Most of us have goals when it comes to health and fitness. I want to lose five pounds. I want to run three miles. I want to eat less sugar. But many people have problems turning these “wants” into reality, especially when you’re traveling a lot for business.
Now why is that? Is it because we lack willpower? Is it because we have no self-control? Is it because it’s hard to change?

I’m going with no on all three. We have a hard time getting healthy when we don’t set SMART goals. And, no, I’m not insulting anyone’s intelligence here. (Ya’ll are smart and pretty!) SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. And it’s the Holy Grail to reaching your dreams, whether you’re on the road or at home.

Whether you’re new to exercise, a seasoned worker-outer or someone who just wants to drop a few pounds, it’s important that you have a plan and a goal. Not having a smart goal is like going to the grocery store without a list: You aimlessly walk around the store and—even though you intended to buy only healthy items for your flight—you somehow end up with Cheez-Its and Little Debbies in the buggy because they were on sale, and you completely forget to pick up almonds and apples to snack on. Now this type of thing does happen to the best of us from time to time, but with proper planning, you can reach your goals (and keep the junk food out of the cart).

To better understand how to do so, let’s bust down each part of the SMART equation:

S Is for Specific
Think like a journalist on this one and ask yourself, “What, why and how?” What do you want to do? Why do you want to do it? And most importantly, how will you do it? For example, if you want to lose five pounds, you have the “what” covered, but not the “why” and “how.” The “why” might be to feel more comfortable in your swimsuit this summer or to fit into that power suit that you know would help you feel more confident during your next big presentation.

The “how” is a bit more challenging. It’s here that you have to be specific while also being simple (simple is always best). Identify how you can lose weight and pick one or two things to focus on that will help you get there. So, if soda is a hindrance to your weight loss, aim to cut back to one a day. Or if fast-food burgers call your name too often while you’re on the road, trade your greasy lunches for healthy salads.

M Is for Measurable
If you can’t measure your goal, then how will you know how you’re progressing and when you reach it? That’s the whole point of the “M” in SMART. Be sure to choose a goal that you can put a number on. Weight loss is easy, since you can pick a number of pounds or inches to lose. If your goal is to “work out more,” then you need to quantify how much. For example, work out for 30 minutes three times a week before work.

Be sure to pick a measurement that you can track as time goes by. That way you can measure your progress and pat yourself on the back more often. (As a side note, be sure to give yourself non-food rewards often! My faves are trashy celeb mags, massages or a pair of fun, bright flip-flops.) The joy is in the journey, after all!

A Is for Attainable
If you’ve never run in your life, choosing the completion of a marathon probably isn’t the best goal. You want your goal to be something that is challenging, but not so challenging that you set yourself up for failure. Many set ridiculous weight-loss goals for insanely short periods of time. Remember that you want a goal that will fit with your busy business travels, so choose a goal that sets you up for success, not failure! Attainable is the name of the game.

R Is for Realistic
Similar to being attainable, you want your goal and your plan to get there to be something that you can see yourself doing every day, no matter what city you’re in. So, if you want to stop eating sweets, and you’re a sugar addict, it may be pretty unrealistic to stop eating sweets cold turkey. BUT, if you decide to replace your candy and desserts with fruit, you would have a much better chance at cutting back on the sugary treats. To put it in TV terms, you want your goal to be more like The Real World and less like Desperate Housewives.

T Is for Timely
Be sure that your goal has a start and stop date. It’s not that you want all of your hard work to stop after you’re done, but you do need a time limit on what you’re doing to have a clear target. Kind of like a big project’s deadline at work, a time stamp avoids procrastination and makes you commit to your goal. So, if you really want to run a 5K, don’t just say it, find a local race in your area (or, even better, in a fun city that you know you’re visiting) and sign up for it!

As someone who’s set a lot of goals (they really help me to focus and keep my workouts fresh and fun, plus I feel accomplished!), I promise you that doing it the SMART way is the way to go. In college, I always wanted to “run more,” but I never felt like a runner until this year when I committed to running a half-marathon on a specific date and had a training schedule to follow no matter where I slept at night. Now, I’m totally a runner. (Not a fast runner, but a runner nonetheless!)

Need a few more examples to tell the difference between SMART and not-so-smart goals? Check these out:

Not-so-smart: I want to be stronger.
Smartish: I will be able to do a pull-up.
Smarty pants: I will do a pull-up by the September 1 through regular strength training.

Not-so-smart: I want to work out every day.
Smartish: I will work out five mornings a week.
Smarty pants: In the next three months, I will gradually wake up earlier in order to have time to go to the gym five mornings a week, whether in my hometown or the hotel fitness center.

Not-so-smart: I want to drink more water.
Smartish: I will drink more water by drinking less soda.
Smarty pants: I will replace soda with water gradually until I am 100 percent soda free by September 1.

What goals do you have? How can you take them from basic to SMART on the road and off? Share your goals and your plan to get there in the comments below! —Jenn