Setting SMART Goals that Stick
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
A new year is here, and with it comes the influx of tips on making resolutions, trying out a new fad diet, and becoming a “new” or “better” version of yourself. While this narrative is to be expected, it’s not always helpful.
After all, almost everyone has experienced setting a New Year’s resolution and then ditching it before the end of the month. This tends to stem from focusing on an end point without thinking through how to get there. Fortunately, there are better ways to approach resolutions to set yourself up for success, especially when it comes to goals for health and nutrition.
Read on to learn about how to make your health resolutions count this year, by setting one healthy goal per month.
How to Set SMART Goals
The key to setting goals that you can accomplish and build on is to make them SMART. SMART stands for:
Specific: Include details about what, why, and how.
Measurable: Set an outcome that is measurable.
Attainable: Choose a goal that you can attain on your own without help from others.
Relevant: Set goals that are part of a bigger plan, such as those that contribute to an overarching goal once you accomplish them.
Time-bound: Figure out a time frame for your goals.
An example of a SMART goal could be eating at least five different vegetables per week for a month. This goal is specific and measurable, including a set number of vegetables. It’s attainable, since you can control your vegetable intake and don’t need to rely on external forces. If your overall goal is to eat a healthy diet, then this goal is certainly relevant. And finally, it’s time-bound and sets a time frame of one month.
Setting Monthly Goals
Keeping the principles of SMART goals in mind can be especially helpful if you are setting monthly goals this year. Coming up with one goal per month is an ideal way to build on small actions to accomplish a larger goal. It’s a great strategy to continue year after year, not just in 2022!
Before thinking of your monthly goals, ask yourself these questions:
What are my main goals this year? Do I want to lower my blood pressure, be more active with my grandkids, feel more comfortable in my clothes, or manage my blood sugar?
What is the simplest thing I can do to start my journey of accomplishing my main goal? And can I stick with it? What is the next thing I can do to build on that first action? And so on and so forth.
What are non-diet factors that will help me accomplish my main goal? Can I think of actions related to exercise, stress, or sleep?
How will I hold myself accountable? Should I keep a journal, make a meal log, use an app on my phone, or log my actions into a spreadsheet?
Examples of Monthly Goals
Here is an example of how to set one goal per month. The overarching goals for this example are to manage blood sugar and be more active with grandkids. Each goal is designed with the intention of being able to continue it after one month, so as to build on all of the small changes.
January: Drink naturally flavored sparkling water or fruit-infused ice water instead of a can of soda every afternoon from Monday to Friday.
This allows the goal-setter to make a small change aimed at accomplishing the bigger goal of managing blood sugar. It also sets a time frame of only weekdays, allowing room for a soda on the weekends instead of going cold turkey.
February: Walk for 30 minutes before work on three weekdays.
Walking will help with blood sugar management and getting in shape for the grandkids.
March: Spend one hour on the weekend preparing a healthy breakfast for workdays to replace fast food breakfast. Choose recipes with a complex carbohydrate and healthy protein.
Balanced eating can lead to better blood sugars, and meal prepping in advance can make this goal more attainable.
April: Add two days of strength-training to exercise routine, lasting 20 minutes each. Do rotating sets of push-ups, dumbbell curls, and triceps rows.
Increasing exercise gradually will help with blood sugar management and physical fitness.
May: Eat a non-starchy vegetable with lunch at least three days a week. Choose from carrot sticks, a side salad, or steamed edamame pods.
This goal focuses on easy veggie options to help with blood sugars.
June: Increase walking schedule to five weekdays instead of three. Choose two of those days to do a short jog instead of a walk.
Gradual increases to exercise duration and intensity will help the goal-setter get fit for the grandkids, not to mention help keep blood sugars down.
July: Eat a piece of seasonal fruit in place of an afternoon candy bar every day. Choose from berries, watermelon, peaches, and other summer options. Pair it with a protein, like a string cheese, Greek yogurt, or handful of nuts.
Whole fruit won’t spike blood sugar as much as candy, especially when combined with a protein source. This goal builds on previous ones aimed at meal planning and prep.
August: Continue with walking, running, and strength-training. Sign up for the October 5K walk/run in your town.
Focusing on an exercise-related event in the future will be more helpful for sticking to the previous activity goals than adding on to the exercise routine this month.
September: Instead of serving bread, incorporate a whole grain at dinner three days a week. Choose from whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet, or bulgur.
This swap is another good way to prevent blood sugar spikes.
October: Show up for the 5k walk/run and show off your progress! Invite your grandkids to do it with you.
This goal is a great way to check progress and stay motivated.
November: Make a bean-based recipe two times per week. Choose from healthy comfort food options, like chilis and lentil stew.
Legumes are excellent foods for controlling blood sugar.
December: Don’t let the cold weather impact your fitness routine. Switch to walking indoors, like at the mall or on the treadmill. Increase strength-training to three times per week, since this can be done indoors.
Switching up location and type of exercise can be helpful for staying on track in the winter.
Hopefully this example of monthly goals will give you some inspiration when you’re setting your own SMART goals. Remember to think about what you can realistically achieve each month and what you want to accomplish overall. Start small, and go from there! With some mindful planning, you can make this your best year yet.
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