Setting Measurable Goals
Setting goals that have measurable outcomes is important. Why? It allows one to track progress towards a goal, and it also takes out any emotional connection that may affect how you determine your own progress. For an entire blog post about the importance of tracking progress, click here.
How to Choose your Measurements
There are a few important points when considering how to measure progress towards a goal:
- Measure progress as directly as possible
- It is completely acceptable, and sometimes preferable, to use more than one measurement
- Using convenient measurements will make it easier to take the measurement often
Consider this quick example:
Goal: Improve physical fitness to reduce the risk of heart attack
Possible Measurements:
- Resting heart rate and blood pressure
- Cholesterol/blood tests
- Lean body mass
- Exercise tests (i.e. 12 minute walk/run for distance)
- Weight
Each of these measurements comes with different advantages and disadvantages. Measuring lean body mass will certainly prove more useful compared to weight, but is significantly less convenient than stepping onto a scale. Resting heart rate is also very convenient, but can be affected by eating, emotional states, stress levels and sleep. In this situation a combination would likely prove to be most effective. Simultaneously losing weight and improving on an exercise test would almost definitely be the result of improved physical fitness.
There are downsides to measuring progress by quantitative means, however. Often times a number can be ambiguous, take weight for an example. An increase in weight could be caused by additional fat mass OR additional muscle mass, but the number on the scale will tell you neither. Measurements can also be discouraging at first, and may take several weeks to see significant change! It is crucial to remember that your goal is not to change a measurement of your body or ability, it is to achieve your goal! Taking measurements is a part of the goal-process that should help in reaching goals, not cause stress.
JOHO will be offering free body composition screenings this week! There will be additional screenings later in the year, so use this opportunity to start tracking your progress!
RFK: Tuesday, January 24, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
JCB: Wednesday, January 25, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
PHB: Thursday, January 26, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
Sign up here, username: JOHOfitness password: screenings
Setting goals that have measurable outcomes is important. Why? It allows one to track progress towards a goal, and it also takes out any emotional connection that may affect how you determine your own progress. For an entire blog post about the importance of tracking progress, click here.
How to Choose your Measurements
- Measure progress as directly as possible
- It is completely acceptable, and sometimes preferable, to use more than one measurement
- Using convenient measurements will make it easier to take the measurement often
Consider this quick example:
Goal: Improve physical fitness to reduce the risk of heart attack
Possible Measurements:
- Resting heart rate and blood pressure
- Cholesterol/blood tests
- Lean body mass
- Exercise tests (i.e. 12 minute walk/run for distance)
- Weight
Each of these measurements comes with different advantages and disadvantages. Measuring lean body mass will certainly prove more useful compared to weight, but is significantly less convenient than stepping onto a scale. Resting heart rate is also very convenient, but can be affected by eating, emotional states, stress levels and sleep. In this situation a combination would likely prove to be most effective. Simultaneously losing weight and improving on an exercise test would almost definitely be the result of improved physical fitness.
There are downsides to measuring progress by quantitative means, however. Often times a number can be ambiguous, take weight for an example. An increase in weight could be caused by additional fat mass OR additional muscle mass, but the number on the scale will tell you neither. Measurements can also be discouraging at first, and may take several weeks to see significant change! It is crucial to remember that your goal is not to change a measurement of your body or ability, it is to achieve your goal! Taking measurements is a part of the goal-process that should help in reaching goals, not cause stress.
JOHO will be offering free body composition screenings this week! There will be additional screenings later in the year, so use this opportunity to start tracking your progress!
RFK: Tuesday, January 24, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
JCB: Wednesday, January 25, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
PHB: Thursday, January 26, 8:00AM to 12:00PM
Sign up here, username: JOHOfitness password: screenings
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