to natural decline. Also, stronger ligaments and bones prevent the occurrence of injuries while performing cardio and other activities!
  4. Lower Risk of Diabetes & Blood Sugar Levels: A study funded by the National Institute of Health has found that men who added weight lifting to their cardiovascular exercise routine had a 34% lower risk of diabetes. It’s advisable for individuals with type 2 diabetes to include weight training in their workout regime as toned muscles improve insulin sensitivity and better utilization of glucose!
  5. Improves Heart Health: As weight lifting improves the lean muscle mass in the body, it improves blood flow to different body areas which put less pressure on arteries, thus improving cardiac muscles pumping capacity!
  6. Improves Posture & Balance: Weight lifting strengthens your core, tones up your muscles and improves your posture. It reduces undue stress on different bones and joints, especially the shoulders, spine and hips which are more prone to injuries because of bad posture! Weight training also promotes the development of smaller muscle sets known as stabilizers. These take care of keeping you upright and helping you balance on a slippery surface or on one foot when you are reaching out to a higher shelf!
  7. Makes You Happier: Weight training stimulates the release of endorphins in the body which are also known as the ‘feel good hormones’. They trigger the happy centers in the brain. A well-toned, lean and fit body elevates your mood and self-esteem. Weight training brings you out of your comfort zone. High intensity weight training proves the worth in persisting through uncomfortable situations – a lesson which can be applied to be successful in other aspects of life too.

How to Start Your Weight Training Journey?

The simple mantra is just ‘go ahead’. Simply enter a gym or put on a video to see how you can take your journey forward. Start with minimum weights and gradually increase. Make sure to start under the guidance of an expert to avoid injuries or wrong postures or techniques. Keep setting challenges and targets which will keep you motivated to push harder.

You can even subscribe to GOQii’s Personalized Health Coaching to seek guidance from your GOQii Coach, tackle myths and get the right information about weight training.

Push past your limits to the extent that your toughest workout now, becomes your warm up later! If you hit a wall, simply climb over it. What stops you from hitting the gym? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Are Fats the only culprit behind those flabs?

 

 

obesity

Many times I have come across people saying, ‘I have been avoiding all kind of fats such as ghee, oil, fried foods, cream, cheese since a long time but, I am just been unable to get rid of all the flab’.

If you ask me I would say that there are mistakes people make in the process of burning all those fatty bags. Let’s see what these mistakes are

Mistake 1-CUTTING DOWN ALL KIND OF FATS: The first mistake most make is avoiding fats completely.Fat is the 3rd major nutrient needed by the body for the optimal functioning of various vital systems like cardiovascular system, skeletal system (bones and joints), and neurological system.If you don’t provide the required amount of fat to the body, it will start storing other nutrients like carbohydrates in the form of fat in fear of an emergency.

The key is to avoid bad fats (the fat which is saturated at room temperature like ghee, butter) and opt for good fat(the fat which is liquid at room temperature like vegetable oils and also the fat from nuts and seeds) and have it in moderation.

Mistake 2-HAVING INVISIBLE FATS: Look for the invisible fats which you might be consuming unknowingly.You might be providing invisible bad fats to your body in the form of all kind of processed foods like biscuits, cookies, fast foods, cakes, pastries, ice creams, chocolates etc.

Mistake 3-INACTIVITY: If you are sitting all day in front of the computer, then there is no need for the body to burn the calories and chances are the bodies are storing all kinds of excess calories coming from carbohydrates and proteins in the form of fat.So, do make a habit of getting up from your work seat and walking in the corridor, doing some office desk exercises, just to provide an excuse to your cells to burn the calories consumed during meals.

Mistake 4-SKIPPING MEALS: When you are avoiding your breakfast or lunch, the body goes into the fat-preserving mode in fear of a deadly situation. So keep providing some nutritious food in the form of meals or snacks, at least, every 3 hours to keep your metabolism running.

Mistake 5-STRESS: Stress is an integral part of our lifestyle nowadays and yes, in acute situation, it does reduce the appetite because of the secretion of stress hormone, but a persistent stressed out situation maintains a higher level of cortisol hormones for a longer time, whose job is to replenish the body even after the stress has passed out and this increases your appetite and makes you crave for your favorite desserts. So do try to include some relaxation technique in your day to day life to soothe your body and keep the hormones under control during the stressed out situations.

Mistake 6-SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Here is how disturbed sleeping hours affects your waistline badly-Lack of sleep makes you feel exhausted, makes you skip your workout, makes you crave for some brain stimulant like coffee, tea, and makes you binge on some bad calories while being awake for more hours than sleeping.

Mistake 7- HAVING A HEAVY DINNER: Dinner has always been considered as the only family meal which we have all together. But do you know, at that time, your body is preparing itself for a slowdown at night, your metabolism is at it’s lowest.So anything in excess, especially carbohydrates, which body is unable to digest at that time is getting collected in the central area of your body.That doesn’t mean that you go to bed feeling hungry.Plan it wisely. Have a heavy nutritious evening snack and a light dinner which is low in carbohydrates, moderate in proteins and high in fibres.

Mistake 8-HAVING FRUITS AT WRONG TIME: Combining your fruits with meals and having them post-sunset or at bedtime is a sure way to get those flags on your waistline, as they are again a form of instant carbohydrates.Have them as individual meals or snacks instead.

And if you still feel that you are guilty of none of these mistakes and stuck with these flaws, do consult your doctor. There might be an underlying medical condition like hypothyroid or other hormonal imbalances which is keeping your metabolism disturbed and maintaining all the fatty bags despite your efforts to be healthy and fit.

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