Create Lasting Habits With SMART Exercise Goals

Most people know that exercise is critical for good health, but only a minority are able to stick with a plan that meets the recommended minimums for aerobic and strength training. Work, family and financial pressures can all affect your ability to get enough exercise. So what makes the difference?

Experts agree that setting and achieving goals, including exercise, starts with being SMART.

While it’s a common sentiment, “exercise more” is not a SMART goal. Here’s how to make exercising sticky:

Specific

Be clear with yourself. Exactly what do you want to do?

Example: Stationary bike at moderate intensity

Measurable

Give yourself a way to measure success. How much of your goal activity are you hoping to do?

Example: 15 minutes of stationary bike at moderate intensity every Monday and Wednesday

Attainable

While it’s important to set long-term aspirations, setting smaller, more attainable goals as you progress is important to feel successful and motivated in achieving those bigger goals.

Realistic

Set yourself up for success with your goals. Choosing a goal that is extremely challenging might be inspiring, but it won’t help you feel motivated and positive if you can’t realistically achieve it. This principle goes hand-in-hand with attainability.

Example: If you’re starting at zero, a goal to reach the CDC recommendation of 150 minutes of cardio per week is great, but can feel daunting. Starting with a less ambitious goal will increase the likelihood that you’ll attain it.

Time-Based

Setting a specific timeframe for your goal can motivate you to take action and curb procrastination. When will you have achieved your goal and be ready to set the next one?

Example: In one month, I’ll be consistently stationary biking at moderate intensity for 15 minutes every Monday and Wednesday.

As you can see, using the SMART framework transforms

“I want to exercise more”

into

“In one month, I’ll be consistently stationary biking at moderate intensity for 15 minutes every Monday and Wednesday.”

Remember that setbacks happen. Don’t let one bad day throw you off your routine—the week is not lost! When possible, have a backup plan to deal with barriers like weather or time constraints to keep you on track. Ultimately, something is always better than nothing.

Finally, celebrate the small victories you make toward reaching longer-term goals! The biggest achievements are made step-by-step.