Hi friends! Stephanie here

Quick story time!

A former boss used to always say to me, “If you don’t know where you’re going, anywhere will do.” At the time it didn’t mean much, mostly because I didn’t see a future at that particular job. (Lol, sorry Connie.) It wasn’t that I hated the work or the people I worked with, it just didn’t do anything for me. But she had a point. How can I create the life I want if I don’t think about what I want? Once I started doing something I was passionate about and began setting goals around it, it clicked. 

How do you know when you’ve reached success if you haven’t defined what success looks like for you? How will you know what wins to celebrate if you don’t know what you’re working toward? Not only does goal setting help give you a sense of direction, but it also helps to create a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and motivation. 

There’s a reason employers have you write goals at the beginning of each year. When I was a gymnastics coach, there was a reason I would have my girls write out goals when the season started AND before each meet. BECAUSE IT WORKS.

So, why not try goal setting when it comes to our health?

Writing out your goals can uncover things you didn’t even know you wanted. It can also make you get real about why you want those things. 

So do yourself a favor and take 5 minutes to think about what you really want. Here are a few examples of goals to help get you thinking about it!

Complete a race.

Have you ever thought about doing a 5k, half marathon, marathon, triathlon, Tough Mudder, etc? I’ve never been a big fan of cardio, so if I don’t have a specific goal, I’m just not going to do it. If you’re anything like me, I highly recommend this route.

Set a new PR (personal record).

This can be for weight lifting or cardio. For example, keeping track of how much weight you use is an amazing way to measure your progress and feel like a badass. And the same goes for mile time/duration in cardio workouts. It’s a great way to see yourself getting stronger/faster! (PLEASE do not jump all-in without working your way up! Lifting weights that are too heavy or pushing a pace you haven’t done since middle school can easily result in injury. Consult an exercise professional if you have any questions at all!) 

Establish and maintain an exercise routine.

We like to move it move it (Please tell me someone gets that reference lol ) Moving your body regularly is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. For adults, the CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination each week. How you choose to spread that out throughout your week is completely up to you!

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How you want to feel on an upcoming vacation or event.

There’s nothing better than feeling confident and fierce. Showing up as your best self will help you make the most of your vacation or event! Are you going somewhere you’ll have to do a lot of walking or stairs? Throwing in extra lower body workouts or cardio work now can help you enjoy your time with less stress about physical endurance later. Maybe you’re going somewhere tropical and you want to love the way you look in that bathing suit (although you’re already lookin’ hot ). Being intentional about eating healthy foods and moving your body can help get you there. This might feel like a more superficial motivator, but it’s all about finding what truly works for YOU!

Take less/no medication.

Some medications are directly related to nutrition and exercise. If your doctor has told you that you could reduce your dose of a medication through diet and exercise, then this could make for a powerful goal/motivator.

Keep up with your kids, family, or friends.

Nobody likes to feel left out or like they can’t keep up with what other people are doing. It’s just a really crappy feeling. So think about how good it will feel to be able to say “yes” to adventure when it presents itself. YES you can go on that family hike. YES you can play volleyball with your friends. YES you can run around the playground with your kids. Being able to be fully present and create those memories is something really special. 

Get quality sleep.

Let’s face it, 4 hours of sleep or waking up throughout the night does not make for a glorious morning. Creating a bedtime routine or finding ways to enhance your sleeping conditions can make a huge difference and be an impactful goal to set.

Drink enough water.

HYDRATION HYDRATION HYDRATION Lol did that get your attention? Good! Drinking enough water has so many incredible benefits – everything from aiding digestion and preventing constipation, to normalizing blood pressure and regulating your body temperature. (Read more about the benefits here!) So drink the water girlie, your body will thank you! 

Become more flexible.

Fun fact… Both Tyler and Stephanie are former gymnasts! So this one is near and dear to our hearts. While flexibility doesn’t play the same role it did back then, it’s still beneficial to keep up range of motion. Whether that’s through regular stretching, yoga, or whatever else floats your boat – It’s a good one to keep in mind!

Establish and maintain a self-care routine.

There’s no right or wrong way to practice self-care. It could be facials, getting your nails done, and massages. Or it could be reading your favorite book, watching your favorite show on Netflix, and sipping some hot tea. It really just comes down to what you value and makes you feel refreshed!

Set boundaries.

When you hear the word “boundaries”, what comes to mind for you? Professional boundaries? Personal boundaries? Giving yourself permission to say “no” every now and then? Sometimes saying “no” to others allows you to say “yes” to yourself. It’s worth looking into how setting boundaries could impact your well-being!

Now that we’ve got your brain turning, here’s our challenge to you… pick a goal. What’s really speaking to you right now? Great. Let’s break it down.

Does this feel like something that could be done relatively soon or does this feel like a bigger goal? Why do I ask? Well, it’s beneficial to have both short-term and long-term goals.

If you only have one type of goal it is easy to feel lost. You might not be able to see how to reach a long-term goal or you might not have a plan for after achieving your short-term goal!

For example, a few years back I went to Hawaii. 6 months before the trip all of my goals were focused on how I wanted to look in that bikini! More than just looks, I wanted to feel confident in myself and not feel self-conscious the whole time. Ain’t nothing wrong with that! And it worked really well; I was able to keep my motivation strong. I was eating healthy and hitting the gym 4-5 times per week. All was good. But then there was the after… 

Hawaii came, it was amazing, and then it was over. Now what? I didn’t have any other short or long-term health and fitness goals lined up. Big. Mistake. Within 6 months I had gained almost 20 lbs. WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF?!?! And let me tell you, getting back into the groove is so much harder than just staying in it

Okay, back to that question: was your goal short-term or long-term?

If it was short-term, great! What is your bigger goal? Why did you pick that? What do you want for your future?

If it was long-term, cool! What short-term goal would help you get there?

Final Steps

Grab a pen and paper and write down those goals. Got them both? Good… now, go tell someone! We cannot stress how important it is to tell someone your goals. The added accountability makes you more likely to follow through.