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A goal is result or achievement toward which effort is directed. Without setting goals in exercise or nutrition, there is far less value and purposeful direction; and they need to be measurable and realistic. For example, a thin teenager weighing 120 pounds wishing to weight 220-pounds of muscle is both specific and measurable. However, he cannot hope to achieve such a physique, especially not soon and probably not without growth-enhancing drugs. Therefore, in this instance, goal to gain 100 pounds of muscle is specific, it is measurable, but it is unrealistic.

Non-measurable goals, such as "I want to lose fat and get lean," will never be realized since term "lean" is subjective with no objective measurement. What is lean to one person may not be lean to another... or perhaps it is "too lean". Once individual obtains a supposed state of leanness, will that person know that he has achieved that goal or will his perception of what he thinks is "lean" change because of higher standards and greater expectations? On other hand, if a trainee indicated that he wants to reduce body fat to a level of ten percent, then he has a measurable goal – one that can be quantified.

Next, to achieve goals better, trainees must provide a measurement and do so in smallest amount necessary and within reason relative to past accomplishments. Don't aim for something greater than you could ever have achieved in past. Moreover, more distant goal, and smaller increments, more likely success of obtaining goal. But it should be noted that a goal must require some degree of effort and challenge. If goal is too small or easy to obtain, there is little incentive or sense of accomplishment or pride.

Goals can be measured in terms of outcome and performance. An outcome goal refers to that which a person is aiming to achieve, such as lifting five pounds more in bench press next workout or a far greater weight over course of several months. There is little flexibility in this type of goal – either it is achieved or it is not. Performance goals refer to process through which a person achieves those goals, including both short- and long-term. Performance goals are much more flexible, and allows a person to reorganize a strategy from day to day in order to meet outcome goal(s). Performance goals are associated with less anxiety, since there is flexibility and, as a result, should be emphasized in an exercise and nutrition program. It can be upsetting not to achieve an outcome goal, but if all steps leading up to outcome were done to best of your ability, it is easy to maintain motivation in preparing for next outcome goal.

When determining a long-term goal, a strategy of immediate, short-term goals (performance goals) must be considered. For example, if you desire a ten-pound increase on best bench press, how will you get there? This is accomplished by creating a workout schedule, a long-term plan of increasing "x" pounds/ounces to bar each workout until you achieve extra ten pounds. The plan may need to be reevaluated then re-designed – particularly if you fail to increase weight by "x" pounds/ounces during one of workouts, and falling short in end. It could be further stated that creating a goal strategy in exercise is very similar to a marketing or business plan in that goals may be established, but they may also need reformulating on a regular basis to reflect current facts of finance, economy, sales, customer satisfaction, etc.

GOAL SETTING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGY

Many people in this world need to take a stress test. These tests can take many forms and are designed to search for different things, but they all have one key goal: they want to see how you are doing. Merely taking a stress test can be a kind of stress all its own, but it does not have to be. And by understanding stress tests, you can understand more fully what they are designed to do.

The first kind of stress test is simply a pen and paper test. These tests will often ask you about certain things you do, where you are in your life, what you are concerned about, and what is going on around you. These stress tests are very easy to take, though results can often be more than a little surprising. These tests are designed to root out stress in its many forms and are most common form of stress test.

There are many stress tests out on Internet, though many of them will not be particularly useful. Some are designed to be scientific but are not backed up by research, or some may simply be jokes. However, there are a few out there that can be very useful. Unfortunately, many are also very subjective and answers you give may not be all that useful.

If you would like to take a stress test, your doctor can point you in right direction. There are many valid and very useful stress tests out in world and they can give you and your doctor answers that you need to help you determine how you are stressed and how to manage it. Thus, your doctor is best place to start and best place to find answers to all that is troubling you.