January – A Good Time to Set Some Health Goals
How to Create a Nutrition and Exercise Plan You Can Keep
The start of the new year is a time when many people try to change their habits for the better. Making changes to eat healthier or exercise more can be stressful, and it can be hard to know where to start.
Have you tried to set a goal for yourself, but wasn’t able to stick with it?
One of the main reasons people stop trying to reach their goals is because they expect things to change right away. We are here to tell you that not everything can be perfect all the time. Making changes takes time. If you have a day where you fall out of your routine, it is not all lost.
Setting goals can help give you something to work on and stay on track. Try not to set too many goals though, this can make it harder to stick with it. Here is a helpful way to set your goals, which can keep you eating well and moving more all year-round.
It is helpful to think about these goals as S.M.A.R.T goals, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound.
Be Specific
One of the first steps in starting a good habit is to describe exactly what this new habit will be. In doing so, it is important to be specific, which means to describe exactly what you need to do to achieve this goal. For example, instead of saying your goal will be to eat more fruits and vegetables, your goal might be to eat vegetables with supper.
Measurable
Measuring how you are doing is one of the best ways to keep yourself on track. You can do this by keeping an online or paper journal where you write down what you’ve done. You can also use tools such as a pedometer or step count on your phone, which tracks your steps. For example, if you want to exercise more you might set your goal to walk 30 minutes every day, five days a week and write down this activity to keep track.
Achievable
It’s important to make sure you have the tools and information that you need to do your goal. If you don’t have everything you need, you are less likely to keep your goals. For example, if you do not own any exercise tools, you could walk to and from work, if possible. Or, if you have to get home after work for the kids, then throwing some music on and having a dance party together is also a fun way to get moving.
Be Realistic
Knowing where you can start is very important. Setting goals that are not in your comfort zone can make it harder for you to stick with it. The idea is to pick activities that are comfortable and realistic for you. For example, if you don’t like to run, it may not be a good idea to make one of your goals to run 3 times a week.
Time-Bound
One of the most important things you can do is to set a time when you are going to start this new habit and set how often you are going to do it. It is much easier to put off doing something if you don’t have a starting point or a deadline. If you set your goal for a short period of time, like 1 month, you can adjust your goals as you get used to your new habits. For example, starting your new exercise routine beginning this Sunday.
S.M.A.R.T Goal Examples
- Beginning this weekend, I’ll fill ½ of my plate with fruits or vegetables at every meal, four days a week for 1 month.
- Beginning Monday, I’ll do at least 30 minutes of walking, five days a week for 1 month.
References
Underferth, D. (2017). When setting diet and exercise goals, be SMART. MD Anderson Cancer Centre.