How To Set & Measure Healthy Fitness Goals, From A Body-Neutral Trainer

As soon as the first glimmers of warm weather appear, so does messaging around achieving that optimal "summer body"—whether that's through advertisements, on social media, or other places. And there are endless resources claiming to help you achieve said ideal body—maybe you've even had a personal trainer give you a meal plan, take progress photos, and track your weight. 

Now, you may wonder how setting workout goals might fit into this new, evolving culture—after all, is it possible to measure fitness progress beyond aesthetic results? In short, yes! For starters, there's a growing body of research that shows doing exercise from intrinsic motivation2—aka the sheer pleasure and satisfaction of it—may actually be the key to consistency.

If you love to hit progress milestones along the journey, this one is for you. Try picking one exercise you'd like to improve or accomplish, like running a 5K. Consider your ability level now and use that info to set a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal. Break it down into smaller parts that you can work on each week, to eventually increase your run time. Then, mark your progress along the way.

Competitors will love this one. If you're craving more motivation, dedicate yourself to learning a new skill. Whether it's weight lifting, roller skating, or jumping rope, making yourself a beginner puts you in a highly receptive state. This might be especially useful if you're trying to break the pattern of punishing workouts.

Learning a new skill simply because you're interested in it can help reframe the way you think about movement—it can make your exercise time way more fun and joyful. Plus, noticing as you get better along the way can serve as inspiration to keep going.

Sure, you know that exercise can be good for your mood, but if you're one of millions of Americans suffering from exercise addiction (which is four times as common in people with an eating disorder), you may be used to ignoring your mental health for the sake of your workouts. 

This is where I like to bring in mood tracking. It can be as simple as noting your mood before, during, and after exercise using a scale of unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral. You can apply the strategy to hunger level, body image, and energy.

As much as we prioritize consistency, we should also celebrate the days when we choose not to work out. High levels of stress, poor sleep, elevated anxiety, seasonal depression, illness, and many other factors can negatively affect our workouts, and vice versa.