The new year can feel like the perfect time to set goals and make changes, but it is not a requirement.
If you have been wanting to make some changes or have a specific goal in mind, and the new year is what motivates you to start, then I wanted to share how I approach setting realistic and sustainable goals with my clients.
So many people (I have also been guilty of this) only focus on outcome-based goals, such as “I want to eat better” or “I want to lose 20 pounds”, but overlook the behavioral goals that will actually make these outcomes possible. Most people fail because they do not have a sustainable plan. We want to create behaviors that become part of our lives and make our goals both achievable and sustainable
Outcome-Based Goal- your desired result
Behavior-Based Goal– outlines a specific behavior you are ready, willing, and able to implement repeatably within a particular time frame that will make a desired outcome more likely.
An example of a behavior-based goal would be “eating a portion of protein with every meal,” or “adding a daily walk in.”
Here are 5 steps to behavioral change
- Choose an outcome-based goal- what is the big goal you want to achieve
- Establish one or two behavior-based goals- these should be practices that will make your outcome-based goal more likely. The more specific, the better
- Take action- start to implement your behavioral goals
- Evaluate how it’s going- track how consistent you are. A successful action is one that you are able to achieve 80% of the time
- Determine the next steps- If you are unable to achieve your goal 80% of the time, consider making it a little easier (i.e., modify walking 30 minutes 5 days/ week to walking 20 minutes 4 days/week), then reevaluate after a couple of weeks. If you are successful with your current goals, you can either continue implementing them or add another behavior
I hope this helps to lower the barrier and make your goals more achievable in 2026.
If you need a little support in setting and achieving your goals, please contact Amisha below!
About Amisha:
Hi, I am Amisha (she/her)!
Located in Houston, Texas, I have been in the fitness industry for over 13 years, but it wasn’t until I had my daughter that I realized all of the gaps that exist in the industry for women, but especially for mothers.
This is exactly why I have dedicated so much time and energy to learning how to best support women through major life transitions such as pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause.
So many women experience pelvic floor dysfunction with exercise; however, there is a lack of collective knowledge on how to support folks who are navigating symptoms such as diastasis recti, prolapse, and incontinence.
If you are experiencing any or all of the above, you are not alone, AND you can continue to train. I am here to help you