How to keep fitness goals this year

Child and adult psychiatrist Domenick Sportelli, DO, shares why it’s so important to set specific goals, especially goals around getting more exercise and getting in shape. He also explains the importance of rewarding yourself to keep motivated.

Transcript

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[MUSIC PLAYING] Goal-setting is such a problem for so many people. Because what we do is, we get excited, we set a goal,

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and then we realize that it never comes to fruition. So what we tend to do-- and I'm definitely someone that does

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this as well-- is that we're not specific enough. We're just not specific enough with the goals that we set.

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Be as specific as you can as opposed to saying, I'd like to go to the gym some more. Say, you know, I'm going to go to the gym three times

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a week for 20 minutes per session. That's a specific goal. So, number one, be much more specific,

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as it allows us to focus on the goal more, and it makes it more attainable. Number two, make it something that you

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can measure or quantify. If your goal is to lose a little bit of weight, remember, specific. I'm going to lose five pounds this month.

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So you have something quantifiable that you can compare to at the end. This way, you know when you succeed.

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Number three, make sure that it's realistic. So, listen, I would love to learn how to play the piano in a month.

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That's not going to happen, right? So set realistic goals, right? So make sure that you're taking into account

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your hobbies, your enjoyment, your time, your availability, your lifestyle. And make sure that the goals are realistic.

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Because you don't want to set yourself up for failure. Another really important point when it comes to motivational psychology and attaining those goals is to set

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goals that are small enough that you can attain them in small pieces. So we're going to go back to that example from the beginning.

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I want to go to the gym three times per week for 20 minutes each time. It's quantifiable.

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It's doable. It's realistic. And it's a small goal that you can accomplish and reward yourself for and then move on from there.

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The other one that I really, really like-- this is number five-- is accountability. Share this with somebody. Share this with a loved one, a friend.

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Share your goal with them because, now, it's not in your head anymore, it's a thing. It's real. It's out there in the universe.

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And someone else is going to say, hey, are you following up with your goals? Are you doing that? It makes it real. And then, the final one, that's really, really important--

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and this is a very big part of motivational psychology-- is make sure that when you attain your goal,

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you have a reward. This is psych 101, guys. This is behavior and consequence. Maybe my reward is, I'm going to have a pizza,

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or I'm going to go out for ice cream. This way, you reinforce that. And, trust me when I tell you, there's some deep stuff going on in there

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that's subconscious that's going to continue to drive those goals forward. And I'm almost positive that if you do these,

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you will absolutely be well on your way to attain those goals that you used to procrastinate and never get done.

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