Motivational Meme Monday

Setting Up For New Year's Resolutions

Okay so last year I lost steam with my fitness goals sporadically throughout the year because I wasn't really prepared. I had an idea in mind but had no way of how I wanted to execute it so this year I'm taking the last few days of my vacation before the new year to get myself situated and setup for how I hope to accomplish this year's goal.

1. Have a S.M.A.R.T. Goal in mind, don't know what a S.M.A.R.T. Goal is? Check out this blog post for an explanation.
2. Determine how you're going to reach that goal, whether it's following a specific diet or exercise regimen.
3. Set up a rewards system to keep you motivated so you don't lose track of your goal.
4. Make sure you have all the necessary tools to follow your planned diet or exercise plans whether it's a custom nutrition log, youtube watchlist of exercise videos, medicine ball, hula hoop, etc You get the idea. Don't make a plan without all the necessary cogs otherwise you just won't be able to stick with it.

I know this all seems like common sense but sometimes it really helps to have every detail mapped out. For instance this is my Plan for this year.

1. Yearly Goal - I will lose 20 pounds by December 31, 2014 by jogging three days a week for an hour and 4 days a week doing Zumba for an hour, on any given day my step count will exceed 10,000, and I will not eat more than 1,200 calories per day. I will reward myself following the Reward System I outlined here.
2. I will use my iPod Nano with Nike+ to track the progress of my jogs and my Crane Heart Rate Monitor to judge the intensity of those jogs being sure to remain in the fat burning zone. Click here to find out more about Fat Burning Zone and click here to use a calculator to find yours. According to the calculations for me to remain in my fat burning zone is 120-135 beats per minute (BPM.)
3. I will use my XBox One to play Zumba World Party. In the event for whatever reason the game is malfunctioning I will use the XBox One Fitness application. If for whatever reason both options are unavailable I will stream my youtube playlist of fitness videos to work through. I pulled all my videos from LivestrongWomen. I compiled Leg Workout Videos, Gluteal Workout Videos, Arm Workout Videos, Abs Workout Videos and Full Body Workout Videos depending on where I am in my training when the outtage occurs. I have also downloaded a series of apps such as Nike Training Club just in case I'm away from my house on vacation or something :P Unlikely as that is.
4. I will continue to track my steps using my FitBit One.
5. I will track my caloric intake using MyFitnessPal which syncs to my FitBit account so I can see in one place my incoming and outgoing calories.

2014 Reward System

Mileage Rewards

• 200 Miles - Balance Ball & Workout Video ($25 value)
• 400 Miles - Desk Cycle ($50 Value)
• 600 Miles - Polar H6 Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor ($70 value)
• 800 Miles - New Running Shoes ($100 value)
• 1,000 Miles - Wifi Aria Wireless Scale ($130 value)
• 1,200 Miles - Nike GPS Watch ($160 value)
• 1,825 Miles - Disney Annual Pass ($470 value)

Group Mileage Rewards

• 100 Miles - Trip to the Orlando Regional History Museum ($10 value)
• 200 Miles - Trip to Orlando Museum of Arts ($8 value)
• 300 Miles - Movie Afternoon ($15 value)
• 400 Miles - Trip to Museum of Arts & Sciences ($15 value)
• 500 Miles - Trip to Bok Tower Gardens ($12 value)
• 600 Miles - Treetop Trek at Brevard Zoo ($50 value)
• 700 Miles - Day Trip to Busch Gardens ($100 value)
• 800 Miles - Weekend Vacation Heidy's Timeshare ($100 value)
• 1,000 Miles - Day Trip to Disney

Weight Loss Rewards

• 5 Pounds - OPI Gel Nail Service ($30 value)
• 10 Pounds - Massage (50 value)
• 15 Pounds - 60 Minute Facial ($70 value)
• 20 Pounds - Makeup Consultation ($100 value)
• 25 Pounds - Shopping Spree ($500 -$1,000 value)

Group Weight Loss Rewards

• 5 Pounds - Spa Afternoon (TBD)
• 10 Pounds - Glamour Shots
• 15 Pounds - Wet N Wild Day Trip

Disney Remix Playlist

1. Kiss The Girl - Ashley Tisdale - Disney Mania 5
2. That's How You Know - Demi Lovato - Disney Mania 5
3. Under the Sea - Raven-Symone - Disney Mania 3
4. The Siamese Cat Song - Hilary & Haylie Duff - Disney Mania 2
5. Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride - Jump5 - Disney Mania 3
6. I Wont Say Im in Love - Cheetah Girls - Disney Mania 3
7. Part of Your World - Skye Sweetnam - Disney Mania 3
8. Cruela De Vil - Selena Gomez - Disney Mania 5
9. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room - Hilary Duff - Disney Mania
10. Go The Distance - DDR Disney Mix for Playstation
11. Mickey Mouse March - DDR Disney Mix for Playstation
12. It's a Small World - DDR Disney Grooves for Wii

December Fitness Goal

Before I state my fitness goal, let me show you how to create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal.

Step #1 - Be specific. Don't say I want to lose weight, say I want to lose X number of pounds.

Step #2 - It must be measurable. Your goal must be something you can meaqsure. Don't say I want to be fitter, say I want to do a mile in X number of minutes. Pretty much this needs to be a number that can be measured not just an idea. It can be weight, speed, BMI, anything you can possibly measure.

Step #3 - It must be something attainable. Obviously if you're new to running you goal will not be to win a 10K, maybe something like completing a run 3 times a week or losing a small amount of weight. Think of this goal as a mini goal to the larger goal.

Step #4 - It should be relevant. If you're planning to run your goal shouldn't be about how much you can benchpress. Use good sense.

Step #5 - Make the goal time sensitive so you will actually finish it. It's not enough to say by the end of the year set a specific date you can circle on your calendar, program in your phone whatever you need to do.

Step #6 - Reward yourself appropriately when you meet your goal. Meaning if your goal was to lose weight the best reward is probably not that all you can eat dessert buffet youre drooling over. Have ONE slice of cheesecake or something that makes you feel special.

My Goal: I will lose 4 pounds by December 31st by running three times a week and walking 10,000 steps daily and consuming 1,200 calories daily. If I meet this goal I will reward myself with a new book.