Most of life’s disasters didn’t just happen. Most of them were birthed as a result of poor or no planning at all. The planning phase of a mission is the most critical of anything else. That’s because without a good plan the mission will certainly be chaotic or at least less than it should have been. That’s why one of the things all student pilots are taught is every flight begins with a careful flight plan.

In Body for Life, your “flight plan” is goal setting. You should carefully and objectively set out in your goals exactly where you want to be in 12 weeks from the start of your transformation. In order to do that, you have to take stock of exactly where you are. So, begin your goal setting process with a careful health assessment. If possible, get a complete physical that includes your blood pressure and pulse at rest, your weight and measurements, your blood work, and an assessment of any physical limitations you have that could impede the progress of your transformation.

Next, think about where you want to be and where you can be in 12 weeks. You want to set goals that will stretch you, but not goals so unrealistic that they will defeat you. For example, if you have 100 pounds to lose, it is unrealistic to set that as a 12 week goal, BUT it is certainly realistic to set as a goal the loss of 1/3 of those pounds. It’s a tough goal, but one you can achieve if all goes well.

Set goals in several areas. Losing a certain number of pounds is the most common, but a goal to lose inches in certain areas can be every bit as important. Especially at the waistline, since that is where the fat really hangs out the most! Improved strength is a laudable goal, but make it specific. If you can currently bench 150 pounds, a goal to increase that to 180 or even 200 pounds over the 12 weeks is something to strive for. There are many other physical performance goals that are appropriate, such as the time it takes to run or walk a mile. For blood work, a goal to reduce bad cholesterol levels as well as overall cholesterol and triglyceride levels is a good one. Those markers respond well to the cardio, the strength training, the good diet, and the supplementation, especially if you supplement with good omega III oils.

You’re not done with just physical goals. Set some others, such as a goal to do something to help someone anonymously at least once a week. Other folks have begun the studies to get a trainer certification. I think you really need a goal that is more about helping others than about just a beach body. Those goals will help you to become a better person as well as a fitter one.

Once you set your goals, put them in your journal, at the front, where you can see them every time you work out. And keep your eyes on the prize. Don’t look back; don’t settle for anything less; and don’t give up! Those goals–and those before photos in your journal–will keep you going forward–even on those days when you would really rather quit! Nobody said this was easy, but with the right goals, it can certainly be well worth the effort!