Which of the following is NOT a short-term fitness goal?

Which of the following is NOT a short-term fitness goal?

A. working out 3 times a week

B. losing 1 pound per week

C. establishing healthier nutritional habits

D. eating twice as many fruits each day

Answer: C. establishing healthier nutritional habits

The changes in eating habits are not short-term goals but on the contrary more of a long-term solution for improving health. The positive attributes that characterise short-term fitness goals are that they are always specific, quantifiable and can easily be realized within a short time ranging from weeks to months. On the other hand, working on better nutritional habits is a progressive way that takes time, and even years to bring the best results.

The other available options are all categorized as short-term goals. In option A the goal of working out 3 times a week is a well-defined goal that should be very easy to put into practice and the frequency can easily be monitored and worked on in equal intervals of one week. Option B of losing 1 pound per week is measurable and most definitely tangible, bearing in mind it may take several weeks, at most a few months to achieve. Another very concrete, more or less quantifiable objective that can be proved or dismissed in the short term is the one outlined in option D, which includes doubling daily fruit intake. All these goals are specific, measurable, and obtainable within a short link of time, providing them with all the qualities of temporary fitness targets. However, developing a better nutrition-related lifestyle implies a wider spectrum of behaviours and decisions that are not constant and develop with time. It could comprise of the understanding of portion sizes, doing slight alterations in the feeding habits and repeatedly opting for healthy meals. It generally takes constant learning, experimentation, and changes to habits that are unrelated to an individual’s short-term goal.