Goal-setting is popular in the fitness industry. Always has been. And the most common goal people are setting?
Dropping pounds or inches.
“Drop 3 dress sizes for my wedding day. Lose 25 pounds by Halloween so I can squeeze into a nurse costume so inappropriate its banned in most non-western countries. Dump 30 kilos by National Talk Like a Pirate Day. I’ve heard it all.
The problem is, these are generally terrible goals.
But why? They all qualify as “SMART” goals. They’re specific, measurable, attainable (hopefully), relevant, and time-bound. So what’s the problem?
Losing weight is the classic “OUTCOME” based goal.
But ultimately you have almost ZERO control over such outcomes. Many people have the ILLUSION of precise control, naively reducing the human metabolism and subconscious behavior into a rudimentary math equation. If that’s you too then you’re setting yourself up for a big fail.
What you DO control is the process.
– How well you eat.
– How you exercise and how much.
– How long and how well you sleep.
– How well you CONSISTENTLY accomplish all of the above every week?
– How you handle and manage stress (at least to a degree).
So that’s where you start: with the ACTIONS you can take that move you toward the outcomes you desire.
And then, you simply improve upon or adjust the behaviors and protocols every week to hit the process targets.
But don’t just take my word for it. Multiple studies have shown that people who focus on process-based goals are more likely to stick with their exercise and nutrition routines over the long term.
They also experience less stress and anxiety, which also significantly affects fat loss.
So, the next time you’re tempted to set an outcome-based goal, ask yourself: “What daily process can I establish & practice to help me achieve this outcome?”
– Coach Bryan