Why Goal Setting Matters At VIDA

By Mekita Rivas, VIDA editor and member

We all have goals. They may be related to your career, family, health, or just about anything in between. But to accomplish your goals, you need to know how to set them. And it’s not as simple as saying “I want this to happen,” and expecting everything to fall into place. That’s what makes goal setting such an important skill to practice.

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or you’re stepping into the gym for the first time, VIDA will work with you to do just that. We’ll show you how to set realistic goals that will take you far in your fitness journey. It’s all about careful consideration of what you want to achieve, and understanding that you’ll have to put in the work to make it happen.

“Goal setting is important because it gives you something to think about,” says Amy Hutchinson, personal trainer and group fitness instructor at VIDA Fitness Gallery Place. “Goals give you motivation to get to the place you want to be in your life. Think about a negative trait you have — something you want to change about yourself. If you don’t consciously decide to change, you’re going to give into that trait or behavior and stay the same.”

Amy, who teaches the new SPARC class at Gallery Place, recommends using the SMART acronym to help make goal setting strategic and purposeful. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

“Each client is going to be different so it’s important to choose a goal that means something to you,” Amy says. “Whether it’s making sure to eat breakfast every morning, sleeping eight hours a night for a month, taking three group fitness classes a week, losing 20 pounds in three months, gaining 10 pounds of muscle before July, it needs to be something that speaks to you and gets you excited. And that’s why choosing a realistic goal is so important — because if you’re not excited, you won’t be determined to finish!”

Matt Coleman, personal trainer at VIDA Fitness The Yards, agrees that being realistic with your goals is key to seeing progress and results. “Many newcomers to fitness try to achieve their goals all at once,” he says.

For example, someone who has limited experience at the gym might attempt to start training five times a week. “This will burn them out and, for most people, be unsustainable,” Matt explains. “I tell new clients to change their behaviors gradually. If they currently train once a week, try to train twice a week for the first month. If they eat three cookies every day, try to reduce the portion to two. In the end, I want my clients to make long-lasting changes and sustain results.”

But no matter the goal — whether it’s in the gym or elsewhere — it all comes down to one thing, Matt says. “The only way to achieve any goal, fitness or outside of fitness, is consistency.”

Ready to identify your goals and figure out the best way to reach them? Team up with a VIDA Fitness personal trainer to learn more about how they can help you set — and surpass — your goals.