How are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along? It’s that time of the year where motivation starts to fade and many of us lose sight of what we had set out to accomplish. But have no fear! There are some easy ways to help get you back on track or keep yourself motivated. To increase our chances of making a goal stick, aim to make it a SMART goal:
Specific: Think about the “who, what, when, where and why” of the goal. Will anyone else be involved? What resources do you need to accomplish the goal? What is the reason behind the goal?
Measurable: Instead of planning to “eat more fruits and vegetables” set a goal to eat at least three servings of vegetables five days out of the week.
Achievable: If you currently exercise 30 minutes per week it is better to set incremental goals such as increasing to 40 minutes for two weeks then 50 minutes for two weeks rather than aiming for 100 minutes per week from the start.
Relevant: If your broad goal is to improve overall health, what would be the most effective first step that makes the most sense for you at this point in time?
Time-bound: Short term and long term goals can be used here. Building on the exercise example above, the short term goal would be to increase physical activity by 10 minutes every two weeks and the long term goal could be 150 minutes of physical activity weekly in 6 months.
By breaking down your goals into specific actions plans with a timeline associated to these actions, the odds of following through will be increased. You can also re-evaluate along the way and make adjustments as needed.
If you would like help in setting a SMART goal related to eating habits, reach out to our Registered Dietitian today at: 636-797-3737 x 124.
For additional information, please check out the article below:
About the author:
Megan has been a Registered Dietitian with the Jefferson County Health Department for approximately three years. She provides individual and group nutrition counseling as well as community presentations. Megan’s favorite ways to stay active are lifting weights and walking her dog, Tucker.