Before starting a project or assignment, it’s always important to set up goals. This holds true for men’s nutrition and fitness, too. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or just maintain your current physique, you should develop a proper plan of attack. Doing so will help you avoid frustration and failure down the road. In fact, what you need are SMART goals.
SMART is a criteria commonly used in the business world to develop strategies, but sports psychologists also use it frequently for long-term men’s nutrition and fitness care. SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timed. If your goals meet all this criteria, you’re well on your way to success. Here’s a quick rundown of how you can create effective goals to look better and feel great.
1. Specific
“I want to gain some muscle.” That’s a common goal among men, but it’s very vague. How much muscle do you want to gain? Do you just want a little more muscle or do you want to start looking like a bodybuilder? What men’s sports nutrition supplements will you use? You need to take these things into consideration when first creating your men’s nutrition and fitness goals.
Goals like “I want to lose 5 pounds of fat through cardio” or “I will start taking a men’s multivitamin every day with breakfast”, for example, are specific goals that provide a more complete picture of what you truly want to achieve. Once you determine what you want to do – burn fat, gain muscle or just maintain – head over to MenScience Boot Camp for a 6-week guide help you each step of the way.
2. Measureable
You need to make sure you’re able to measure your goal so that you know you’re progressing. This will help you stay motivated and keep you from going off track. Most of us already have a scale to check our weight. You should be weighing yourself once a week before breakfast to measure your progress. A scale is the minimum you should have at home, though. Take things further by investing a good set of body fat calipers. Calipers can help you determine what percentage of your body weight is fat for a more accurate analysis. “Body Fat Calipers: Why You Need Them” offers more reasons for getting a pair of this handy weight-management tool and explains how to keep track of your measurements over time.
3. Attainable
Do you have the tools available to reach your goals? Making sure you have the resources – gym membership, MenScience Magazine subscription, men’s sports nutrition supplements, etc. – at your disposal play a big role in whether or not you succeed. Also, you need to make sure your goals are realistic. Here at MenScience, we can’t stress enough that your weight or overall fitness level won’t change overnight. Progress takes time, so it’s of the utmost importance to be patient and continue working hard. It might take weeks, months or even years, but the payoff from seeing your new, lean physique will make all the effort worth it.
4. Relevant
Why are you trying to lose weight or gain muscle? Are you doing it for the health benefits? Do you just want to look great? Take a good, hard look at what’s motivating you to make these changes and make sure it’s something that will last. There’s no point in going to all this trouble if you’re going to give up halfway. Your ultimate goal should be relevant to your life and bring you joy; you should do this because you want to — not because you have to. For motivation tips, check out “What’s Your Motivation?”
5. Timed
Set a deadline for meeting your goal. Maybe it’s a month from now. Maybe it’s a year. The key is to set a date and stick to it. Doing so creates a sense of urgency to get you off the couch and into the gym. Without a deadline, there’s no reason to take action and all the reason to procrastinate. This also helps you figure out how much time you can take out of your schedule to work on your goal. If you think you don’t have time to change your life, read “How to Overcome Exercise Excuses” to start making time.
Bonus Tip: A lean physique is only part of your overall appearance. Take care of your skin as well by following a men’s skincare regimen designed for your skin. With the proper men’s skincare products at your disposal, you’ll be healthy and look great in no time.
