By: Chris Gates

So you want to improve your health and fitness, but you don’t know where to start.

Well, don’t worry. I’ve got your back!

Let’s break down how to set realistic fitness goals you’ll actually achieve.

Because embarking on a fitness journey can feel overwhelming, especially with the abundance of information available right here on the internet.

Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or do a little bit of both, it all begins with setting clear, actionable goals. These goals serve as your roadmap, keeping you focused and motivated along the way.

In this guide, we’ll break down the right way to set your goals so that you can block out all the noise, focus on what matters most, and finally make progress that sticks.

Sound good?

Great, let’s dive in!

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How to Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve: Set SMART Goals?

If you have goals you want to achieve, let’s make sure they’re smart.

And by “smart,” I really mean SMART.

SMART is an acronym that stands for…

• S: Specific
• M: Measurable
• A: Achievable
• R: Relevant
• T: Time-bound

When setting fitness goals, this framework can help you create goals that are not only clear but also actionable and realistic.

Here’s a breakdown of how to apply the SMART framework to your fitness journey:

• Specific: Your goal should be clear and well-defined. Instead of saying, “I want to lose weight,” or “I want to get stronger,” narrow it down to something like…
  • “I want to lose 10 pounds.”
  • Or, “I want to add 50 pounds to my squat.”
• Measurable: You need to track your progress. For example…
  • If your goal is fat loss, use a scale, body measurements, and progress photos to monitor results.
  • For muscle gain or strength goals, track the sets, reps, and weight you lift over time.
• Achievable: Your goal should be realistic, based on your current fitness level and lifestyle. Setting a goal that’s too extreme will set you up for frustration. Instead, start with small, attainable milestones that build toward your long-term goal.
• Relevant: The goal should align with your personal interests, lifestyle, and broader aspirations. Make sure it resonates with you and fits your “why” — whether that’s health, aesthetics, or performance.
• Time-bound: Set a specific timeline for reaching your goal. This gives you a sense of urgency and helps you stay on track. It could be 3 months, 6 months, or even a year, depending on the size of the goal.

So with that criteria, a SMART goal could look something like this…

• I want to lose 10 pounds over the next three months.
• I’m going to track my bodyweight and waist measurements, and take progress photos consistently to monitor my progress.
• Since I’m a busy dad with work and three kids, I’m giving myself time to realistically achieve this goal.

SMART goals help you focus your energy on what really matters while providing clarity, motivation, and a framework for progress.

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Long-Term vs. Short-Term Goals

If you want to set realistic fitness goals you’ll actually achieve, it’s crucial to have both long-term and short-term goals.

• The long-term goal acts as your destination.
• Short-term goals are the stepping stones that keep you motivated and help you build habits that lead to long-term success.

For example, if we take the SMART goal example from above, your short-term goals for losing 10 pounds over three months might look something like this:

• Lose 3-4 pounds a month, or ~1 pound per week.
• Weigh yourself daily.
• Take waist measurements every 2 weeks.
• Take progress photos once a month.
• Track your calories and hit your nutritional goals 80% of the time, or more.

These smaller, actionable goals give you victories along the way and build momentum toward your larger aspirations.

Being able to check off daily, weekly, and monthly wins will help keep you motivated. And hitting those short-term goals along the way will help you get confirmation that what you’re doing is working.

So now that you understand how to structure your goals, let’s break down how to set and achieve some of the most common fitness goals.

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How to Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve: Fat Loss

Losing fat is one of the most popular fitness goals, but it requires a strategic approach that combines both diet and exercise.

Here are the key elements:

1. Calorie Deficit: The only thing that truly matters for fat loss is consuming fewer calories than you burn. This creates a caloric deficit, forcing your body to use stored fat for energy. And if you need help setting up your calorie deficit, make sure you grab my free calorie calculator. It will tell you exactly how many calories to eat to lose fat!
2. Strength Training: Strength training is critical during fat loss. By lifting weights, you’ll maintain your muscle mass and actually lose more weight from body fat. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll naturally burn, making fat loss easier.
3. Cardio: Cardiovascular training is important and impactful, too. But don’t feel like you need to go overboard. Many people get caught up in trying to burn as many calories as possible, and end up slaving away on the treadmill for hours every day. That’s not necessary. Pick a form of cardio you enjoy, and do it a few times a week.
4. Consistency Over Perfection: Fat loss is a gradual process, and consistency is key. There will be days when you don’t hit your calorie target and/or skip a workout, but staying consistent over time is what will lead to progress.
5. Protein Intake: High protein intake not only preserves muscle during a calorie deficit but also keeps you full, helping you stick to your diet. Aim for around 1 gram of protein per centimeter of your height on a daily basis.

With those details in mind, realistic fitness goals you’ll actually achieve might look something like this:

• I want to lose 10 pounds in three months, or around 1 pound per week.
• I’m going to track all of my food and be at least 80% consistent with my calorie deficit each week.
• I will eat 1 gram of protein per centimeter of my height every day, and aim to be at least 80% consistent with this every week.
• I’m going to lift weights three times a week.
• I’ll do an additional two cardio sessions each week.
• I will weigh myself daily, take waist measurements every two weeks, and take progress photos once a month.

Those goals are a combination of long-term and short-term, and each one is realistic and relatively easy to achieve. But you’ll build in some flexibility with the understanding that you’re human, life happens, and you won’t be perfect every single day.

By accomplishing those SMART goals, you’ll put yourself in an amazing position to make progress and hit your goal.

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How to Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve: Build Muscle

Muscle building, or hypertrophy, requires a slightly different approach than fat loss. Although many of the same core concepts apply.

The goal here is to eat enough to fuel muscle growth while progressively overloading your muscles in the gym.

1. Calorie Surplus: To build muscle, you need to consume slightly more calories than you burn. This creates a calorie surplus, providing your body with the energy it needs to build new muscle tissue. You can read more about how to set up your calorie surplus, or download my free calorie calculator.
2. Progressive Overload: Muscle growth occurs when your muscles are consistently challenged. This means gradually increasing the weight you lift or the volume (sets and reps) over time. Tracking your workouts is essential to ensure you’re progressively overloading your muscles.
3. Protein and Carbs: Protein is the building block of muscle, so aim for 1 gram of protein per centimeter of your height. Carbohydrates are also essential because they fuel your workouts and aid recovery.
4. Recovery: Muscles grow during recovery, not during the workout. Prioritize rest days, adequate sleep (7-9 hours a night), and proper nutrition to support muscle repair and growth.

With those details in mind, realistic fitness goals you’ll actually achieve might look something like this…

• I want to spend the next 6 months adding muscle mass to my frame.
• I’m going to consistently strength train four times a week.
• I’m going to track all of my workouts and focus on beating my performance in the gym on a week-to-week basis.
• I’m going to get in a slight calorie surplus and be at least 80 percent consistent with hitting my calories and protein each week.
• I’m going to focus on my bedtime routine so that I can get 7 hours of sleep a night, minimum. I want to be at least 80 percent consistent with this goal as well.

All of those bulleted items are the building blocks that will lead you to muscle growth. Focusing on daily wins and checking the boxes each day, and each week, will guarantee you make progress and add muscle to your frame over six months.

How to Set Realistic Fitness Goals You’ll Actually Achieve: Body Recomposition

Body recomposition refers to losing fat and building muscle simultaneously. While it’s a challenging goal, it’s possible to achieve when you focus on the core components that work, and build a SMART plan to ensure progress.

1. Small Calorie Deficit: For body recomposition, you want a small calorie deficit (around 10 percent below maintenance) so you can lose fat without losing muscle mass. Too large of a deficit will make it harder to build or maintain muscle.
2. Strength Training: Focus on strength training 3-5 times per week, prioritizing compound movements and ensuring progressive overload. This is essential to signaling your body to build muscle even while in a caloric deficit.
3. High Protein Intake: Protein intake is even more crucial in body recomposition. Aim for 1 gram per centimeter of your height (or more) to support muscle growth while losing fat.
4. Consistency and Patience: Body recomposition is slower than focusing on either fat loss or muscle gain alone. It requires patience, as the changes will be more subtle over time.

With those guiding principles in mind, here’s what a SMART goal framework might look like…

• I’m going to track my diet every day so I can consistently be in a small calorie deficit.
• I will prioritize protein in my diet and eat no less than 1 gram per centimeter of my height on a daily basis.
• My goal is to be 80% consistent or more with my diet each week.
• I will strength train four days per week, and try to progressively overload in the gym during each workout.
• I’m going to give myself time, and will dedicate the next 9 months to this process.
• In order to monitor my progress, I’m going to step on the scale daily, take waist measurements every two weeks, and take progress photos once a month. I’ll use the measurements and photos as my main markers of progress, since the scale often isn’t the best indicator of progress with body recomposition.

Once again, these goals will work you in the right direction.

Your Roadmap to Progress

Setting fitness goals using the SMART framework provides the clarity and direction you need to not only stay motivated on your journey, but ensure that you make progress.

Whether your goal is fat loss, building muscle, body recomposition, or anything else in health and fitness, understanding the key variables that influence these outcomes will help you create a plan that works for you.

Remember, the journey doesn’t happen overnight.

By setting realistic short-term goals that lead to your long-term destination, and focusing on consistency and dedication, you’ll make steady progress and achieve the results you’re striving for.

And if this all makes sense, but you’d like some help throughout the journey, I’d love to help! Learn more about 1-on-1 online fitness coaching and submit an application so we can talk more about your goals, and what a program might look like for you.

Thanks for reading, and talk to you soon!

~ Chris