Achieve your health goals with a proven goal-setting method.
Every January, millions of Americans set out to lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, overcome stress, or take on another New Year’s resolution.
Some people are great at making and sticking to their goals! Others have more trouble staying on track. In fact, only 9% of people who make resolutions claim they were successful in keeping them by year’s end.
If we are so motivated for change in January, why do we struggle so much to keep that motivation going through the rest of the year? In most cases, it doesn’t come down to laziness or a lack of willpower. It comes down to poor goal-setting habits.
Here you’ll learn how to make achievable goals with our secret weapon: SMART goals.
What are SMART Goals?
SMART goals are a tried-and-true method for creating goals with a focus and purpose. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound:
- Specific: Your goal describes what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it.
- Measurable: Your goal is measurable so you can track your progress. Include how often, how much, or how many in relation to your goal.
- Achievable: A great goal is both challenging and possible for you to achieve. If your goal is unrealistic, you’ll set yourself up for failure.
- Relevant: Your goal brings you closer to your bigger purpose or vision for your life. Ask yourself: why are you motivated to reach this goal?
- Time-Bound: Every goal needs a deadline to ensure progress and create a natural break to check your progress and revise your goals.
Examples: Effective Health Resolutions with SMART Goals
Making SMART goals is easy when you understand how to build them. Let’s look at the example of “I want to lose weight” to unpack an effective SMART goal!
“I want to lose weight” is too open-ended to be motivating or achievable. A more meaningful SMART goal would look like this:
“I will practice a 20-minute morning exercise routine five days per week for the next two months to help increase my metabolism, so I can lose weight and feel more energized.”
Specific: a morning exercise routine
Measurable: 20 minutes duration, 5 days per week
Achievable: 20 minutes each morning is achievable for this person
Relevant: A morning exercise routine will help the bigger goal of losing weight to feel energized.
Time-Bound: two months
Here is another way this person could achieve their goal of losing weight:
“I will bring homemade plant-based lunches to work every day or the next 4 weeks to reduce my intake of high-calorie takeaway food so I can lose weight and feel more energized.”
Specific: homemade plant-based lunches
Measurable: every workday
Achievable: This is achievable for this person.
Relevant: Swapping takeaway with healthy homemade lunches will help improve weight loss and overall health.
Time-Bound: four weeks
Tips for Making Your New Year’s Health Resolutions Even Better
- Start small, then increase your goal power.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals at once. Choose one or two habits to take on over the next 1-2 months, then grow from there once you’ve gained some momentum. - Make yourself accountable by sharing your goals.
Sharing your goal with a friend, mentor, or support group is a great way to keep yourself accountable. Your friends will be there to cheer you on when you need encouragement, and celebrate with you when you reach your milestones! - Reach your goals faster with a tailored wellness program.
At Moringa Natural Health Center, we help people like you achieve their health and wellness goals every day. We’re here to help you set achievable goals and reach them faster with our range of tailored services like weight loss programs, nutritional therapy, acupuncture, and more.
With a new year comes a fresh new start. Let’s make this the year your New Year’s resolutions actually stick!
Call us at 623-266-0059, or request an appointment to find out how an individualized naturopathic treatment plan can help you achieve your wellness goals.
Much love,
Dr. Lena Fernandez